1970 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election

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1970 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election

 1961 October 4, 1970 1978 
 
Candidate Stephen Lewis Walter Pitman Douglas Campbell
Riding Scarborough West Peterborough None
Final ballot 1,188
(64.18%)
642
(34.68%)
21
(1.13%)

Leader before election

Donald C. MacDonald

Elected Leader

Stephen Lewis

1970 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election
DateOctober 4, 1970
ConventionRoyal York Hotel
Toronto, Ontario
Resigning leaderDonald C. MacDonald
Won byStephen Lewis
Ballots1
Candidates3
Ontario CCF/NDP leadership conventions 1942 · 1946 · 1953 · 1961 · 1968 · 1970 · 1978 · 1982 · 1986 · 1996 · 2009 · 2023

The 1970 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election was held in Toronto, Ontario, on October 4, 1970, to elect a successor to Donald C. MacDonald as leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP). The election was necessary because MacDonald announced he would not seek re-election as leader at the party's 1970 convention. Stephen Lewis won on the first ballot, defeating Walter Pitman.[1]

Outgoing ONDP leader Donald C. MacDonald was officially neutral, but quietly favoured Pitman.[2]

Lewis was perceived to be the more left-wing of the two candidates. His victory was attributable to strong support from unions, particularly the United Steelworkers, as well as from younger party members.[3]

Candidates

Voting results

References

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