The 2020 Parti Québécois leadership election was held on 9 October 2020, to replace Jean-François Lisée, who resigned on 1 October 2018 after leading the Parti Québécois to a third-place finish in the 2018 Quebec general election and failing to be re-elected in his own riding. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was elected on the third ballot with 56% of the vote. The election was originally scheduled for 19 June but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec. Background On 1 October 2018, the Parti Québécois came in third in the Quebec general election, winning only ten seats and 17% of the popular vote, an all-time low. PQ leader Jean-François Lisée announces his resignation as leader after losing his own riding. Pascal Bérubé was named interim leader on 9 October 2018. On 13 December 2019, Bérubé announced that the campaign would start on 1 February 2020 and that the leader would be chosen before 24 June 2020. Process The nomination period officially began on March 2 and ended on April 9. To obtain an application form, each aspiring candidate had to give the party a non-refundable amount of $10,000. To make their candidacy official, each candidate must have submitted their ballot signed by at least 2,000 members from at least 9 administrative regions and at least 50 local associations and pay the party a non-refundable amount of $15,000. For the first time, the Parti Québécois allowed both party members and supporters to participate in the election of the leader. Supporters had to pay $5̩ to obtain the right to vote. Anyone enjoying the status of voter in Quebec could contribute to the campaign of a leadership contestant by paying him an amount that cannot exceed $500. Applicants' maximum campaign expenses could not exceed $125,000. Two debates were to be organized by the Parti Québécois between April 15 and May 20, with one to take place in Montreal and the other in Centre-du-Québec, but they were postponed. The voting period was to have begun on June 15 at 9 a.m. and end on June 19 at 3 p.m. but was delayed until the autumn. Voting took place by preferential ballot. Thus, a candidate who collected 50% + 1 vote would win. If necessary, a second or even a third round would be held to, after distribution of the 2nd and 3rd choices, choose a winner. The results were to be announced