It is also known for the divisive leadership vote in which Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas was elected over national CCF leader Hazen Argue.

This leadership challenge would mean that plans for an orderly transition to the New Party would be in jeopardy, something that the CLC's and CCF's organizers, headed by Lewis, did not want.

[5] In the mid-1970s, David Lewis reflected on this incident and he realized that he did not handle the leadership transition well: I, as president of the CCF, was very much in the wrong in trying to get a unanimous vote for Tommy.

[10] On Thursday evening, 3 August, the newly named party elected Douglas as its leader by a convincing 1391 to 380 victory over Argue.

[11] There was some controversy that a slate was proposed, and distributed by union members and CCF establishment types, that did not include Hazen Argue.

[11][12] The convention's chairman, University of Toronto professor George Grube, was the leading candidate on the slate, and he did win the most votes.

[12] Eamon Park, a union executive member with the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), was elected as the party's first treasurer.

[12] In recognition for his years of service as the National CCF's leader, M. J. Coldwell was unanimously voted in as the NDP's honorary chairman, a ceremonial post with no real power.