[1][14] The revised procedure was expected to complicate the system of slate campaigning that prevailed in internal ANC elections, since unsuccessful candidates in the first ballot would be able to stand in the second ballot; however, most centrally, the committee framed the procedure as a means of allowing voters to balance the Top Six for representativity (in terms of age and ethnic or regional blocs) and gender parity.

[17] The campaign identified its four priorities as social and economic transformation; "clean, accountable and effective" leadership; public safety; and the completion of Ramaphosa's project of "renewing" the ANC internally.

[29] Although Dlamini-Zuma's campaign was publicly endorsed by former President Jacob Zuma,[30] the KwaZulu-Natal provincial leadership said in late September that it preferred Mkhize.

[22] Former President Zuma said publicly that he was willing to accept nominations for the chairmanship,[30] and suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule said that he expected to make a comeback at the conference.

[38] Each branch was allowed to nominate one candidate for each of the Top Six positions (president, deputy president, chairperson, secretary general, deputy secretary general and treasurer), and the branch nominations were consolidated to develop a list of the three most popular nominees for each Top Six position, as well as the 200 most popular nominees for the NEC.

[41] Unexpectedly, however, the Electoral Committee announced that Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, the Ramaphosa-aligned candidate for deputy secretary general, had declined her nomination by email, apparently leaving Nomvula Mokonyane to assume the post without contest.

[42] The conference had also amended the party's constitution to introduce a second deputy secretary general position, and two candidates, Maropene Ramokgopa and Ronalda Nalumango, were nominated from the floor for that office.

[41] Although Mzwandile Masina accepted his nomination and was included on the ballot paper, he later announced – on the evening of 18 December – that he would withdraw from the race and endorse Pule Mabe for the position; he said that they both supported Zweli Mkhize's candidacy for the presidency and that since they were both from Gauteng province, they did not wish to stand against each other and risk splitting the province's vote.

[48][49] The results of the election, as announced on 19 December, were as follows (with winners in bold):[50] All of the winning candidates were aligned to Ramaphosa during the campaigning phase, except for Mokonyane and Mashatile.

[50][51] On the final day of the Conference delegates were required to vote in the top 80 leaders of the highest decision making body of the ANC, the National Executive Committee.