Saskatchewan’s NDP elected Ryan Meili as the new leader on Saturday.
Hundreds of party members gathered at the Delta Hotel in Regina for the party’s leadership convention.
Both candidates on the ballot have run for leadership of the party in the past.
Meili, a former family doctor, helped the Saskatchewan NDP take the Saskatoon-Meewasin riding in a byelection a year ago. The seat was previously held by Sask. Party MLA Roger Parent, who died from cancer in November 2016. Meili ran for party leadership in 2009 and 2013, finishing second both times.
Candidate Ryan Meili speaking now with a group of supporters behind him pic.twitter.com/t6qE1ukop3
— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) March 3, 2018
Regina-Rosemont MLA Wotherspoon was first elected as an MLA in 2007 and ran an unsuccessful bid for party leadership in 2013. He was chosen as interim leader for the party in 2016, before resigning to pursue a permanent run last June.
Trent Wotherspoon delivers his final speech to hundreds at the Sask NDP leadership convention before we find out who will lead the party pic.twitter.com/RFXSXsHUGU
— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) March 3, 2018
With an 81 per cent voter turnout from party members, Meili won with 5,973 votes compared to 4,860 for Wotherspoon.