NDP youth back Ashton

The MYND delegate selection process (which, unlike the constituency meetings, used a proportional system) has narrowed the gap between the contestants:

Young members of Manitoba's New Democratic Party have voted decisively in support of Steve Ashton — and his unabashed commitment to freeze tuition fees — to be the province's next premier and party leader.

More than 300 enthusiastic Manitoba Young New Democrats members packed a basement hall and cast ballots at the University of Winnipeg in the city's downtown on Tuesday evening.

Ashton won 67 delegates to rival Greg Selinger's 40, with a single delegate going to former leadership candidate Andrew Swan.

Swan dropped out from the leadership race on Sept. 28 and is supporting Selinger's bid to become premier.

The vote for Swan was mailed in from rural Manitoba weeks before Tuesday night's meeting.

Selinger still leads the overall race by 117 delegates.

From the CBC. The margin here does not include those backing Swan (most of whom will likely switch to Selinger). Endless Spin Cycle has a complete tally of the constituency delegates; now we have to wait to see who organized labour supports, as this will now likely decide the outcome.