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President of the Liberal Democrats

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President of the Liberal Democrats
Incumbent
Mark Pack
since 1 January 2020
Member ofFederal Board
Reports toLiberal Democrats
AppointerLiberal Democrats
Term length3 Years; Renewable once
Formation1988
First holderIan Wrigglesworth
DeputyVice President of the Liberal Democrats

The president of the Liberal Democrats chairs the Federal Board of the Liberal Democrats of the United Kingdom.

The responsibilities of the president are similar to that of chairman of the Conservative Party or chairman of the Labour Party,[citation needed] although the role is elected by the membership for a fixed term.

They are elected in an all-member ballot by Liberal Democrat party members for a three-year term (previously two-year terms). They may serve a maximum of two three-year terms. The next scheduled contest will occur in Autumn 2025 with the winner beginning their term of office on 1 January 2026. The election is conducted using the single transferable vote.

The current president is Mark Pack, who was elected in 2019 and took office on 1 January 2020.

Eligibility to stand

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In order to be a candidate for president, the candidate must be a member of the Liberal Democrats and secure the nomination of not less than 200 members in not less than 20 local parties (including, for this purpose, the specified associated organisations representing youth or students).[1]

List of party presidents to date

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Term Name(s) Constituency (where applicable)
1989–90 Ian Wrigglesworth N/A (served as MP 1974–1987)
1991–94 Charles Kennedy Ross, Cromarty and Skye
1995–98 Bob Maclennan Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
1999–00 Baroness Maddock N/A
2001–04 Lord Dholakia N/A
2005–08 Simon Hughes North Southwark and Bermondsey
2009–10 Baroness Scott of Needham Market N/A
2011–14 Tim Farron Westmorland and Lonsdale
2015–19 Baroness Brinton N/A
2020– Mark Pack N/A
Member of the House of Commons
Member of the House of Lords
Non Parliamentarian

Election results

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Elections in the 2020s

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2022

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Mark Pack was re-elected president of the Liberal Democrats.[2]

Candidate First round
Votes %
Mark Pack 4,968 54.5%
Lucy Nethsingha 2,194 24.2%
Liz Webster 1,936 21.3%
Turnout/Total 9,099 14.05%[2]

Elections in the 2010s

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2019

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Mark Pack was elected president of the Liberal Democrats.[3]

Candidate First round
Votes %
Mark Pack 14,381 58.6%
Christine Jardine 10,164 41.4%
Turnout/Total 24,545 23.1%[4]

2016

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Sal Brinton was returned unopposed.[5][6]

2014

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Candidate First round
Votes % Transfers Votes %
Sal Brinton 7,865 46.86 2,323 10,188 62.40
Daisy Cooper 4,530 26.98 1,608 6,138 37.59
Liz Lynne 4,389 26.14
Turnout/Total 16,784 38.9

There were 25 spoilt/rejected ballots.[7]

2012

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Tim Farron was returned unopposed.[8]

2010

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Tim Farron 14,593 52.98
Susan Kramer 12,950 47.01
Turnout/Total 27,543 41.9

There were 64 spoilt/rejected ballots.

Elections in the 2000s

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2008

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Ros Scott 20,736 72.04
Lembit Öpik 6,247 21.70
Chandila Fernando 1,799 6.25
Turnout/Total 28,782 47.8

There were 49 spoilt/rejected ballots.[9]

2006

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Simon Hughes was returned unopposed.

2004

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Simon Hughes 24,333 70.86
Lembit Öpik 10,002 29.13
Turnout/Total 34,335 29.13

There were 144 spoilt/rejected ballots.[10]

2002

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Navnit Dholakia was returned unopposed.

2000

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Navnit Dholakia was returned unopposed.

Elections in the 1990s

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1998

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Diana Maddock was returned unopposed.

1996

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Bob Maclennan was returned unopposed.

1994

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Bob Maclennan 18,080 53.77
Don Foster 8,979 26.61
Martin Thomas 6,561 19.51
Turnout/Total 33,620 33.4

There were 114 spoilt/rejected ballots.

1992

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Charles Kennedy 25,956 70.45
Martin Thomas 10,813 29.35
Turnout/Total 36,840 36.2

There were 71 spoilt/rejected ballots.

1990

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Charles Kennedy 24,648 84.24
Tim Clement-Jones 4,818 16.11
Brian Grocott 436 1.45
Turnout/Total 29,902 36.3

There were 55 spoilt/rejected ballots.

Elections in the 1980s

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1988

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Candidate First round
Votes %
Ian Wrigglesworth 28,638 50.22
Des Wilson 21,906 38.41
Gwynoro Jones 6,479 11.36
Turnout/Total 57,023 71.2

There were 448 spoilt/rejected ballots.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Federal Constitution of the Liberal Democrats" (PDF). September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "The results of the 2022 Presidential Election". Liberal Democrats. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Meet our new party president". Liberal Democrats. 2019-12-14. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  4. ^ Based on party membership reported as 106,575 - https://www.markpack.org.uk/143767/liberal-democrat-membership-figures/
  5. ^ "Lib Dems publish timetable for 2016 Party President election". 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Sal Brinton re-elected unopposed as Lib Dem President". 10 November 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Lib Dems elect new party president". BBC News. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Tim Farron". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  9. ^ Summers, Deborah (10 November 2008). "Defeated Öpik vows to back Lib Dem president". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Hughes is new Lib Dem president". 2 September 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
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