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Every member of the NDP in good standing as of Aug. 17, 2017 will be entitled to cast a vote for leader, either by mail-in ballot or online.

Polls open for the first round of voting Sept. 18, 2017. Votes will be held via preferential, ranked ballot, and the prospective leader must get 50 per cent of the vote plus one. If no candidate has that level of support when the first round of voting ends on Oct. 1, the candidate ranked last will be dropped from the ballot.

The same process could be followed for up to four more rounds, with the final ballot closing Oct. 29, at which point a winner must be declared.

Only one candidate has entered the race so far, though at first she did so “unofficially” — that’s Ontario MPP Cheri DiNovo, who said when she announced her bid that she wasn’t willing to pay the $30,000 entry fee.

Elections Canada rules say that candidates can’t legally fundraise without securing “official” candidacy with the party. DiNovo confirmed this week she plans to fundraise the entry fee so she can do that.

Spending for the campaign is capped at $1.5 million per candidate.

Other bigger-name candidates, including B.C. MP Nathan Cullen, ex-Halifax MP Megan Leslie and longtime party organizer Brian Topp, opted out of the race early, leaving a wide-open field.

The race officially begins this July 2, but it’s expected most candidates will wait until after the summer to announce their plans.

The party’s national council will vote to formally ratify the rules set out by the federal executive by early next week.

National Post

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