Action démocratique du Québec leadership election, 2009

The Action démocratique du Québec leadership election, 2009 took place on October 18, 2009 electing Gilles Taillon on the second ballot by a margin of two votes over Éric Caire.

After the results of the 2008 Quebec election, in which the ADQ went from being the official opposition, and 39 seats (41 MNA's had been elected in 2007, but two crossed the floor to the Liberals) to the traditional third-party role and seven seats, longtime leader Mario Dumont stepped down from the leadership of the party.

Éric Caire, 43 the MNA for La Peltrie. He was elected in 2007, and has served as the Official Opposition's Shadow Minister of Health.

Christian Lévesque, 39, the former MNA for Lévis. He was elected in 2007 and served as Official Opposition's Shadow Minister for the Treasury Board.

Gilles Taillon, 63, former MNA for Chauveau, and former President of the ADQ and the Conseil du patronat du Québec. He served as Deputy Leader and the Official Opposition's Shadow Minister of Finance.

Jean-François Plante, former Montreal City Councillor (1998–2005) for the Vision Montreal Party, ADQ candidate and owner and host of Radio XTRM, an internet radio show. His campaign was rejected on the grounds the 1,000 signatures he had collected were not valid.

The new leader was elected by all party members through a preferential ballot cast electronically the new leader being announced in early October 2009. Interested parties must collect 1,000 signatures, including at least 60 in a dozen different regions of Quebec. They must also pay a deposit of $15,000.

First Ballot

(Lévesque eliminated)

Second Ballot

Turnout: 29%

CROP Poll, May 26.

No favoured candidate-12% No answer/Don't know-50%

...
Wikipedia