The rules for the 2026 NDP Leadership Race can be found here.

Once contestants have been approved and have announced, their information will be shared on the NDP leadership website.

Please email membership@ndp.ca to verify if you are an up-to-date member of the Party.

To participate in the vote, you must be a member in good standing by Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

As set out in the Leadership Rules, this election will use a preferential (ranked) ballot. Voters will rank Leadership Contestants in order of preference by marking their first choice as “1,” second choice as “2,” and so on.

Voters are not required to rank every Leadership Contestant. They may rank as many or as few contestants as they wish, including only a single choice. Only one Leadership Contestant may be selected per rank.

Members may vote using one of three methods: online, telephone, or mail-in. Online voting is the strongly recommended method. All methods of voting will be available in English and French.

As there are three methods of voting available to members, the first method a member uses to cast their vote will determine how their vote is recorded. For example, if a member votes by telephone and then attempts to vote online, only the first vote will be counted, and any subsequent attempts will not be processed.

To ensure broad participation, the Party is offering a mail-in voting option. However, due to potential mail delivery delays outside the Party’s control, additional safeguards are in place to ensure ballots are received and counted within the voting period.

Members are strongly encouraged to vote online or by telephone wherever possible, as these methods ensure immediate ballot submission.

To vote by mail, members must request a mail-in ballot online, by email or by telephone between Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and Friday, March 6, 2026. Please contact Data on the Spot (DOTS) at credentials@dataonthespot.com for further information on how to request a mail-in ballot.

If you do not receive your voting package by email or mail, or if you misplace your credentials, please contact Data on the Spot (DOTS) at credentials@dataonthespot.com or 1-833-368-7123 to have your credentials reissued. For security purposes, identity verification will be required.

The next Leader of Canada's NDP will be announced on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Yes. The Leadership race will include official debates where candidates will present their vision and answer questions. The schedule and locations will be announced in the coming weeks.

There are many meaningful ways you can take part in the leadership race and help energize local engagement.

• - Hosting local events and inviting leadership candidates to connect with your community
• - Organizing membership drives to renew existing memberships or welcome new members
• - Holding watch parties for the official leadership debates to foster discussion and excitement
• - Volunteering and supporting a leadership candidate of your choice

The 2026 Federal NDP Convention in Winnipeg will be a pivotal moment for our movement. It will bring together New Democrats from across Canada to organize, share ideas, and build momentum ahead of the next election. The convention will also coincide with the conclusion of the leadership race to elect our new Federal NDP Leader–making this an exciting opportunity to participate in one of the Party’s most significant democratic gatherings.

Further details on the 2026 Convention in Winnipeg will be made available in the coming weeks.

Visit www.ndp.ca for updates, the final debate schedules, and to find who is running to be the next Leader of Canada’s NDP.