The 2015 Wildrose Party leadership election was triggered December 17, 2014, following the decision by leader Danielle Smith and eight other MLAs to leave the Wildrose Party and cross the floor to join the ruling Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta (PCs). The party announced the next day that it would appoint an interim leader and hold an election to choose a permanent leader in 2015. Former Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament Brian Jean was elected leader over two other candidates on March 28, 2015.
Under the party's constitution, within 15 days of Smith's resignation, it had to set a date for party members to choose a new permanent leader. Smith tendered her resignation on the morning of December 17, 2014. In a letter to the party's executive, Smith recommended that party members vote on a "reunification resolution" to merge with the PCs as soon as possible, a course of action that the executive rejected.
The party's constitution also stipulates that the leadership election had to be held between three and nine months after the position becomes open, in this case between March and September 2015.
Each candidate had to pay a non-refundable $20,000 deposit and receive endorsement signatures from 250 party members.
The party executive announced on January 23, 2015, that the election was to be held on June 6, 2015, and that party members will be able to vote in person at venues around the province or by mail-in ballot; results were to be announced at the Coast Plaza Hotel in Calgary.
Voting was by means of a ranked ballot(Instant-runoff vote). Originally, voters were required to rank all three candidates. However, due to objections, this was changed to allow voters to rank either one, two, or all three candidates. (the ranking of the third was actually not necessary - the back-up preferences would be used only if the first choice was eliminated, and after the first choice was eliminated, that would leave just two in the running and one or the other would have majority in the very next vote count to win the contest.)
However, due to the likelihood of an early provincial election, the date of the leadership vote was moved up with the vote to be conducted by a telephone ballot in a 12-day period from March 16 to 28, 2015, with results announced at the Sheraton Cavalier in Calgary.
Brian Jean was declared elected, having received a majority of the vote on the First Count.
Declared candidates.
Drew Barnes.
MLA (Cypress-Medicine Hat 2012–present), realtor and businessman by trade.
Date declared: February 26, 2015
Support from provincial caucus members: 
Support from federal Members of Parliament: 
Support from former provincial caucus members: 
Other prominent supporters: 
Policies:
Brian Jean.
Lawyer and former Conservative MP (Athabasca, 2004-2006; Fort McMurray—Athabasca, 2006-2014), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (2006-2011).
Date declared: February 25, 2015
Support from provincial caucus members: 
Support from federal Members of Parliament: 
Support from former provincial caucus members: 
Other prominent supporters: Wildrose candidates Derek Fildebrandt (Strathmore-Brooks), a former spokesman for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation who had been touted as a prospective leadership candidate; Kathy Macdonald (Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill); Hardyal Singh Mann (Calgary-McCall); Kathy Rondeau (Stony Plain); Wayne Anderson (Highwood); Bill Jarvis (Calgary–South East); Darryl Boisson (Lesser Slave Lake); Jaye Walter (Spruce Grove-St. Albert); Travis Olson (Athabasca-Redwater); Leela Aheer (Chestermere-Rocky View); Chris Kemp-Jackson (Calgary-Glenmore); Gerard Lucyshyn (Calgary West); Jason Nixon (Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre); Jae Shim (Calgary-Hawkwood); Jeremy Nixon (Calgary-Klein); Todd Loewen (Grand Prairie–Smoky)
Policies: Wants to "clean up" the health care system and deal with alleged financial mismanagement in the provincial government.
Linda Osinchuk.
Former mayor of Strathcona County (2010-2013), Wildrose nominee for Sherwood Park in the next election, registered nurse by profession.
Date declared: February 26, 2015
Support from provincial caucus members: 
Support from federal Members of Parliament: 
Support from former provincial caucus members: 
Other prominent supporters: Wildrose candidates Sharon Smith (Leduc-Beaumont) and Jaye Walter (Spruce Grove-St. Albert)
Policies: Supports fiscal responsibility but also supports Gay Straight Alliances in schools and inclusion of LGBT people in society.
Results.
"Turnout was 34.5%"
Brian Jean was declared elected, having received a majority of the vote on the First Count.
References.
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