MONTREAL — The drive to modernize the federal Liberal party hit a roadblock Thursday when delegates flatly rejected a shift to a one-member, one-vote leadership process.

The decision on the convention floor means this weekend's wild, eight-horse, free-for-all may not mark the last such old-style delegated leadership convention after all.

"This is exciting, it allows people to change their minds,'' said MP John Godfrey, who was among those Liberals relieved by the decision.

"Why mess with success? This formula seems to work.''

All the other federal political parties use a direct poll of their entire party membership to elect their leaders. The process is considered more egalitarian and less expensive -- but much more arid -- than sending a couple of thousand party stalwarts to a convention hall to thrash matters out.

Youthful Liberals whooped, clapped high-fives and hugged as delegates voted by a narrow majority to reject the constitutional amendment. The resolution needed a two-thirds majority to pass, meaning the count really wasn't close.

The vote marked a repudiation of sorts for MP Belinda Stronach.

Stronach, a Conservative leadership candidate in 2004, declined to run in the Liberal race, saying she was committed instead to reforming her new party's leadership process. She reportedly spent hundreds of dollars out of her own pocket this week paying for flyers to promote the one-member, one-vote initiative.

"You know what, we're missing 98 per cent of the family here today,'' Stronach implored delegates, speaking from one of the floor microphones at the Palais des congres.

"Don't be afraid. Be open. Let's modernize this party. Let's leapfrog ahead of the Conservative party so we can engage, we can earn the trust and respect of Canadians, we can become the most open and democratic party in the world.''

The Liberals did agree to adopt a new party constitution, which for the first time creates a single federal party and national membership list. Up to now, the national party has been comprised of separate provincial and territorial wings.

The overhaul in the party's organization and governance is deemed critical to fund-raising reforms demanded by changes in election financing laws. As Stronach pointed out to delegates, the Conservatives are out-performing the Liberals three-to-one in fundraising.

The convention's opening night speaker, Howard Dean, had reminded Liberals of the importance of approaching many small donors, and not just the big fish. It's a lesson the Conservative party and its political forebears have been successfully practicing for years.

That same fundraising argument was applied Thursday to the one-member, one-vote leadership process. An involved and empowered membership is more likely to pony up donations, several delegates argued.

But counter arguments won the day.

"I'm not willing to have my party hijacked by special interest groups like the Defend Marriage Coaltion or the National Rifle Association,'' Mike Burton, a delegate from Regina, told the convention floor to loud applause.

"King, St. Laurent, Pearson, Trudeau, Turner, Chretien and Martin were all selected with delegated leadership conventions,'' he added.

Stronach and party president Mike Eizenga both downplayed the leadership process vote result afterwards, saying the matter will be revisited in the future.

"It's clear that's something people are going to want to think about a little longer,'' said Eizenga.

Stronach suggested that when delegates in Montreal return home next week, "they may hear more about this from party members who were unable to attend this convention.''