The

Green Party of British Columbia The Green Party of British Columbia, often simply called the BC Greens, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1983 and is based in Victoria. The party won its first seat in the Legislative Assembly of Br ...

held an election between September 5 and 13, 2020, to elect a leader to replace Andrew Weaver, who resigned on January 6, 2020, due to a personal health issue.

Adam Olsen Adam Olsen is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2017 provincial election. He represents the electoral district of Saanich North and the Islands as a member of the Green Party of Britis ...

was made interim leader shortly after Weaver's resignation. Party members cast votes online and by telephone, using

ranked ballots The term ranked voting (also known as preferential voting or ranked choice voting) refers to any voting system in which voters rank their candidates (or options) in a sequence of first or second (or third, etc.) on their respective ballots. Ran ...

. Members and supporters 16 years of age and older were eligible to vote. On March 27, 2020, the election was postponed indefinitely due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

and the resultant state of emergency in the province. Before the postponement, voting was to take place between June 15 and 26. The deadline to enter the race was to be April 15, and debates were planned to take place after April 30, in three regions of the province. The winner was to be announced at the party's convention in

Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...

from June 26 to 28 that year. The campaign resumed on June 15, 2020. The party opened a second nomination period which ran from June 26 to July 27. Members and supporters had until August 21 to register in order to be able to vote by phone, and until September 2 to be able to vote online. A debate took place on September 1. Voting occurred from September 5 to 13. On September 14, 2020, it was announced that

Sonia Furstenau Sonia Furstenau is a Canadian politician who is currently the leader of the Green Party of British Columbia. Furstenau was raised in Edmonton, the child of German immigrants. She attended McKernan Elementary/Junior-High School, where she was ...

had won the contest. Turnout among eligible voters was 85%.

Timeline

2019

*October 7 – Andrew Weaver announces he will step down as party leader once a new leader is chosen. *December 20 –

is named interim leader.

2020

*January 6 – The party releases the leadership contest rules. *January 13 – Leadership contest officially begins. *January 27 – Deputy Leader

announces her candidacy. *March 4 – Kim Darwin announces her candidacy. *March 27 – The election is postponed indefinitely due to the

. *April 15 – Original deadline for candidates to enter race. The deadline was subsequently changed to July 27 following postponement of the race. *June 15 – The leadership race is officially re-opened following the postponement. *July 25 – Cam Brewer announces his candidacy. *July 27 – Deadline for candidates to apply. *August 21 – Deadline to become a member or supporter if voting by phone. *September 1 – Official leadership debate. *September 2 – Deadline to become a member or supporter if online voting. *September 5 – Voting period begins. *September 13 – Voting period ends. *September 14 – Leader announced.

Results

Debates

Candidates

Cam Brewer

Cam Brewer is a Vancouver lawyer and

Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located from ...

adjunct professor who practices environmental and Aboriginal law. :Candidacy announced: July 25, 2020 :Date registered with Elections BC: :Campaign website:

Kim Darwin

Kim Darwin is an independent mortgage consultant and former president of the Sechelt Chamber of Commerce. She served as vice chair of the Green Party of British Columbia's provincial council and stood as a candidate for Powell River-Sunshine Coast in 2017. :Candidacy announced: March 4, 2020 :Date registered with Elections BC: :Campaign website:

Sonia Furstenau

, 49, is the MLA for

Cowichan Valley The Cowichan Valley is a region around the Cowichan River, Cowichan Bay and Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. There is some debate as to the origin of the name Cowichan, which many believe to be an anglicized form ...

(2017–present) and deputy leader of the party (2016–present). :Candidacy announced: January 27, 2020 :Date registered with Elections BC: :Campaign website:

Declined

*Jonina Campbell – deputy leader (2018–present), candidate for

New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...

in 2017. *

Adriane Carr Adriane Carr (born 1952) is a Canadian academic, activist and politician with the Green Party in British Columbia and Canada. She is also a councillor on Vancouver City Council. She was a founding member and the Green Party of British Columbia' ...

– Vancouver city councillor (2011–present), former deputy leader of the

Green Party of Canada The Green Party of Canada (french: Parti vert du Canada) is a federal political party in Canada, founded in 1983 with a focus on green politics. The Green Party is currently the fifth largest party in the House of Commons by seat count. It el ...

(2006–2014), former leader of the Green Party of British Columbia (2000–2005, 1983–1985). *

Pete Fry Pete Fry is a Canadian politician and business owner in Vancouver, British Columbia, who has served as councillor on the Vancouver City Council since 2018. He is a member of the Green Party of Vancouver. Owner of a graphics and communications age ...

– Vancouver city councillor (2018–present), candidate for

Vancouver-Mount Pleasant Vancouver-Mount Pleasant is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It was one of only two electoral districts to return an NDP MLA in the 2001 election when the NDP was nearly wiped off the e ...

in 2016 by-election. *

Lisa Helps Lisa Helps (born April 6, 1976) is a Canadian politician and former mayor of Victoria, British Columbia, with her inauguration taking place on December 4, 2014. She narrowly defeated incumbent mayor Dean Fortin in the 2014 municipal election.

– Mayor of Victoria (2014–present). Endorsed Furstenau. *

Joe Keithley Joseph Edward "Joey Shithead" Keithley ( né Keighley; June 3, 1956)
is a Canadi ...

– Burnaby city councillor (2018–present), candidate for Burnaby-Lougheed in 2017. *Racelle Kooy – Green Party of Canada candidate for

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

in 2019. *

– MLA for Saanich North and the Islands (2017–present), former interim leader (2013–2015). Became interim leader. *Dana Taylor – former North Vancouver councillor, candidate for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky in 2017, Green Party of Canada candidate for

West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country (formerly West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast) is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1997. Geography The ...

in 2019. *

Michael Wiebe Michael Wiebe is a Canadian politician in Vancouver, British Columbia, who was elected to Vancouver City Council running under the Vancouver Green Party slate in the October 2018 municipal election. Wiebe had previously served on the Vancouver ...

– Vancouver city councillor (2018–present), former commissioner of the

Vancouver Park Board The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, commonly referred to as the Vancouver Park Board, is the elected board with exclusive possession, jurisdiction and control over public parks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Established by sectio ...

(2014–2018).

Notes

References

External links

Green Party of British Columbia's official page for the 2020 leadership contest
{{GPC, British Columbia Green Party of British Columbia leadership election Leadership election, 2020 Green, 2020 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election, 2020 Green Party of British Columbia leadership election