2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

The 2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on March 25, 2021, to elect members of the 50th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Under the province's fixed election date law, the vote was tentatively scheduled for October 10, 2023, but a caveat in the law mandates that an election must be held within one year of a new Premier assuming office. Premier Furey assumed the role on August 19, 2020, and requested to Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote to issue the writs of election on January 15, 2021.

However, an unexpected COVID-19 surge in the week leading up to the election caused voting to be delayed on the Avalon Peninsula, before all in-person voting was eventually cancelled, delaying the election for every district until March 1, 2021. After several more delays, the final mail-in ballot deadline became March 25, 2021. The election was the first election in Canada that was mostly mail-in-only, however, there was one day of advance voting. Preliminary results were released by noon on March 27, which projected a majority government for Andrew Furey and the Liberal Party.

Incumbents not running for re-election The following MHAs had announced that they would not be running in this provincial election:

Liberal Carol Anne Haley (Burin-Grand Bank) Christopher Mitchelmore (St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows)

Progressive Conservative Kevin Parsons (Cape St. Francis)

Results The Liberals regained their parliamentary majority. The PC and NDP leaders lost their seats in the legislature. On March 31, 2021, Ches Crosbie resigned as PC leader.

NDP leader Coffin filed for a recount in her district. On May 12, 2021, Supreme Court Justice Donald Burrage rejected Coffin's bid for a recount, arguing that there was not sufficient evidence. On October 16, 2021, Coffin lost a leadership review by party members."N.L. NDP delegates vote in favour of leadership review". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, October 16, 2021. She later chose to resign on October 19 and was replaced by MHA Jim Dinn as interim leader."Alison Coffin steps down as leader of Newfoundland and Labrador's New Democrats". CTV Atlantic, October 19, 2021.

Defeated PC candidates Jim Lester and Sheila Fitzgerald also filed legal challenges to the results in their respective districts.

The election was noteworthy in the election of 3 independent candidates, the most of any past election.

Historical results from 1993 onwards

Synopsis of results

+ 2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election - synopsis of riding results Ridingsorted as per results summary 2019 Winning party Turnoutincluding rejected and declined ballots Votes Party Votes Share Margin# Margin% Lib PC NDP NL All Total  Baie Verte-Green Bay  Lib  Lib2,158 52.1%171 4.2% 42.1%2,158 1,987 – – – 4,145Bonavista  PC  PC2,117 57.3%1,173 31.7% 40.5%944 2,117 70 – 562 3,693Burgeo-La Poile  Lib  Lib1,992 87.1%1,757 76.8% 33.5%1,992 235 60 – – 2,287Burin-Grand Bank  Lib  Lib2,666 59.6%1,027 23.0% 50.5%2,666 1,639 169 – – 4,474Cape St. Francis  PC  PC3,476 62.5%1,905 34.3% 58.1%1,571 3,476 449 65 – 5,561Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde  Lib  Lib3,892 67.5%2,296 39.8% 51.5%3,892 1,596 261 – 14 5,763Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair  Lib  Lib973 95.2%924 90.4% 35.3%973 49 –– – 1,022Conception Bay East – Bell Island  PC  PC3,215 56.2%1,322 23.1% 50.1%1,893 3,215 614 – – 5,722Conception Bay South  PC  PC3,063 57.1%1,122 20.9% 55.5%1,941 3,063 225 136 – 5,365Corner Brook  Lib  Lib2,593 66.5%1,289 33.0% 38.4%2,593 1,304 – – – 3,897Exploits  PC  PC2,641 54.8%463 9.6% 51.5%2,178 2,641 – – – 4,819Ferryland  PC  PC3,197 52.3%501 8.2% 58.7%2,696 3,197 216 – – 6,109Fogo Island-Cape Freels  Lib  Lib2,511 61.1%1,004 24.5% 40.7%2,511 1,507 95 – – 4,113Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune  Lib  Lib1,868 68.2%1,087 39.7% 51.0%1,868 781 89 – – 2,738Gander  Lib  Lib3,358 70.9%2,130 45.0% 47.9%3,358 1,228 148 – – 4,734Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans  PC  PC2,735 59.2%959 20.7% 47.8%1,776 2,735 106 – – 4,617Harbour Grace-Port de Grave  Lib  Lib3,404 71.1%2,235 46.7% 44.3%3,404 1,169 215 – – 4,788Harbour Main  PC  PC3,180 54.5%750 12.9% 53.7%2,430 3,180 228 – – 5,838Humber-Bay of Islands  Ind  Ind2,988 71.6%2,247 53.8% 41.0%741 444 – – 2,988 4,173Humber-Gros Morne  Lib  Lib2,838 64.0%1,346 30.4% 44.8%2,838 1,492 107 – – 4,437Labrador West  NDP  NDP1,359 50.0%579 21.3% 43.2%780 577 1,359 – – 2,716Lake Melvillemultiple independent candidates nominated  Lib  Ind1,143 49.9%596 26.0% 46.8%306 547 279 – 1,160 2,292Lewisporte-Twillingate  Lib  Lib2,593 62.4%1,033 24.8% 41.1%2,593 1,560 – – – 4,153Mount Pearl North  PC  Lib2,428 46.7%109 2.1% 49.6%2,428 2,319 337 116 – 5,200Mount Pearl-Southlands  Ind  Ind3,445 59.6%2,059 35.6% 54.6%1,386 797 152 – 3,445 5,780Mount Scio  Lib  Lib2,011 46.6%859 19.9% 46.8%2,011 1,152 1,074 60 18 4,315Placentia-St. Mary's  Lib  Lib2,552 50.8%216 4.2% 54.3%2,552 2,336 – 131 – 5,019Placentia West-Bellevue  PC  PC2,965 54.3%661 12.1% 56.8%2,304 2,965 189 – – 5,458St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows  Lib  Lib2,375 51.2%216 4.7% 51.3%2,375 2,159 38 – 70 4,642St. George's-Humber  Lib  Lib2,420 58.5%946 22.8% 43.7%2,420 1,474 191 49 – 4,134St. John's Centre  NDP  NDP1,991 52.4%714 18.8% 38.9%1,277 533 1,991 – – 3,801St. John's East-Quidi Vidi  NDP  Lib2,447 43.0%53 1.0% 50.8%2,447 856 2,394 – – 5,697St. John's West  Lib  Lib2,679 57.8%1,195 25.8% 49.1%2,679 1,484 470 – – 4,633Stephenville-Port au Port  PC  PC2,481 59.7%907 21.8% 43.4%1,574 2,481 103 – – 4,158Terra Nova  PC  PC2,837 53.2%514 9.6% 53.2%2,323 2,837 173 – – 5,333Topsail-Paradise  PC  PC3,036 50.6%511 8.5% 55.6%2,525 3,036 440 – – 6,001Torngat Mountains  PC  PC420 88.8%383 81.0% 22.5%16 420 37 – – 473Virginia Waters-Pleasantville  Lib  Lib3,481 59.6%2,257 38.6% 56.8%3,481 1,224 1,135 – – 5,840Waterford Valley  Lib  Lib3,592 66.8%2,244 41.7% 52.8%3,592 1,348 438 – – 5,378Windsor Lake  PC  Lib2,688 50.6%534 10.1% 56.7%2,688 2,154 472 – – 5,314

= open seat = turnout is above provincial average = incumbent re-elected in same riding = incumbent changed allegiance = other incumbent renominated

Comparative analysis for ridings (2021 vs 2019) Analytical charts

Turnout, winning shares and swings

+ Summary of riding results by turnout, vote share for winning candidate, and swing (vs 2019)Riding and winning partyTurnoutVote shareShare won by winning candidate, with difference noted from share achieved by the same party in 2021.SwingPositive indicates improvement to standing of party winning in 2021; negative points to 2021's second-place party being swung to. % Change (pp) % Change (pp) From To Change (pp)  Baie Verte-Green Bay Lib Hold 42.11 52.06 Lib PC Bonavista PC Hold 40.48 57.32 Lib PC Burgeo-La Poile Lib Hold 33.54 87.10 PC Lib Burin-Grand Bank Lib Hold 50.54 59.59 PC Lib Cape St. Francis PC Hold 58.12 62.51 PC Lib Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde Lib Hold 51.55 67.53 PC Lib Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair Lib Hold 35.28 95.21 PC Lib Conception Bay East – Bell Island PC Hold 50.12 56.19 PC Lib Conception Bay South PC Hold 55.54 57.09 PC Lib Corner Brook Lib Hold 38.44 66.54 PC Lib Exploits PC Hold 51.50 54.80 PC Lib Ferryland PC Hold 58.69 52.33 PC Lib Fogo Island-Cape Freels Lib Hold 40.74 61.05 PC Lib Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune Lib Hold 50.99 68.22 PC Lib Gander Lib Hold 47.85 70.93 PC Lib Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans PC Hold 47.75 59.24 Lib PC Harbour Grace-Port de Grave Lib Hold 44.35 71.09 PC Lib Harbour Main PC Hold 53.70 54.47 PC Lib Humber-Bay of Islands Ind Hold 41.00 71.60 Lib Ind Humber-Gros Morne Lib Hold 44.83 63.96 Lib PC Labrador West NDP Hold 43.23 50.04 Lib NDP Lake Melville Ind Gain 36.39 50.61 Lib PC Lewisporte-Twillingate Lib Hold 41.06 62.44 PC Lib Mount Pearl North Lib Gain 49.64 46.69 PC Lib Mount Pearl-Southlands Ind Hold 54.61 59.60 Lib Ind Mount Scio Lib Hold 46.80 46.60 PC Lib Placentia-St. Mary's Lib Gain 54.29 50.85 PC Lib Placentia West-Bellevue PC Gain 56.84 54.32 Lib PC St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows Lib Hold 51.30 51.16 Lib PC St. George's-Humber Lib Hold 43.70 58.54 PC Lib St. John's Centre NDP Hold 38.92 52.38 PC NDP St. John's East-Quidi Vidi Lib Gain 50.76 42.95 NDP Lib St. John's West Lib Hold 49.14 57.82 PC Lib Stephenville-Port au Port PC Hold 43.41 59.67 Lib PC Terra Nova PC Hold 53.25 53.20 Lib PC Topsail-Paradise PC Hold 55.60 50.59 PC Lib Torngat Mountains PC Hold 22.46 88.79 Lib PC Virginia Waters-Pleasantville Lib Hold 56.83 59.61 PC Lib Waterford Valley Lib Hold 52.80 66.79 NDP Lib Windsor Lake Lib Gain 56.68 50.58 PC Lib

Share changes by party + Share change analysis by party and riding (2021 vs 2019)Riding Liberal PC NDP % Change (pp) % Change (pp) % Change (pp)  Baie Verte-Green Bay 52.06 47.94 N/ABonavista 25.56 57.32 1.90 Burgeo-La Poile 87.10 10.28 2.62 Burin-Grand Bank 59.59 36.63 3.78 Cape St. Francis 28.25 62.51 8.07 Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde 67.53 27.69 4.53 Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair 95.21 4.79 N/AConception Bay East – Bell Island 33.08 56.19 10.73 Conception Bay South 36.18 57.09 4.19 Corner Brook 66.54 33.46 – Exploits 45.20 54.80 N/AFerryland 44.13 52.33 3.54 Fogo Island-Cape Freels 61.05 36.64 2.31 Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune 68.22 28.52 3.25 Gander 70.93 25.94 3.13 Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans 38.47 59.24 2.30 Harbour Grace-Port de Grave 71.09 24.42 4.49 Harbour Main 41.62 54.47 3.91 Humber-Bay of Islands 17.76 10.64 – Humber-Gros Morne 63.96 33.63 2.41 Labrador West 28.72 21.24 50.04 Lake Melville 13.35 23.87 12.17 Lewisporte-Twillingate 62.44 37.56 N/AMount Pearl North 46.69 44.60 6.48 Mount Pearl-Southlands 23.98 13.79 2.63 Mount Scio 46.60 26.70 24.89 Placentia-St. Mary's 50.85 46.54 N/APlacentia West-Bellevue 42.21 54.32 3.46 St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows 51.16 46.51 0.82 St. George's-Humber 58.54 35.66 4.62 St. John's Centre 33.60 14.02 52.38 St. John's East-Quidi Vidi 42.95 15.03 42.02 St. John's West 57.82 32.03 10.14 Stephenville-Port au Port 37.85 59.67 2.48 Terra Nova 43.56 53.20 3.24 Topsail-Paradise 42.08 50.59 7.33 Torngat Mountains 3.38 88.79 7.82 Virginia Waters-Pleasantville 59.61 20.96 19.43 Waterford Valley 66.79 25.07 8.14 Windsor Lake 50.58 40.53 8.88

Ridings changing hands

Four ridings changed their allegiance from 2019:

Liberal to Independent

Lake Melville

PC to Liberal

Mount Pearl North Windsor Lake

NDP to Liberal

St. John's East-Quidi Vidi

+ Resulting composition of the 50th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador Source PartyLibPCNDPIndTotalSeats retained Incumbents returned 17 12 2 2 33Open seats held 2 1 3Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 3 3Change in affiliation 1 1Total 22 13 2 3 40

Incumbent MHAs who were defeated PartyNameConstituencyYear electedSeat held by party sinceDefeated byPartyNDPAlison CoffinSt. John's East-Quidi Vidi20192015 (1990)John AbbottLiberalPCChes CrosbieWindsor Lake20182018John HoganLiberalPCJim LesterMount Pearl North20172007Lucy StoylesLiberal

Timeline

Seat Before ChangeDateMemberPartyReasonDateMemberPartyHumber-Gros MorneSeptember 7, 2020Dwight BallResignationOctober 6, 2020Andrew FureyLake MelvilleNovember 10, 2020Perry TrimperResigned from caucus

2019 May 16, 2019 – The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador wins 20 of the 40 seats in the House of Assembly during the general election, re-electing Premier Dwight Ball but forcing the Liberals to form a minority government. This is the first time the province elected a minority government since 1971. May 30, 2019 – Premier Ball's cabinet is sworn in; all ministers maintain their previous portfolios with the exception of MHA Warr entering cabinet. September 13, 2019 – Minister Trimper resigns from cabinet after comments critical of the Innu Nation were left on the voicemail of an Innu Nation staffer and publicly revealed. September 13, 2019 – MHA Bragg is appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment replacing Trimper.