Online voting is underway to elect the new leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party.
It began Friday at 9 a.m. and will run until next Thursday evening.
The winner of the race among Tanya Granic Allen, Christine Elliott, Doug Ford and Caroline Mulroney.
with be announced next Saturday, less than three months before provincial election day.
On Wednesday in Ottawa, the candidates staged their final debate.
The Liberals under Premier Kathleen Wynne currently hold a majority 55 seats in the 107-seat provincial legislature.
Patrick Brown speaks to media following a meeting at the Conservative Party headquarters in Toronto on February 16. (Christopher Katsarov/Canadian Press)
The Tories are in second place with 28 while the left-of-centre New Democrats hold 18.
There is one sitting independent. Four seats are vacant.
The hastily-called vote follows the resignation of former leader Patrick Brown who stepped down in January after two women accused him of sexual misconduct during the time he was a federal MP.
Brown denied the allegations, but resigned hours later.
He was expelled from the party caucus on Feb. 16, but later that day registered to run for the leadership once again.
Five days later Feb. 21, Brown passed the PC Party’s Provincial Nominations Committee vetting process.
Five days after that, Feb. 26, he withdrew from the leadership race.
With files from CBC, Toronto Star, Canadian Press
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