BREAKING: BC Conservatives announce May 30 leadership vote, contest rules
The Conservative Party of British Columbia has officially released its leadership race rules, with a new leader set to be selected by May 30, 2026.
The Conservative Party of British Columbia has officially released its leadership race rules, with a new leader set to be selected by May 30, 2026.
The rules and procedures for the contest, which will run for just over four months, were formally adopted on January 14, 2026, by the Leadership Election Organizing Committee and released publicly on the launch date. Scott Lamb, a lawyer and former federal Conservative Party president, chairs the LEOC.
“On behalf of the Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC), I am pleased to announce the official launch of the election race for the new Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia,” Lamb said in a statement announcing the race provided to True North.
Prospective candidates face significant financial requirements: to apply, candidates must pay a $5,000 application fee and a total $110,000 in non-refundable fees to remain in the race. Additionally, candidates must fork over a mandatory $20,000 compliance deposit, refundable subject to compliance with party and Elections BC rules.
Under the rules, prospective candidates must submit their applications along with their application fee by February 15, 2026, including 250 verified party member signatures spanning at least five regions. Approved candidates must then meet a strict payment schedule: a $10,000 second fee within days of approval, followed by a $40,000 payment by April 1 and a $60,000 payment by April 18. Failure to meet any deadline results in removal from the ballot.
Memberships must be purchased by 5:00 p.m. PT on April 18, 2026, to be eligible to vote. Ballots will be distributed beginning May 9, with online voting continuing until the leadership convention on May 30, when the results will be announced publicly
The party has imposed strict membership rules to prevent fraud. Memberships must be purchased personally using individual credit cards or personal cheques, with cash, prepaid cards, corporate cards, and third-party purchases explicitly banned. Memberships are verified against Elections BC data, require government-issued ID to vote, and VPN-based or alias registrations are prohibited. International students are not eligible for membership. Bulk sign-ups are allowed but must be processed through a party-provided portal.
“The people in BC are hungry for a new direction and path out of years under David Eby and the NDP,” Lamb said, citing economic decline, failures in health care and education, and rising crime as central issues the next leader will confront.
Campaigns will also operate under a $2 million spending cap, and candidates are required to remit 20 per cent of all political contributions back to the party on a monthly basis to offset leadership election costs. Membership fees collected during the race are retained entirely by the party, not the campaigns.
The leadership vote will be decided using a weighted electoral district system, with each of B.C.’s 93 ridings allocated 100 points, regardless of population. Ridings with fewer than 100 ballots will be allocated points equal to ballots cast. A candidate must secure more than 50 per cent of total province-wide points to win, with lower-performing candidates eliminated through successive preferential ballot counts.
LEOC and the party’s board retain sweeping authority throughout the contest, including the power to investigate campaigns, levy fines of up to $75,000 per violation, suspend candidates, or recommend disqualification. All candidates must sign a binding party unity pledge, committing to support the eventual winner, campaign for the party in the next general election, and accept all LEOC and board decisions without appeal.
“On behalf of our Board and Party, we thank LEOC for their hard work and look forward to an exciting race” said Aisha Estey, President of the Party
In December 2025, former leader and MLA John Rustad was forced out as leader of the BC Conservatives following a high-profile caucus revolt where a majority of his MLAs expressed non-confidence in his leadership, leaving Trevor Halford to serve as interim leader. As of January 2026, several candidates have announced a run in the race to succeed him, including commentator Caroline Elliott, businessman Yuri Fulmer, MLAs Peter Milobar and Sheldon Clare, and former BC Liberal Iain Black.