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With Christy Clark stepping down as leader of the BC Liberals, the party will have to pick a new leader.

The party executive will have 28 days to meet and select a voting date for the new leader.

“The Liberal Party has a universal ballot in its constitution so every party member gets to vote for the leader,” said Mike Smyth, columnist for The Province.

LISTEN: Mike Smyth joins Simi Sara



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“There are no requirements on when the leadership contest could be held but they do have to select a voting date within 28 days.”

He said that by the end of the summer British Columbians should have some indication of when a new Liberal leader will be selected.

“I guess the question is: Would it be this fall or would they extend it into the New Year?”

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According to Smyth, it’s very likely there will be an interim leader followed by a wide-open leadership race.

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But he said one name keeps popping up, and that is Conservative MP Dianne Watts.

“I have had a lot of interest in it though; her name does come up, and that’s one name that’ll have the NDP shaking in their boots, I think if she was to come in, because she was a very popular mayor when she was the mayor of Surrey.”

Possible successors to Christy Clark: Ellis Ross, Dianne Watts, Jas Johal, Mike Bernier. Let the speculation games begin. #bcpoli — Keith Baldrey (@keithbaldrey) July 28, 2017

He said the role of the opposition leader is one many politicians will probably be interested in.

More BC Liberal leadership speculation: Andrew Wilkinson, Todd Stone, James Moore, Michael Lee……..#bcpoli — Keith Baldrey (@keithbaldrey) July 28, 2017

With files from Terry Schintz