The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick held a leadership election on October 22, 2016, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, to elect a new leader for the party. The position had been held in an interim capacity by Bruce Fitch since former leader David Alward's resignation on September 23, 2014, following his government's defeat in the 2014 provincial election to the Liberals led by Brian Gallant.
The front-runner for the leadership election was Blaine Higgs, a former Minister of Finance and Irving Oil executive serving in the provincial legislature for Quispamsis. His main competitor was Mel Norton, the outgoing Mayor of Saint John. Higgs won the leadership election with 1,563 votes, or 57.2 percent of the votes cast on the third ballot. After securing leadership for the party, Higgs would go on to defeat Gallant in the 2018 provincial election and serve as premier through one re-election until his defeat in his 2024 provincial re-election, after which he resigned as leader. The next leadership election is scheduled to be held in 2026, one decade after this one.
On September 23, 2014, then-Progressive Conservative leader David Alward announced his resignation after his party's government was defeated by the Liberal Party led by Brian Gallant in the 2014 provincial election, which had been held the previous day.
Interest in leadership came almost immediately after Alward's announcement. The following day, Brian Macdonald, the legislative member for Fredericton West-Hanwell made a proposal to serve as interim leader, though he was disinterested in seeking leadership. Don Desserud, a political scientist at the University of Prince Edward Island, considered Trevor Holder as being a strong leadership candidate. It was scheduled for an interim leader to be appointed within weeks, with a leadership convention being held at an unspecified date in the future.
Chose not to endorse: Bruce Fitch, Madeleine Dubé, Bruce Northrup, Stewart Fairgrieve
All members who have paid the $40 membership fee were eligible to vote on October 22 at the Aitken Centre or at one of several satellite locations around the province. The election used a one member, one vote process. Balloting continued until one candidate received 50% + 1 of ballots cast. A maximum of four candidates were allowed to proceed to the second ballot. As there was no victor on the second ballot, the lowest placed candidate was dropped from the third and subsequent ballots until one candidate received the required level of support.
Up to four candidates with more than 15% is required to move to the second ballot; more than 50% of the vote is required to win the election.