Leader of the Liberal Party (UK) election) party members argued for a wider franchise. Before the leadership election of 1976, all members were given a vote in an electoral college based on allocating electoral votes to constituency associations (which were then divided proportionately to the votes of the members of the association). The candidates were required to be members of the House of Commons, nominated by a quarter of the MPs. The electoral college system was only used once, when David Steel was elected leader. Leader of the Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was formally established in 1859 and existed until merging with the Social
1982 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election 1982 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election The Ontario Liberal Party leadership election, 1982, was held on February 22, 1982 to replace Stuart Smith who stepped down as leader after the 1981 provincial election. Smith resigned his seat a month before the convention to accept a federal appointment. David Peterson, who had lost against Smith in 1978, was the early front-runner and he won the election on the second ballot with 55% of the vote. Peterson went on to become Premier in 1985, leading the Liberals to power after 42 years of Conservative rule. Stuart Smith had been leader since 1976.