Yukon Liberals set rules for next leadership race

The Yukon Liberals will choose their next party leader through a preferential voting system, and incumbent ministers will not need to resign from cabinet to run.

The rules for the next leadership race were released by the party on Wednesday. The date for the leadership convention has yet to be set.

The party must choose a successor to Sandy Silver, who announced in September that he would step down as premier. He called on his party to find a new leader and said he would remain the Klondike MP until the next territorial election.

Silver has been party leader since 2012 and premier since 2016.

The rules of the leadership convention were decided by a steering committee set up by the party. The rules outline who is eligible to run, how they can campaign, and how voting will take place.

Candidates will each have to pay a $7,000 party fee to run and will need 10 party members to sign their nomination form. They must be party members and eligible for election to the Legislative Assembly under the Elections Act. The party’s executive committee must also approve the person’s candidacy.

The rules do not require incumbent ministers to resign from office before running for leadership. Yukon opposition parties have called for such a rule, saying it would ensure ministers do not use their positions or government resources to campaign.

To date, none of Silver’s ministers have announced their intention to seek leadership.

The rules also explain how voting will take place at the leadership convention.

The convention will be open to everyone, but only party members will be able to vote. Members may also vote by proxy.

They will use a ranked ballot, where they can list their preferred candidates in order.

A candidate will need more than 50% of the first choice votes to win. If no one wins on the first count, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and those votes go to the second-choice candidates listed on the ballot.

The winner then becomes Liberal leader and Prime Minister.

The party president must announce the date of the leadership convention at least 42 days in advance.

The deadline for nominations is 21 days after the date of the leadership convention is announced.