The British Columbia Conservative Party leadership vote has commenced, but not without a last-minute controversy. Party members began casting ballots on Saturday, May 23, to select a new leader to replace interim leader Trevor Halford, who stepped in after John Rustad's resignation in December 2025. However, the vote is shadowed by allegations against candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay, a former South Surrey-White Rock MP.
Findlay is facing scrutiny related to her unsuccessful 2025 federal re-election campaign. Allegations have surfaced regarding approximately $75,000 in money and services received from an unknown company, as well as potential promises of federal contracts in exchange. Findlay's campaign has vehemently denied these "unproven and anonymous" claims, suggesting they were leaked to inflict maximum political damage just before the leadership vote. Her campaign stated they have received no formal notice of any investigation from Elections Canada.
Despite the controversy, the BC Conservative Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) determined it lacked sufficient credible evidence to remove Findlay from the race. Findlay affirmed her commitment to the race, stating, "I am in this to win. I will never back down". The five candidates on the ballot are Iain Black, Caroline Elliott, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Peter Milobar, and Yuri Fulmer. The winner is set to be announced at the leadership convention on May 30.
The party's executive director, Angelo Isidorou, confirmed that ballots were distributed to 26,000 eligible voters. The preferential ballot system allows voters to rank candidates. The race has seen a surge in party membership, growing from 7,000 to 42,000 since December.
