2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

October 9, 2007
48 seats in the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador 25 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	61.3% ( 11.2 pp)[1]
First party Second party Third party   LIB Leader Danny Williams Gerry Reid Lorraine Michael Party Progressive Conservative Liberal New Democratic Leader since 2001 2006 2006 Leader's seat Humber West The Isles of Notre Dame (lost re-election) Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi Last election 34 seats, 58.71% 12 seats, 33.05% 2 seats, 6.86% Seats won 44 3 1 Seat change 10 9 1 Popular vote 155,943 48,598 19,028 Percentage 69.59% 21.69% 8.49% Swing 10.88pp 11.36pp 1.63pp
Popular vote by riding. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each riding. Click the map for more details.
Premier before election Danny Williams Progressive Conservative Premier after election Danny Williams Progressive Conservative

The 2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 9, 2007, to elect members of the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Campaign

The election was called soon after Premier Danny Williams announced the popular Hebron Oil Field deal,^[2] and it was widely considered a foregone conclusion that Williams' Progressive Conservatives would be reelected.^[3] Polls during the campaign showed the Conservatives reaching up to 73 per cent of voter support, leading some commentators to speculate that the party could in fact win every seat in the House of Assembly — a feat accomplished only twice before in Canadian history, in Prince Edward Island in the 1935 election and in New Brunswick in the 1987 election.

On election day, the Progressive Conservatives did win ten more seats than they held at the dissolution of the previous legislature, and won just under 70 per cent of the popular vote, the highest popular vote share ever attained by a party in the province. However, they did not sweep all 48 seats in the legislature though their popular vote share was higher than the winning party's share in the 1935 PEI election and the 1987 New Brunswick election. Three Liberal incumbents, as well as New Democratic Party leader Lorraine Michael, successfully held their seats.^[4][5] Notably, however, Liberal leader Gerry Reid was not reelected in his own riding.^[6]

Grand Falls-Windsor—Buchans and Bonavista South

On October 1, 2007, Gerry Tobin, Liberal candidate in the riding of Grand Falls-Windsor—Buchans, was found dead in his home.^[7] As a result, the chief electoral officer postponed the election in that riding until November 6, 2007.^[8] The Progressive Conservatives won the special election, bringing their total number of seats in the legislature to 44.

Subsequently, Clayton Hobbs, Liberal candidate in the riding of Bonavista South, dropped out of the race, citing health reasons;^[9] consequently, incumbent Progressive Conservative MHA Roger Fitzgerald was declared re-elected.

Results

Party		Seats	Second	Third	Fourth
	Progressive Conservative	44	4	0	0
	Liberal	3	34	9	0
	New Democratic	1	9	26	0
	Labrador Party	0	0	1	0

Riding-by-riding results

Results by party

Summary of the Legislative Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador election results

Party		Party leader	Candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				2003	Dissol.	2007	Change	#	%	Change
	Progressive Conservative	Danny Williams	*48	34	34	44	+10	155,943	69.59%	+10.88%
	Liberal	Gerry Reid	*46	12	11	3	-9	48,598	21.69%	-11.36%
	New Democratic	Lorraine Michael	36	2	1	1	-1	19,028	8.49%	+1.63%
	Independent and no affiliation		3	-	-	-	-	446	0.20%	-%
	Labrador	Ron Barron	1	*	-	-	-	68	0.03%	-%
	Vacant				2
Total			132	48	48	48	-	224,083	100.00%

Results by region

Party Name			St. John's	St. John's Suburbs	Avalon/Burin	Central	Western/ Southern	Labrador	Total
Parties winning seats in the legislature:
	Progressive Conservative	Seats:	6	7	8	11	9	3	44
		Popular Vote:	69.38%	80.71%	69.50%	70.89%	64.81%	48.53%	69.59%
	Liberal	Seats:	-	-	1	-	1	1	3
		Popular Vote:	10.50%	11.42%	22.46%	23.12%	33.09%	34.78%	21.69%
	New Democratic	Seats:	1	-	-	-	-	-	1
		Popular Vote:	19.10%	7.79%	8.04%	5.85%	2.10%	16.14%	8.49%
Parties that won no seats in the legislature
	Independent	Popular Vote:	1.02%	0.08%	-	0.14%	-	-	0.20%
	Labrador Party	Popular Vote:	-	-	-	-	-	0.55%	0.03%
Total seats:			7	7	9	11	10	4	48

Results by riding

Bold incumbents indicates party leaders. The premier's name is boldfaced and italicized.

• All candidate names are those on the official list of confirmed candidates; names in media or on party website may differ slightly.
• Names in boldface type represent party leaders.
• † represents that the incumbent is not running again.
• § represents that the incumbent was defeated for nomination.
• ₰ represents that the incumbent ran in another district and lost the nomination
• ‡ represents that the incumbent is running in a different district.

St. John's

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Kilbride 57.35% turnout		John Dinn 4,443 84.48%		Roger Linehan 364 6.92%		Michelle Broderick 421 8.01%		Paul Perrier (Independent) 31 0.59%		John Dinn
Signal Hill—Quidi Vidi 71.45% turnout		Maria Afonso 2,135 39.87%		Maura Beam 158 2.95%		Lorraine Michael 3,062 57.18%				Lorraine Michael
St. John's Centre 57.89% turnout		Shawn Skinner 3,332 76.49%		Lori Ann Campbell-Martino 374 8.59%		Jane Robinson 650 14.92%				Shawn Skinner
St. John's East 65.84% turnout		Ed Buckingham 3,649 70.09%		Peter Adams 692 13.29%		Gemma Schlamp-Hickey 864 16.60%				John Ottenheimer†
St. John's North 56.33% turnout		Bob Ridgley 3,488 77.55%		Simon Lono 561 12.47%		Matt Power 449 9.98%				Bob Ridgley
St. John's South 64.88% turnout		Tom Osborne 3,887 79.60%		Rex Gibbons 425 8.70%		Clyde Bridger 571 11.69%				Tom Osborne
St. John's West 65.08% turnout		Sheila Osborne 3,623 72.69%		George Joyce 1,018 20.43%		Joan Scott 344 6.90%				Sheila Osborne
Virginia Waters 56.12% turnout		Kathy Dunderdale 4,043 73.04%		Drew Brown 429 7.75%		Dave Sullivan 710 12.83%		Fred Wilcox (Independent) 353 6.38%		Kathy Dunderdale

St. John's suburbs

Electoral district	Candidates						Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP
Cape St. Francis 71.01% turnout		Jack Byrne 4,983 77.45%		Bill Tapper 739 11.49%		Kathleen Connors 680 10.57%		Jack Byrne
Conception Bay East—Bell Island 59.70% turnout		Dianne Whalen 3,991 71.55%		Linda Goodyear 999 17.91%		Gavin Will 569 10.20%		Dianne Whalen
Conception Bay South 61.97% turnout		Terry French 4,670 79.10%		Jerry Young 953 10.03%		Touria Tougui 259 4.64%		Terry French
Mount Pearl North 61.36% turnout		Steve Kent 4,751 84.72%		Elaine Reid 505 9.00%		Janice Lockyer 330 5.88%		Harvey Hodder†
Mount Pearl South 61.11% turnout		Dave Denine 4,163 84.12%		William Reid 441 8.91%		Tom McGinnis 332 6.71%		Dave Denine
Topsail 59.49% turnout		Elizabeth Marshall 4,892 82.85%		Cynthia Barron-Layden 513 8.69%		Kyle Rees 486 8.23%		Elizabeth Marshall

Avalon and Burin Peninsulas

Electoral district	Candidates						Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP
Bellevue 68.11% turnout		Calvin Peach 2,908 55.82%		Denise Pike 2,139 41.06%		Ian Slade 155 2.98%		Percy Barrett †
Burin—Placentia West 69.35% turnout		Clyde Jackman 3,141 59.09%		George Brake 457 8.60%		Julie Mitchell 1,704 32.05%		Clyde Jackman
Carbonear—Harbour Grace 67.40% turnout		Jerome Kennedy 4,367 74.14%		Paul Baldwin 1,463 24.84%				George Sweeney †
Ferryland 60.51% turnout		Keith Hutchings 4,256 83.40%		Kevin Bennett 472 9.25%		Grace Bavington 351 6.88%		Keith Hutchings
Grand Bank 63.37% turnout		Darin King 3,563 79.69%		Rod Cake 889 19.88%				Judy Foote†
Harbour Main 62.51% turnout		Tom Hedderson 4,586 82.25%		Kevin Slaney 635 11.39%		Jean Dandenault 323 5.79%		Tom Hedderson
Placentia—St. Mary's 51.58% turnout		Felix Collins 3,086 78.24%				Jennifer Coultas 812 20.64%		Felix Collins
Port de Grave 76.44% turnout		Glenn Littlejohn 3,069 46.62%		Roland Butler 3,329 50.57%		Randy Dawe 162 2.46%		Roland Butler
Trinity—Bay de Verde 71.61% turnout		Charlene Johnson 3,572 71.65%		Bruce Layman 1,137 22.81%		Don Penney 257 5.16%		Charlene Johnson

Central Newfoundland

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Baie Verte—Springdale 55.78% turnout		Tom Rideout 3,388 75.14%		Glendon Bungay 798 17.70%		Tim Howse 301 6.68%				Vacant[a][10]
Bonavista North 59.20% turnout		Harry Harding 2,883 67.09%		Winston Carter 1,292 30.07%		Howard Parsons 80 1.86%				Harry Harding
Bonavista South		Roger Fitzgerald won by acclamation		[b][11]						Roger Fitzgerald
Exploits 63.13% turnout		Clayton Forsey 3,396 72.16%		Jody Fancey 1,295 27.52%						Clayton Forsey
Gander 55.91% turnout		Kevin O'Brien 3,599 74.36%		Stephanie Winsor 1,193 24.65%						Kevin O'Brien
Grand Falls-Windsor—Buchans[c] 52.60% turnout		Susan Sullivan 2,767 71.63%		John J. Woodrow[d] 163 4.22%		Junior C. Downey 922 23.87%				Anna Thistle†
Grand Falls-Windsor—Green Bay South 53.73% turnout		Ray Hunter 2,535 68.68%		Aubrey Smith 957 25.93%		John Whelan 188 5.09%				Ray Hunter
Lewisporte 48.49% turnout		Wade Verge 2,660 70.43%		John Martin 647 17.13%		Garry Vatcher 460 12.18%				Tom Rideout
Terra Nova 55.71% turnout		Paul Oram 3,427 73.84%		Katty Gallant 781 16.83%		Bill Cashin 358 7.71%		Lionel Glover (Independent) 62 1.34%		Paul Oram
The Isles of Notre Dame 66.78% turnout		Derrick Dalley 2,371 49.88%		Gerry Reid 2,364 49.74%						Gerry Reid
Trinity North 57.21% turnout		Ross Wiseman 3,939 81.77%		Kathryn Small 609 12.64%		Janet Stringer 247 5.13%				Ross Wiseman

Western and Southern Newfoundland

Electoral district	Candidates						Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP
Bay of Islands 73.45% turnout		Terry Loder 2,817 51.56%		Eddie Joyce 2,520 46.12%		Charlie Murphy 107 1.96%		Eddie Joyce
Burgeo—La Poile 62.46% turnout		Colin Short 1,864 38.45%		Kelvin Parsons 2,882 59.45%		June Hiscock 85 1.75%		Kelvin Parsons
Fortune Bay—Cape La Hune 65.00% turnout		Tracey Perry 2,539 62.86%		Elvis Loveless 1,394 34.51%		Sheldon Hynes 84 2.08%		Oliver Langdon†
Humber East 64.97% turnout		Tom Marshall 4,160 83.48%		Michael Hoffe 537 10.78%		Jean Graham 256 5.14%		Tom Marshall
Humber Valley 74.29% turnout		Darryl Kelly 3,023 51.29%		Dwight Ball 2,769 46.98%		Kris Hynes 87 1.48%		Dwight Ball
Humber West 59.89% turnout		Danny Williams 3,755 87.39%		Maurice Budgell 516 12.01%				Danny Williams
Port au Port 61.10% turnout		Tony Cornect 3,936 80.80%		Michelle Felix-Morgan 910 18.68%				Tony Cornect
St. Barbe 58.04% turnout		Wallace Young 2,491 58.47%		Jim Bennett 1,560 36.62%		Gary Noel 196 4.60%		Wallace Young
St. George's—Stephenville East 58.86% turnout		Joan Burke 3,143 74.36%		George Lee 1,062 25.12%				Joan Burke
The Straits - White Bay North 66.78% turnout		Trevor Taylor 2,651 62.66%		Boyd Noel 1,358 32.10%		Gerry Ryall 171 4.04%		Trevor Taylor

Labrador

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Labrador
Cartwright—L'Anse au Clair 74.28% turnout		Dennis Normore 646 26.92%		Yvonne Jones 1,736 72.33%						Yvonne Jones
Labrador West 68.36% turnout		Jim Baker 2,204 50.69%		Karen Oldford 287 6.60%		Darrel Brenton 1,848 42.50%				Jim Baker
Lake Melville 70.28% turnout		John Hickey 2,380 56.29%		Chris Montague 1,672 39.55%		Bill Cooper 147 3.48%				John Hickey
Torngat Mountains 71.19% turnout		Patty Pottle 794 53.65%		Danny Dumaresque 604 40.81%				Jim Tuttauk 109 7.36%		Vacant[e]

Election Results by Party and Seats

Election	Progressive Conservative	Liberal	NDP
2007	44	3	1

See also

• 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Speaker of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
• List of Newfoundland and Labrador General Assemblies
• List of Newfoundland and Labrador political parties

General resources

• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Elections Newfoundland and Labrador

Election coverage

• Election Almanac - Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Election
• Professor Antweiler's Voter Migration Election Forecaster - Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Election 2007

Parties

• Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador Archived 2011-05-15 at the Wayback Machine (see also Conservative Party of Canada)
• Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador (see also Liberal Party of Canada)
• Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party (see also New Democratic Party)

Notes

1. Paul Shelley had resigned his seat on July 12, 2007, and a by-election had not been held to fill the seat prior to the general election call.
2. Clayton Hobbs was originally the Liberal candidate, but he withdrew prior to the election.
3. Due to the death of Liberal candidate Gerry Tobin on October 1, the election in the riding of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans was delayed. The deferred election for this riding took place on November 6, 2007, with the Liberals nominating John Woodrow in Tobin's place.
4. Woodrow briefly suspended his campaign on November 3, 2007 when it became known that he had falsely accused former Premier Beaton Tulk of bribery. However, being unable to remove his name from the ballot, Woodrow revived his campaign on November 5, 2007.
5. Wally Andersen had resigned his seat on September 5, 2007, and a by-election had not been held to fill the seat prior to the general election call.

References

1. "October 9, 2007 Provincial General Election Report" (PDF). Elections NL. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
2. "N.L. announces $16B Hebron oilfield deal". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 22, 2007. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
3. Marland, Alex (2007). "The 2007 provincial election in Newfoundland and Labrador". Canadian Political Science Review. 1 (2): 75–85.
4. "Jones takes on interim Liberal leadership". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. November 15, 2007. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
5. "NDP Leader Michael alone again". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 9, 2007. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
6. "Reid resigns leadership, vows Grit rebuilding" Archived 2016-05-06 at the Wayback Machine. CBC News, November 13, 2007.
7. "Candidate's death shocks Liberal campaign". CBC News. October 2, 2007. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
8. "Postponement of Advance Poll and Polling Day in Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans". Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
9. "PCs chalk up early victory as Liberal withdraws from election". CBC News. October 5, 2007. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
10. "By-Election Call Necessary for District of Baie Verte". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
11. "Withdrawal of Candidate in Bonavista South". Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved April 26, 2022.

Further reading

• Mutimer, David, ed. (2014). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 2007. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442648555.