Cam Broten narrowly won the leadership of the Saskatchewan NDP on Saturday, edging out Ryan Meili on the second ballot by only 44 votes. Broten received 4,164 out of 8,284 ballots cast. Meili, an author and physician, had been leading by several hundred votes after the first ballot.
The leadership convention came nearly a year and a half after Dwain Lingenfelter resigned as provincial NDP leader after the November 2011 election in which the Saskatchewan Party won a decisive majority. John Nilson, an MLA for Regina, served as interim leader.
Broten, 34, is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Saskatoon Massey Place, having won elections in 2007 and 2011. His grandfather was an MLA in the Saskatchewan NDP government of Tommy Douglas.
On Sunday in Saskatoon, Broten urged party unity, inviting supporters of all the leadership candidates to work together to take back power from the Saskatchewan Party.
"It's a time for all of us regardless of what team we supported to come together under one orange banner and build the alternative and earn the trust of Saskatchewan people once again," Broten told the convention.
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