Liberal Rank-and-File to Start Casting Ballots in Leadership Race

Liberal Party of Canada leadership candidates Karina Gould, Frank Baylis, Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney greet one another prior to the English-language Liberal leadership debate in Montreal on Feb. 25, 2025. The Canadian Press/Christinne Muschi

With the debates now done, Liberal party members can start casting advance ballots today to select their next leader a little under two weeks from now.

They can cast their ranked ballot choices by mail or in some instances by phone, and each electoral district counts for 100 points in the race.

Former central bank governor Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, former government House leader Karina Gould and Montreal businessman Frank Baylis all made their pitches to Liberal voters in the only two debates of the race on Monday and Tuesday.

Carney is widely perceived to be the front-runner in the race by far.

He’s leading in endorsements, polling, fundraising—and he’s the main target of attacks by the Conservative party.

But the point-based voting system doesn’t guarantee he'll walk away with it when Liberals select Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s successor on March 9.