Rebecca Vassarotti, widely seen as the ACT Greens' heir apparent within the Legislative Assembly, has been elected the party's first deputy leader.
Ms Vassarotti, who represents the electorate of Kurrajong alongside Greens leader Shane Rattenbury, was elected in 2020 and is a member of the ACT's cabinet.
"The ACT Greens are a party of strong grassroots membership and it's a privilege to be directly elected to the Deputy Leadership by our party," Ms Vassarotti said in a statement.
"I'm proud to work with such an amazing team of MLAs, and such a well-respected and experienced party leader in Shane."
Ms Vassarotti had told members the neoliberal status quo of the ACT was stopping real change.
"Leadership should be about challenging notions of how politics is meant to work, and not being afraid to put forward policy alternatives that will shake things up," she wrote in a statement provided to party members.
Ms Vassarotti holds the environment, heritage, homelessness and housing services, and sustainable building and construction portfolios in the territory's cabinet.
Prior to entering the Legislative Assembly at the 2020 election, Ms Vassarotti had worked as YWCA Canberra executive director and the Australian Council of Social Service's deputy chief executive.
The race for the deputy leadership position, which was established last year for the first time after the party updated its constitution, was seen as a contest between Ms Vassarotti and Jo Clay, a backbencher and member for Ginninderra.
Ms Clay had touted her credentials, including as a lawyer, company director, chief executive and sole trader, and said the role of deputy leader could be many things.
"The deputy could be internally focused. They could test risk and strategy. They could co-ordinate and negotiate with Labor and stakeholders. They could be an extra pair of hands to share the work. They could support others in leadership," she wrote in a candidate statement provided to party members.
"The best value may come from looking at what the party needs and what skills and qualities different people could bring to the role."
Emma Davidson, a Greens cabinet minister, and Laura Nuttall, a backbencher who was elected in a countback triggered by the resignation of Johnathan Davis late in 2023, both contested the deputy leadership.
But The Canberra Times understands the pair were not actively seeking the position.
Mr Rattenbury, who has been party leader since 2012, ran unopposed to retain his position.
"This is a crucial election year for the ACT. It is our chance as a community to chart a new path and make truly transformative change to the systems that fuel the housing, climate and inequality crises, to relieve cost of living impacts and make Canberra an even better place to live," he said in a statement.
"We need more Greens in the Assembly to do it, and I'm honoured to be leading such a committed, talented, passionate team of MLAs and candidates with Rebecca as deputy leader.
"Leadership isn't about hierarchy. It's about empowering and uniting people to achieve our shared vision for this community and the world we share. All Greens are leaders in their circles of influence, shaping debates and generating solutions. Our responsibility is to do this in the local parliament."
The party's constitution says the party's two leadership positions cannot both be filled by men, meaning Andrew Braddock was ineligible to run for the deputy leadership.
Mr Rattenbury said last week of the deputy leadership contest: "Certainly there is a place for having some structure, and that's what we're trying to reflect - the necessity of having some structure in our leadership model - but at the same time making sure that all six of our MLAs are contributing."
