The party used a preferential ballot for its leadership convention for the first time. Voting also occurred at satellite voting sites in Bloomfield, Summerside, Souris and Montague.[4]
The election was won by former Charlottetown City CouncillorRob Lantz[5] on the second ballot. The party executive decided prior to voting not to release vote totals in the interests of party unity; however it was later reported that Compton was eliminated after the first ballot and that Lantz then narrowly defeated Aylward on the second ballot.[1]
Nomination rules
The nomination period opened on December 1, 2014.[6] To be nominated, a candidate had to obtain 100 signatures from party members living in 14 of the 27 Island districts and pay an entry fee of $10,000.[7] The deadline for nominations was January 23, 2015.[7]
Support from former caucus member:Chester Gillan (Parkdale-Belvedere 1996-2007);[8] Gordie Lank (2nd Queens 1979-1986) Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs (1982-1983), Minister of Transportation and Public Works (1983-1985), Minister of Finance and Tourism (1985-1986); Pat Mella (3rd Queens 1993-1996 and Glen Stewart-Bellevue Cove 1996-2003), PC Leader (1990-1996), Minister of Finance (1996-2003)[8]
Support from federal caucus members:
Other prominent supporters: Jamie Fox, business owner and former police chief, ran third in the 2010 leadership election.[6][8]
Businesswoman, head of operations at the Dr. John M. Gillis Memorial Lodge, one of the largest private sector long-term care facilities in PEI, candidate in 2011 provincial election (Belfast-Murray River), lost to incumbent by eight votes.[9]
Voting was conducted by preferential ballot in which voters ranked their preferences. A candidate was required to win 50% + 1 of the votes cast. As no candidate achieved a majority on the first ballot, the lowest placed candidate was dropped and the second choice listed on those candidates ballots were added to the vote totals of the remaining two candidates in order to determine a winner.
