This research note uses the Canadian case to explore the growing phenomenon of universal membership ballots of party members being used to choose party leaders. The special leadership selection conventions long used in Canada are rapidly giving way to processes in which all members are given a vote. After elaborating a typology by which we might conceptualize distinct every-member vote mechanisms, the note examines four cases to illustrate the typology's utility in assessing the comparative impact of different systems on party growth and membership participation.
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