Would you vote for a political party that can't even organize its own internal leadership election?
Ontario's Progressive Conservatives are supposed to be voting for a new leader after the resignation of Patrick Brown amid sexual harrassment allegations. But a succession of glitches and registration errors have meant that thousands of party members will not be able to vote before the deadline passes later today. That, and the internal bickering that came with it, have left a very bad impresssion of the party.
Some of the candidates are incensed that the deadline was not extended still further; some are saying it should have reverted to an old-style paper ballot system. Doug Ford, if he loses, will almost certainly claim to have been unfairly treated and demand a re-vote, because that's just the kind of person he is. However you look at it, the whole process, from Brown's resignation onwards, has been an embarrassing display of incompetence and ineptitude, and has probably done further damage to the Conservative brand in an Ontario that is desperately looking for a viabke alternative to the scandal-plagues and unpopular Liberals, who have been in power since 2003.
Would you vote for a party this disorganized?
UPDATE
Well. Despite a razor-thin margin, despite his losing the popular vote and a majority of ridings, and despite "serious irregalities" in the online voting process, the PCs have nevertheless seen fit to elect Doug "Mr. Populism" Ford as party leader (Ford won according to the Byzantine system used by the provincial PCs that assigns "points" for each riding.)
Given that Ford is a man with zero provincial political experience, and is a failed mayoral candidate with anger issues, best known as the big brother of Toronto's worst ever mayor, this is something of a Trump moment for Ontario. Let's just hope the analogy does not extend any further.
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