2009 Action démocratique du Québec leadership election


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.

Background

After the results of the 2008 Quebec election, in which the ADQ went from being the official opposition, and 39 seats to the traditional third-party role and seven seats, longtime leader Mario Dumont stepped down from the leadership of the party.

Candidates

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

Rules and deadlines

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.

Results

First Ballot
Second Ballot
Turnout: 29%

Polls

Poll, May 26.
No favoured candidate-12%
No answer/Don't know-50%

Aftermath

Caire and Marc Picard quit the ADQ caucus shortly after Taillon's victory. Taillon himself resigned as leader less than a month after the leadership election, and was succeeded by Deltell.