1989 Newfoundland general election

The 1989 Newfoundland general election was held on April 20, 1989 to elect members of the 41st General Assembly of Newfoundland. It was won by the Liberal party despite polling fewer votes than the Conservatives.

Unusually, however, Liberal leader Clyde Wells was defeated by Lynn Verge in his own riding of Humber East despite having led his party to victory. Consequently, a member of his caucus, Eddie Joyce, resigned shortly after the election, and Wells was acclaimed to office in the riding of Bay of Islands. Seven years later, Verge was the leader of the Progressive Conservatives during the 1996 election, and she also lost Humber East in the election, though her party did not win that election.

Opinion polls

Results

| style="text-align:left;" |Clyde Wells | style="text-align:right;" |52 | style="text-align:right;" |15 | style="text-align:right;" |14 | style="text-align:right;" |31 | style="text-align:right;" | | style="text-align:right;" |137,271 | style="text-align:right;" |47.2 | style="text-align:right;" |+10.5 |-

| style="text-align:left;" |Tom Rideout | style="text-align:right;" |52 | style="text-align:right;" |36 | style="text-align:right;" |34 | style="text-align:right;" |21 | style="text-align:right;" | | style="text-align:right;" |138,609 | style="text-align:right;" |47.6 | style="text-align:right;" |Ã¢ÂÂ1.0 |-

| style="text-align:left;" |Cle Newhook | style="text-align:right;" |36 | style="text-align:right;" |1 | style="text-align:right;" |2 | style="text-align:right;" |0 | style="text-align:right;" | | style="text-align:right;" |12,929 | style="text-align:right;" |4.4 | style="text-align:right;" |Ã¢ÂÂ10.0 |-

| style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |Independents | style="text-align:right;" |5 | style="text-align:right;" |0 | style="text-align:right;" |0 | style="text-align:right;" |0 | style="text-align:right;" | | style="text-align:right;" |2,138 | style="text-align:right;" |0.8 | style="text-align:right;" |+0.5

Results by district

Names in boldface type represent party leaders.
Ã¢ÂÂ represents that the incumbent did not run again.
Ã¢ÂÂ¡ represents that the incumbent ran in a different district.

St. John's

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Kilbride 77.25% turnout || |Robert Aylward 3,452 49.08% | |Gerry Glavine 2,960 42.09% | |Kevin James 621 8.83% || |Robert Aylward |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Pleasantville 74.87% turnout | |Stephen Stafford 2,972 42.65% || |Walter Noel 3,284 47.12% | |Dennis MacKay 713 10.23% || |Jerome DinnÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. John's Centre 79.52% turnout | |Patrick McNicholas 2,838 44.14% || |Hubert Kitchen 2,967 46.14% | |Vicky Silk 625 9.72% || |Patrick McNicholas |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. John's East 83.00% turnout || |Shannie Duff 2,397 41.72% | |Lynette Billard 1,212 21.09% | |Gene Long 2,137 37.19% || |Gene Long |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. John's North 69.73% turnout | |Tom Osborne 1,937 37.71% || |Phil Warren 2,705 52.66% | |Dorothy Inglis 495 9.63% || |John CarterÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. John's South 71.49% turnout | |Douglas Atkinson 2,105 43.04% || |Tom Murphy 2,107 43.08% | |Linda Hyde 679 13.88% || |John CollinsÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. John's West 72.52% turnout | |Harold Barrett 2,583 40.67% || |Rex Gibbons 3,389 53.35% | |Larry Power 380 5.98% || |Harold Barrett |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Waterford-Kenmount 79.59% turnout | |Ralph Tucker 3,188 42.85% || |Eric Gullage 3,947 53.06% | |Wayne James 304 4.09% || |Eric Gullage |-

St. John's suburbs

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Conception Bay South 91.44% turnout | |John Butt 2,580 44.42% || |Pat Cowan 3,107 53.50% | |Edgar Russell 121 2.08% | | || |John Butt |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Mount Pearl 86.13% turnout || |Neil Windsor 4,273 51.57% | |Gordon Seabright 3,834 46.27% | |Leo Thistle 179 2.16% | | || |Neil Windsor |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Mount Scio-Bell Island 74.89% turnout | |Myrle Vokey 3,107 44.22% || |Jim Walsh 3,143 44.73% | |Kevin Walsh 425 6.05% | |Josiah Harvey (Independent) 351 5.00% || |Leo BarryÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. John's East Extern 85.57% turnout || |Kevin Parsons 3,750 48.84% | |John O'Brien 2,430 31.65% | |Cle Newhook 1,498 19.51% | | || |Kevin Parsons

Avalon Peninsula

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Carbonear 90.70% turnout | |Milton Peach 3,387 48.18% || |Art Reid 3,581 50.94% | | | |Nicholas Murray (Independent) 62 0.88% || |Milton Peach |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Ferryland 89.25% turnout || |Charlie Power 2,954 61.61% | |Tom Carey 1,711 35.68% | |Aiden Coady 130 2.71% | | || |Charlie Power |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Harbour Grace 85.79% turnout | |Joe Gregory 2,428 43.04% || |John Crane 3,213 56.96% | | | | || |Haig YoungÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Harbour Main 78.65% turnout || |Norman Doyle 4,123 65.59% | |Rod Fowler 1,485 23.62% | |Gus Flannigan 678 10.79% | | || |Norman Doyle |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Placentia 83.95% turnout | |William Patterson 1,760 37.93% || |William Hogan 2,702 58.23% | |Cletus Canning 178 3.84% | | || |William Patterson |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Port de Grave 87.77% turnout | |Lewis Gosse 2,050 29.67% || |John Efford 4,797 69.43% | |Wayne Lucas 62 0.90% | | || |John Efford |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. Mary's-The Capes 79.95% turnout || |Loyola Hearn 3,100 75.13% | |Don O'Keefe 913 22.13% | |Ian Penney 113 2.74% | | || |Loyola Hearn |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Trinity-Bay de Verde 81.39% turnout | |Wayne Quinlan 1,999 39.66% || |Lloyd Snow 2,768 54.92% | |Bert Pitcher 189 3.75% | |Bren Howard (Independent) 84 1.67% || |James ReidÃ¢ÂÂ

Eastern Newfoundland

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Bellevue 77.31% turnout | |Bruce Stagg 2,233 35.40% || |Percy Barrett 3,842 60.91% | |Harvey Thistle 233 3.69% || |Wilson CallanÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Bonavista North 88.06% turnout | |Eli Cross 2,351 39.59% || |Tom Lush 3,470 58.44% | |Ingwald Feltham 117 1.97% || |Tom Lush |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Bonavista South 67.54% turnout | |Roger Fitzgerald 1,932 46.63% || |Aubrey Gover 1,952 47.12% | |Rex Sheppard 259 6.25% || |Jim MorganÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fogo 84.85% turnout || |Sam Winsor 2,966 50.81% | |Beaton Tulk 2,872 49.19% | | || |Beaton Tulk |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Terra Nova 78.52% turnout || |Glen Greening 2.920 54.50% | |Ray Goulding 2,370 44.23% | |Randy Miller 68 1.27% || |Glen Greening |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Trinity North 79.02% turnout || |Charlie Brett 3,431 56.61% | |Wendell Moore 2,506 41.35% | |Sam Kelly 124 2.04% || |Charlie Brett

Central Newfoundland

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Baie Verte-White Bay 84.36% turnout || |Tom Rideout 4,109 82.38% | |Joe Gedge 879 17.62% | | || |Tom Rideout |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Exploits 73.35% turnout | |Paul Cooper 2,801 48.51% || |Roger Grimes 2,850 49.36% | |Reg Hemeon 123 2.13% || |Hugh TwomeyÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Gander 76.20% turnout | |Agnes Richard 2,029 35.57% || |Winston Baker 3,460 60.66% | |Claude Elliott 215 3.77% || |Winston Baker |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Grand Falls 85.41% turnout || |Len Simms 3,400 64.87% | |Jim Hornell 1,841 35.13% | | || |Len Simms |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Green Bay 72.90% turnout || |Alvin Hewlett 3,043 58.85% | |Maurice Budgell 2,128 41.15% | | || |Brian PeckfordÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Lewisporte 73.98% turnout | |Anne Picco 2,836 46.42% || |Melvin Penney 3,148 51.53% | |Berkley Rose 125 2.05% || |James RussellÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Twillingate 79.81% turnout | |Ida Reid 2,133 46.98% || |Walter Carter 2,353 51.83% | |John Lewis 54 1.19% || |Walter Carter |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Windsor-Buchans 85.50% turnout | |Ray Hunter 2,164 46.96% || |Graham Flight 2,336 50.69% | |Bernard Woodfine 108 2.35% || |Clyde WellsÃ¢ÂÂ¡ (ran in Humber East)

Southern Newfoundland

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Burgeo-Bay d'Espoir 82.39% turnout | |Dave Brenton 2,618 33.94% || |Dave Gilbert 2,427 51.80% | | || |Dave Gilbert |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Burin-Placentia West 85.82% turnout || |Glenn Tobin 5,095 66.06% | |Dave Brenton 2,618 33.94% | | || |Glenn Tobin |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fortune-Hermitage 75.70% turnout || |Oliver Langdon 2,827 60.16% | |Nathan Cutler 1,872 39.84% | | || |Roger SimmonsÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Grand Bank 75.82% turnout || |Bill Matthews 3,948 68.55% | |Graham Wood 1,811 31.45% | | || |Bill Matthews |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|La Poile 70.89% turnout | |Cal Mitchell 1,757 35.52% || |Bill Ramsay 2,413 48.77% | |Stephen MacKenzie 777 15.71% || |Cal Mitchell

Western Newfoundland

|- |style="background:whitesmoke;" rowspan="2"|Bay of Islands 81.17% turnout |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Leonard Gillingham 1,418 23.20% |rowspan=2 | |rowspan=2|Eddie Joyce 3,320 54.32% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Ken Gould 159 2.60% | |Myles Griffin (Independent) 789 12.91% |rowspan=2 | |rowspan=2|Ted BlanchardÃ¢ÂÂ |- | |Trevor Bennett (Independent) 426 6.97% |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Humber East 88.75% turnout || |Lynn Verge 3,658 50.10% | |Clyde Wells 3,515 48.14% | |Jim McManamy 129 1.76% | | || |Lynn Verge |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Humber Valley 79.95% turnout || |Rick Woodford 2,687 55.84% | |Gary Gale 2,125 44.16% | | | | || |Rick Woodford |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Humber West 87.30% turnout | |Jeannette Christopher 2,341 38.73% || |Paul Dicks 3,703 61.27% | | | | || |Ray BairdÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Port au Port 91.91% turnout || |Jim Hodder 2,313 50.25% | |Mark Felix 2,192 47.62% | |Leo Foley 98 2.13% | | || |Jim Hodder |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. Barbe 83.62% turnout | |Joseph Kennedy 3,439 49.04% || |Chuck Furey 3,573 50.96% | | | | || |Chuck Furey |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|St. George's 77.91% turnout | |Wayne Wheeler 2,121 44.48% || |Larry Short 2,647 55.52% | | | | || |Ron DaweÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Stephenville 87.39% turnout | |Wayne Morrison 1,500 36.63% || |Kevin Aylward 2,395 58.49% | |Wade Morris 200 4.88% | | || |Kevin Aylward |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Strait of Belle Isle 70.53% turnout | |Francis Reardon 1,953 34.49% || |Chris Decker 3,284 57.99% | | | |Edward Hollahan (Independent) 426 7.52% || |Chris Decker |-

Labrador

|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Eagle River 80.35% turnout | |Reginald Hancock 1,020 40.05% || |Danny Dumaresque 1,527 59.95% | | || |Eugene HiscockÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Menihek 87.02% turnout || |Alec Snow 3,004 53.15% | |Bill Kelly 2,291 40.53% | |Nelson Larson 357 6.32% || |Peter FenwickÃ¢ÂÂ |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Naskaupi 90.42% turnout | |Ian Strachan 1,118 26.73% || |Jim Kelland 2,882 68.90% | |Dorothy King 183 4.37% || |Jim Kelland |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Torngat Mountains 90.40% turnout || |Garfield Warren 821 62.77% | |Mervin Linstead 414 31.65% | |Bill Wheaton 73 5.58% || |Garfield Warren |-