Liberal Progressive Party leadership election, 2236

The Liberal Progressive Party leadership election of 2236 took place from July to November 2236, with the result announced on 18th November. The election saw an overwhelming victory for interim leader Joseph Edwards, who easily beat off his only challenger, Michael Rae.

Joseph Edwards was elected interim leader at the July Ishis Declaration, with an unanimous 17-0 vote of other delegates. Under the party constitution ratified at the event, the leader must be accepted by a majority IRV vote of voting party members. The cut-off for nominations was September 1st. In this time one candidate stepped forward in opposition: Michael Rae, at the time Mayor of Corabya in Merkan. Rae ran on his record as Mayor, citing experience, while Edwards ran on a young, new platform. Most of the Ishis attendees endorsed Edwards, with Rae only joined of the 16 other delegates by several-time Libertarian Labour Union candidate Nathan Bird.

The result was unsurprising. Rae received less than 10% of votes, giving Edwards an overwhelming victory. Edwards went on to lead the Liberal Progressives until his assassination in 2275, serving many times as Foreign Minister and once as Prime Minister along the way, while Rae was eventually elected as a Representative on the Merkanese list in 2248, serving until his death in 2260.