The Scottish Conservatives have today announced the timetable for electing their new leader following a meeting of the party’s management board last night (Wednesday).
The meeting was held – and the timetable agreed – after a two-week consultation process in which party members were invited to make submissions.
Nominations for candidates to succeed Douglas Ross will formally open on Thursday 8 August. Nominations will close on Thursday 22 August at 12pm.
Hustings events involving the candidates will then be arranged across the country for party members to attend, including a national digital hustings.
Ballot papers will be posted to members on Wednesday 4 September. The ballot will close at 12pm on Thursday 26 September, and the winner will be announced on Friday 27 September.
The new leader will be chosen via a preferential voting system, with members ranking their chosen candidates in order of preference. The bottom ranked candidate will be eliminated in each round, with their first-preference votes redistributed until one candidate receives over 50 per cent of the votes cast.
In line with the party’s constitution, candidates require 100 party members to nominate them in order to stand.
Douglas Ross will remain party leader until his successor is announced.
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy, who sits on the management board, said: “Following a two-week consultation with members and elected representatives, the management board met to agree the rules and timetable for the leadership election.
“We look forward to an open contest where candidates will be able to outline their plans and policies at hustings to be held around Scotland in the coming weeks.
“Once candidates have had the opportunity to set out their stalls, a full ballot of our members will determine the next leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.”
Notes to editors
The Scottish Conservative management board comprises eight people in addition to the director of the party. These are the party chairman, the party leader, the national convener, honorary secretary, treasurer and three regional conveners (the latter three elected by party members). The current party leader, Douglas Ross, took no part in yesterday’s meeting, while the director of the party and the honorary secretary are non-voting members of the board.