Cory Oxelgren of Regina has been elected as the new president of Saskatchewan's New Democratic Party.

Oxelgren, who has been an NDP member for three decades, edged out Darien Moore by a vote of 143 to 140 at the party's convention Saturday in Saskatoon.

"I knew it would be close," said Oxelgren, who will serve a one-year term as party president.

"Darien's a great candidate, so when I saw how close it was, it was sort of a … surprise."

Oxelgren is a former NDP youth wing president and provincial executive board member, and he was involved in a number of election campaigns, according to a news release.

The Saskatchewan NDP will hold a leadership convention next March.

Its most recent leader, Dwain Lingenfelter, resigned after losing his own seat in November's provincial election — the first time an NDP leader lost his own seat in a general election.

The party's overall presence was reduced from 20 MLAs to just nine in the 58-seat legislature.

Confidence not shaken, says interim leader

"I think that our confidence is not shaken," interim leader John Nilson said.

"What we do know is that we will have to listen very carefully and see what kind of person is going to be leading for the next 10 to 20 years."

Nilson encouraged convention delegates to enter their names into the leadership contest.

"We're hoping to have quite an array of candidates, because we know that the discussion that happens within our party gives us strength as we move forward," he said.

The leadership race officially begins on Sept. 4, after the Labour Day weekend, with the convention slated for March 9, 2013, at TCU Place in Saskatoon.

"It's a new year, we're building and we're moving ahead," Oxelgren said.

"There are a lot of things that we can do and a lot of things that we're going to do to build our base and get back on the road," he said.