2015 Prince Edward Island general election

The 2015 Prince Edward Island general election was held on May 4, 2015, to elect members of the 65th General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. Under amendments passed by the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in 2008, Prince Edward Island elections are usually held on the first Monday of October in the fourth calendar year, unless it is dissolved earlier by the lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island due to a motion of no confidence, or at the request of the premier. The current government had hinted that an election would be held "before Mother's Day" 2015, and such a dissolution would avoid any conflicts with the next federal election, expected to be held in October 2015.

The governing Liberals were elected to a third consecutive majority government under Premier Wade MacLauchlan. At the same time, the Progressive Conservatives made slight gains despite party leader Rob Lantz failing to win the election in Charlottetown-Brighton. The Green Party, meanwhile, won its first seat in the legislature, with leader Peter Bevan-Baker elected in Kellys 'Cross-Cumberland. The New Democratic Party was shut out.

Results

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" align=left|Party !rowspan="2" align=left|Party leader !rowspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 80%;">Candidates</span> !colspan="4" align=center|Seats !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Popular vote |- !2011 !<span style="font-size: 80%;">Dissol.</span> !2015 !Change !# !% !Change

|align=left|Wade MacLauchlan |align="right"|27 |align="right"|22 |align="right"|20 |align="right"|18 |align="right"| &minus;4 |align="right"|33,481 |align="right"|40.83% |align="right"|&minus;10.55%

|align=left|Rob Lantz |align="right"|27 |align="right"|5 |align="right"|3 |align="right"|8 |align="right"| +3 |align="right"|30,663 |align="right"|37.39% |align="right"|&minus;2.77%

|align=left|Peter Bevan-Baker |align="right"|24 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|1 |align="right"| +1 |align="right"|8,857 |align="right"|10.81% |align="right"|+6.45%

|align=left|Michael Redmond |align="right"|27 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|0 |align="right"| |align="right"|8,997 |align="right"|10.97% |align="right"|+7.81%

|colspan="2" align="left"|Independent |align="right"| |align="right"|0 |align="right"|1 |align="right"|0 |align="right"| |align="right"| |align="right"| |align="right"|

|align=left colspan=3|Vacant |align="right"| |align="right"|3 |align="right"|- |align="right"|- |align="right"| |align="right"| |align="right"| |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="3"|Total | style="text-align:right;"|105 | style="text-align:right;"|27 | style="text-align:right;"|27 | style="text-align:right;"|27 | style="text-align:right;"| | style="text-align:right;"|81,998 | style="text-align:right;"| | style="text-align:right;"|

Synopsis of results

= results as certified in a judicial recount

= open seat

= turnout is above provincial average

= incumbent re-elected in same riding

= incumbent changed allegiance

= other incumbent renominated

= tied for first place - settled by coin toss

Results by region

Timeline

2011

• October 3: The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party under Robert Ghiz is re-elected with a majority government in the 64th Prince Edward Island general election.

2012

• October 13: The New Democratic Party elects Michael Redmond as party leader.
• November 3: The Green Party elects Peter Bevan-Baker as party leader
• December 5: Progressive Conservative leader Olive Crane announces her intention to resign as party leader in January 2013 after party members narrowly vote against having a leadership review. Crane further announces that she will stay on as Leader of the Opposition.

2013

• January 30: Olive Crane resigns as Leader of the Opposition. The Progressive Conservative caucus names Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry, a candidate for the interim leadership, as Leader of the Opposition.
• January 31: Olive Crane resigns as Progressive Conservative leader. Georgetown-St. Peters MLA Steven Myers is elected interim PC leader over Leader of the Opposition and Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry. Perry initially announces that he will remain Leader of the Opposition, despite Myers' urging that the party leader should hold both positions.
• February 11: Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry steps down as Leader of the Opposition, citing internal divisions within the Progressive Conservative Party. Interim PC leader and Georgetown-St. Peters MLA Steven Myers is subsequently named Leader of the Opposition.
• October 3: In what is believed to be the first instance of a sitting MLA crossing the floor, Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry leaves the Progressive Conservatives to join the Liberals, citing his concerns with the federal Conservative governments changes to employment insurance.
• October 4: Morell-Mermaid MLA and former Progressive Conservative leader Olive Crane is kicked out of the party. Crane subsequently announces she will sit as an independent.

2014

• November 13: Robert Ghiz announces he will be resigning as Premier in early 2015 as soon as the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party elects a new leader.

2015

• February 21: The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party held its leadership election. As the sole candidate nominated, Wade MacLauchlan was acclaimed the new leader and incoming premier.
• February 23: Robert Ghiz resigns as Premier. Wade MacLauchlan is appointed and sworn in as the new Premier. Later that day, Ghiz, Wes Sheridan, and Robert Vessey resign as MLAs, triggering potential by-elections in their former seats (Charlottetown-Brighton, Kensington-Malpeque, and York-Oyster Bed, respectively).
• February 28: At the party's leadership election, Rob Lantz is elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island.
• April 6: After being nominated as the Liberal candidate for York-Oyster Bed, Premier Wade MacLauchlan dropped the writ, calling for an election on May 4, 2015.
• April 10: The Island Party drops out of the campaign, due to not having enough candidates
• April 27: Party leaders' first televised debate, held in Summerside.
• April 30: A second televised debate was held for the party leaders, in Charlottetown.
• May 4: Election results - The Liberals win a third consecutive majority government, with a reduced number of 18 seats. The Progressive Conservatives remain as the official opposition, with an increase to 8 seats. The Greens make Prince Edward Island political history, winning their first seat.

Opinion polls

Results

• Candidates' names appear as recorded by Elections PEI
• Party leaders' names are in bold; cabinet ministers' names are in italics.

Cardigan

|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|4. Belfast-Murray River | |Charlie McGeoghegan<br />1,095 - 41.1% || |Darlene Compton<br />1,203 - 45.1% | |Jordan MacPhee<br />152 - 5.7% | |Alan Hicken<br />216 - 8.1% ||&nbsp; |Charlie McGeoghegan |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|2. Georgetown-St. Peters | |Russ Stewart<br />1,170 - 38.8% || |Steven Myers<br />1,448 - 48.0% | |Heather Gallant<br />145 - 4.8% | |Nathan Bushey<br />256 - 8.5% ||&nbsp; |Steven Myers |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|3. Montague-Kilmuir || |Allen Roach<br />1,060 - 41.8% | |Andrew Daggett<br />785 - 31.0% | |Jason Furness<br />106 - 4.2% | |Mike Redmond<br />585 - 23.1% ||&nbsp; |Allen Roach |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|7. Morell-Mermaid | |Daniel MacDonald<br />1,114 - 37.1% || |Sidney MacEwen<br />1,501 - 50.0% | |Meaghan Lister<br />177 - 5.9% | |Edith Perry<br />211 - 7.0% ||&nbsp; |Olive Crane†|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|1. Souris-Elmira | |Tommy Kickham<br />951 - 35.8% || |Colin LaVie<br />1,179 - 44.4% | |&nbsp; | |Susan Birt<br />528 - 19.9% || |Colin LaVie |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|6. Stratford-Kinlock | |David Dunphy<br />1,453 - 33.9% || |James Aylward<br />2,155 - 50.3% | |Samantha Saunders<br />330 - 7.7% | |Chris van Ouwerkerk<br />350 - 8.2% || |James Aylward |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|5. Vernon River-Stratford* || |Alan McIsaac*<br />1,173 - 41.3% | |Mary Ellen McInnis*<br />1,173 - 41.3% | |Nicholas Graveline<br />234 - 8.2% | |Kathleen Romans<br />258 - 9.1% || |Alan McIsaac

• This riding vote count resulted in a tie between McIsaac and McInnis. As a result, a coin toss was held, which determined McIsaac, the Liberal candidate, as the winner.

Malpeque

|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|19. Borden-Kinkora | |Ramona Roberts<br />1,154 - 34.1% || |Jamie Fox<br />1,597 - 47.1% | |Ranald MacFarlane<br />511 - 15.1% | |Aleida Tweten<br />126 - 3.7% || |George Webster†|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|16. Cornwall-Meadowbank || |Heath MacDonald<br />1,444 - 46.3% | |Michael Drake<br />1,056 - 33.8% | |Rosalyn Abbott<br />377 - 12.1% | |Jennifer Coughlin<br />243 - 7.8% || |Ron MacKinley†|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|17. Kellys Cross-Cumberland | |Valerie Docherty<br />1,046 - 27.6% | |Randy Robar<br />609 - 16.1% || |Peter Bevan-Baker<br />2,077 - 54.8% | |Jesse Cousins<br />58 - 1.5% || |Valerie Docherty |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|20. Kensington-Malpeque | |Paul Montgomery<br />1,033 - 28.3% || |Matthew MacKay<br />1,984 - 54.3% | |Lynne Lund<br />374 - 10.2% | |Joseph Larkin<br />264 - 7.2% || |Vacant |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|18. Rustico-Emerald | |Bertha Campbell<br />1,152 - 34.3% || |Brad Trivers<br />1,585 - 47.2% | |Marianne Janowicz<br />325 - 9.7% | |Leah-Jane Hayward<br />294 - 8.8% || |Carolyn Bertram†|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|9. York-Oyster Bed || |Wade MacLauchlan<br />1,938 - 47.7% | |Jim "Benson" Carragher<br />1,338 - 32.9% | |Thane Bernard<br />347 - 8.5% | |Gordon Gay<br />442 - 10.9% || |Vacant

Charlottetown

|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|13. Charlottetown-Brighton || |Jordan Brown<br />1,054 - 39.0% | |Rob Lantz<br />1,032 - 38.2% | |Derrick Biso<br />352 - 13.0% | |Bob MacLean<br />265 - 9.8% | |Vacant |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|14. Charlottetown-Lewis Point || |Kathleen Casey<br />1,040 - 34.3% | |Dianne Young<br />821 - 27.0% | |Doug Millington<br />244 - 8.0% | |Gord McNeilly<br />931 - 30.7% ||&nbsp; |Kathleen Casey |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|11. Charlottetown-Parkdale || |Doug Currie<br />1,166 - 43.7% | |Lynn MacLaren<br />699 - 26.2% | |Becka Viau<br />511 - 19.2% | |Andrew Watts<br />292 - 10.9% ||&nbsp; |Doug Currie |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|10. Charlottetown-Sherwood || |Robert Mitchell<br />1,425 - 45.8% | |Mike Gillis<br />1,031 - 33.1% | |Mitchell Gallant<br />295 - 9.5% | |Karalee McAskill<br />360 - 11.6% ||&nbsp; |Robert Mitchell |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|12. Charlottetown-Victoria Park || |Richard Brown<br />955 - 39.4% | |Joey Kitson<br />666 - 27.5% | |Darcie Lanthier<br />456 - 18.8% | |Chris Clay<br />348 - 14.4% ||&nbsp; |Richard Brown |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|8. Tracadie-Hillsborough Park || |Buck Watts<br />1,354 - 45.7% | |Darren Creamer<br />826 - 27.8% | |Isaac Williams<br />237 - 8.0% | |Jason Murray<br />549 - 18.5% || |Buck Watts |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|15. West Royalty-Springvale || |Bush Dumville<br />1,389 - 37.6% | |Linda Clements<br />1,330 - 36.0% | |Charles Sanderson<br />462 - 12.5% | |Peter Meggs<br />516 - 14.0% || |Bush Dumville

Egmont

|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|26. Alberton-Roseville || |Pat Murphy<br />1,569 - 53.7% | |John Griffin<br />1,166 - 39.9% | |&nbsp; | |Orville Lewis<br />188 - 6.4% ||&nbsp; |Pat Murphy |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|24. Evangeline-Miscouche || |Sonny Gallant<br />1,419 - 62.6% | |Debbie Montgomery<br />586 - 25.8% | |Jordan Cameron<br />125 - 5.5% | |Grant Gallant<br />138 - 6.1% ||&nbsp; |Sonny Gallant |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|25. O'Leary-Inverness || |Robert Henderson<br />1,310 - 48.8% | |Daniel MacDonald<br />1,063 - 39.6% | |&nbsp; | |Billy Mackendrick<br />311 - 11.6% ||&nbsp; |Robert Henderson |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|22. Summerside-St. Eleanors || |Tina Mundy<br />1,246 - 41.2% | |Major Stewart<br />1,098 - 36.3% | |Caleb Adams<br />321 - 10.6% | |Olivia Wood<br />358 - 11.8% ||&nbsp; |Gerard Greenan†|- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|21. Summerside-Wilmot || |Janice Sherry<br />1,135 - 39.4% | |Brian Ramsay<br />1,105 - 38.4% | |Donald MacFadzen-Reid<br />285 - 9.9% | |Scott Gaudet<br />353 - 12.3% ||&nbsp; |Janice Sherry |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|27. Tignish-Palmer Road || |Hal Perry<br />1,486 - 58.2% | |Joseph Profit<br />818 - 32.1% | |Malcolm Pitre<br />167 - 6.5% | |John A'Hearn<br />81 - 3.2% ||&nbsp; |Hal Perry |- |bgcolor="whitesmoke"|23. Tyne Valley-Linkletter || |Paula Biggar<br />1,147 - 43.0% | |Ryan Williams<br />810 - 30.3% | |Shelagh Young<br />240 - 9.0% | |Jacqueline Tuplin<br />473 - 17.7% ||&nbsp; |Paula Biggar

References

Further reading

External links

• P.E.I. Votes 2015: Tracking the candidates