The 2018 New Brunswick general election was held on September 24, 2018, to elect the 49 members of the 59th New Brunswick Legislature, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada.
Two smaller parties â the People's Alliance and the Greens â made breakthroughs, winning three seats each, and potentially holding the balance of power. The People's Alliance entered the legislature for the first time, while the Greens increased their seat count from one. This marked the first time since the 1991 election that four parties won representation in the legislature. The election was also contested by the provincial New Democrats, newcomers KISS NB, and eight independents.
This is the first election since 1920 that did not return a majority for any party. The Progressive Conservatives won the most seats, with 22, but incumbent Liberal Premier Brian Gallant, whose party secured only 21 seats despite winning the popular vote by six percentage points, indicated that he would seek the confidence of the legislature and attempt to form a minority government.
On September 25, Gallant met with the Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau and received permission to continue in office. On November 2, Gallant's minority government was defeated in a non-confidence vote. On November 9, Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs was sworn in as premier with a minority government.
On election night, Higgs claimed victory, saying his team had received a mandate; however, Gallant did not resign, instead stating his intent to remain in office by securing support on a vote-by-vote basis. The following day, Gallant met with Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau and received permission to continue in office and attempt to seek confidence of the legislature. On September 27, Higgs met with Roy-Vienneau, and was told that if Gallant was unable to secure the confidence of the House, he would be called on to form government; shortly afterwards, Higgs called on Gallant to either resign or immediately recall the legislature.
In the immediate aftermath of the election, both Kris Austin of the People's Alliance and David Coon of the Green Party were noncommittal in their support: Austin pledged to work with any party willing to work with him, but said the party won't sacrifice its "values and ideals" to do so; while Coon said his caucus would take time to figure out how they would align themselves, but would not be able to work with anyone uncommitted to rights for linguistic minorities or combatting climate change. Gallant opted to pursue a partnership with the Green Party, ruling out any arrangement with the PCs or PA because they don't share Liberal "values". Higgs initially ruled out any formal agreements with other parties, but later said that a four-year agreement would be ideal for stabilityâÂÂpointing to the confidence and supply deal that the British Columbia NDP and Greens negotiated following the province's inconclusive 2017 election as an example.
Austin agreed to support to a Progressive Conservative government for 18 months, though no formal agreement was made. Coon said his party would negotiate with both the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. On October 10, Coon announced that the Green Party would not formally side with either party, and would base their votes on their own "declaration of intent". Accordingly, Coon said that their support for the throne speech depends on its "merits", and that his caucus would be free to vote their own way on the speech.
The results drew notice elsewhere in Canada. Parti Québécois leader Jean-François Lisée described the results as "an advertisement for our proposal for proportional representation." Andrew Weaver, leader of the BC Greens, suggested that Coon should make an agreement with the Progressive Conservatives. The Globe and Mail published an editorial calling for electoral reform, as did National Post columnist Andrew Coyne.
On November 1, Gallant's Liberal minority government was defeated by a non-confidence vote (25âÂÂ23) by the opposition Progressive Conservatives and People's Alliance. On November 9, Blaine Higgs was sworn in as premier.
Legend
NOTE: Candidates' names are as registered with Elections New Brunswick
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Restigouche West || |Gilles LePage<br />4233 | |David Moreau<br />961 | |Charles Thériault<br />2540 | |Beverly A. Mann<br />263 | | | |Travis Pollock<br />(KISS)<br />62 || |Gilles LePage |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Campbellton-Dalhousie || |Guy Arseneault<br />3720 | |Diane Cyr<br />1761 | |Annie Thériault<br />637 | |Thérèse Tremblay<br />721 | |Robert Boudreau<br />558 | | || |Vacant |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Restigouche-Chaleur || |Daniel Guitard<br />4430 | |Charles Stewart<br />826 | |Mario Comeau<br />831 | |Paul Tremblay<br />621 | | | | || |Daniel Guitard |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Bathurst West-Beresford || |Brian Kenny<br />4351 | |Yvon Landry<br />1082 | |Mike Rau<br />503 | |Anne-Renée Thomas<br />443 | | | |James Risdon<br />(KISS)<br />64 || |Brian Kenny |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore || |Denis Landry<br />3550 | |Michelle Branch<br />858 | |Robert Kryszko<br />421 | |Jean Maurice Landry<br />2026 | | | | || |Denis Landry |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Caraquet || |Isabelle Thériault<br />5420 | |Kevin Haché<br />1827 | |Yvon Durelle<br />330 | |Katy Casavant<br />548 | | | |Guilmond Hébert<br />(Ind.)<br />373 || |Hédard Albertâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou | |Wilfred Roussel<br />3949 || |Robert Gauvin<br />4048 | | | |Albert Rousselle<br />578 | | | |Philippe Tisseuil<br />(Ind.)<br />178 || |Wilfred Roussel |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Tracadie-Sheila || |Keith Chiasson<br />4320 | |Claude Landry<br />2390 | |Nancy Benoit<br />390 | |Francis Duguay<br />1213 | | | |Stéphane Richardson<br />(Ind.)<br />544 || |Serge RousselleâÂÂ
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Miramichi Bay-Neguac || |Lisa Harris<br />3512 | |Debi Tozer<br />1741 | |James (Junior) Denny<br />349 | |Willie Robichaud<br />718 | |Terry Collette<br />2047 | | || |Lisa Harris |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Miramichi | |Bill Fraser<br />2825 | |Peggy McLean<br />1154 | |Louann Savage<br />189 | |Douglas Mullin<br />110 || |Michelle Conroy<br />3788 | | || |Bill Fraser |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin | |Andy Hardy<br />1909 || |Jake Stewart<br />2960 | |Byron J. Connors<br />447 | |Roger Vautour<br />97 | |Art O'Donnell<br />2925 | |Dawson Brideau<br />19 || |Jake Stewart
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Kent North | |Emery Comeau<br />3301 | |Katie Robertson<br />1112 || |Kevin Arseneau<br />4056 | |Neil Gardner<br />171 | | | |Roger Richard<br />(Ind.)<br />194 || |Bertrand LeBlancâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Kent South || |Benoit Bourque<br />5595 | |Ricky Gautreau<br />1848 | |Alain Rousselle<br />1304 | |Serge Rémi Parent<br />436 | | | | || |Benoît Bourque |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Shediac Bay-Dieppe || |Brian Gallant<br />6162 | |Paulin Blaise Ngweth<br />1353 | |Michel Albert<br />906 | |Michel Boudreau<br />764 | | | | || |Brian Gallant |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé || |Jacques LeBlanc<br />5919 | |Marcel Doiron<br />2081 | |Greta Doucet<br />888 | |Lise Potvin<br />428 | | | | || |Victor Boudreauâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Memramcook-Tantramar | |Bernard LeBlanc<br />3137 | |Etienne Gaudet<br />1518 || |Megan Mitton<br />3148 | |Hélène Boudreau<br />410 | | | | || |Bernard LeBlanc |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Dieppe || |Roger Melanson<br />5173 | |Pierre Brine<br />998 | | | |Joyce Richardson<br />1057 | | | | || |Roger Melanson |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Moncton East || |Monique LeBlanc<br />3626 | |Marty Kingston<br />2771 | |Matthew Ian Clark<br />925 | |Anthony Crandall<br />424 | | | | || |Monique LeBlanc |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Moncton Centre || |Rob McKee<br />2698 | |Claudette Boudreau-Turner<br />982 | |Jean-Marie Nadeau<br />771 | |Jessica Caissie<br />229 | |Kevin McClure<br />309 | |Chris Collins<br />(Ind.)<br />1200 || |Chris Collins |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Moncton South || |Cathy Rogers<br />3099 | |Moira Murphy<br />2090 | |Laura Sanderson<br />628 | |Amy Johnson<br />249 | |Marilyn Crossman-Riel<br />466 | | || |Cathy Rogers |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Moncton Northwest | |Courtney Pringle-Carver<br />2963 || |Ernie Steeves<br />3186 | |Keagan Slupsky<br />437 | |Cyprien Okana<br />297 | |Myrna Geldart<br />875 | | || |Ernie Steeves |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Moncton Southwest | |Susy Campos<br />2667 || |Sherry Wilson<br />2920 | |Sarah Colwell<br />907 | |Hailey Duffy<br />503 | | | | || |Sherry Wilson |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Riverview | |Brent Mazerolle<br />2053 || |R. Bruce Fitch<br />3701 | |Stephanie Coburn<br />542 | |Madison Duffy<br />249 | |Heather Collins<br />1005 | | || |Bruce Fitch |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Albert | |Catherine Black<br />1775 || |Mike Holland<br />3479 | |Moranda van Geest<br />870 | |Betty Weir<br />375 | |Sharon Buchanan<br />1546 | |James Wilson<br />(Ind.)<br />87 || |Brian Keirsteadâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Gagetown-Petitcodiac | |Brigitte Noel<br />1153 || |Ross Wetmore<br />3674 | |Marilyn Merritt-Gray<br />1097 | |Anne Marie F. Richardson<br />165 | |Craig Dykeman<br />1892 | |Carolyn MacDonald<br />(KISS)<br />56 || |Ross Wetmore
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins | |Ian Smyth<br />1212 || |Bruce N. Northrup<br />3816 | |Fred Harrison<br />505 | |Dawna Robertson<br />254 | |Jim Bedford<br />1874 | |David Raymond Amos<br />54 || |Bruce Northrup |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Hampton | |Carley Parish<br />1454 || |Gary Crossman<br />3702 | |John Sabine<br />743 | |Layton Peck<br />384 | |Dana Hansen<br />1246 | | || |Gary Crossman |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Quispamsis | |Aaron Kennedy<br />2078 || |Blaine Higgs<br />4691 | |Mark Woolsey<br />445 | |Ryan Jewkes<br />239 | |Keith Porter<br />795 | | || |Blaine Higgs |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Rothesay | |Stephanie Tomilson<br />2001 || |Hugh J. (Ted) Flemming<br />3542 | |Ann McAllister<br />571 | |Josh Floyd<br />251 | |Michael Griffin<br />722 | | || |Ted Flemming |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Saint John East | |Clare Manzer<br />1775 || |Glen Savoie<br />3017 | |Lynaya Astephen<br />373 | |Alex White<br />402 | |Matthew Thompson<br />1047 | | || |Glen Savoie |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Portland-Simonds | |John MacKenzie<br />1703 || |Trevor A. Holder<br />3168 | |Sheila Croteau<br />435 | |Kim Blue<br />449 | | | |Artie Watson<br />191 || |Trevor Holder |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Saint John Harbour || |Gerry Lowe<br />1865 | |Barry Ogden<br />1855 | |Wayne Dryer<br />721 | |Jennifer McKenzie<br />836 | |Margot Brideau<br />393 | | || |Ed Dohertyâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Saint John Lancaster | |Kathleen Riley-Karamanos<br />1727 || |Dorothy Shephard<br />3001 | |Doug James<br />582 | |Tony Mowery<br />414 | |Paul Seelye<br />922 | | || |Dorothy Shephard |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Kings Centre | |Bill Merrifield<br />1785 || |Bill Oliver<br />3267 | |Bruce Dryer<br />731 | |Susan Jane Shedd<br />342 | |Dave Peters<br />1454 | | || |Bill Oliver |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West | |Rick Doucet<br />2422 || |Andrea Anderson-Mason<br />3808 | |Romey Frances Heuff<br />469 | |Keith LeBlanc<br />203 | |Doug Ellis<br />1104 | | || |Rick Doucet |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Saint Croix | |John B. Ames<br />2436 || |Greg Thompson<br />3249 | |Donna Linton<br />1047 | |Jan Underhill<br />89 | |Joyce Wright<br />1466 | | || |John Ames
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton | |John Fife<br />2306 || |Mary E. Wilson<br />2399 | |Tom McLean<br />903 | |Justin Young<br />159 | |Craig Rector<br />1741 | | || |Jody Carrâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fredericton-Grand Lake | |Wendy Tremblay<br />955 | |Pam Lynch<br />2433 | |Dan Weston<br />472 | |Glenna Hanley<br />114 || |Kris Austin<br />4799 | |Gerald Bourque<br />19 || |Pam Lynch |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|New Maryland-Sunbury | |Alex Scholten<br />2210 || |Jeff Carr<br />3844 | |Jenica Atwin<br />902 | |Mackenzie Thomason<br />143 | |Morris Shannon<br />2214 | |Danelle Titus<br />14 || |Jeff Carr |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fredericton South | |Susan Holt<br />1525 | |Scott Smith<br />1042 || |David Coon<br />4273 | |Chris Durrant<br />132 | |Bonnie Clark<br />616 | | || |David Coon |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fredericton North || |Stephen Horsman<br />2443 | |Jill Green<br />2182 | |Tamara White<br />1313 | |Scarlett Tays<br />139 | |Lynn King<br />1651 | | || |Stephen Horsman |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fredericton-York | |Amber Bishop<br />1652 | |Kirk Douglas MacDonald<br />2777 | |Amanda Wildeman<br />1393 | |Evelyne Godfrey<br />103 || |Rick DeSaulniers<br />3033 | |Sandra Bourque<br />34 || |Kirk MacDonald |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fredericton West-Hanwell | |Cindy Miles<br />2404 || |Dominic Cardy<br />2739 | |Susan Jonah<br />1490 | |Olivier Hébert<br />171 | |Jason Paull<br />1803 | | || |Brian Macdonaldâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Carleton-York | |Jackie Morehouse<br />1556 || |Carl Urquhart<br />3118 | |Sue Rickards<br />837 | |Robert Kitchen<br />255 | |Gary Lemmon<br />2583 | |Lloyd Maurey<br />40 || |Carl Urquhart
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Carleton | |Christy Culberson<br />1197 || |Stewart Fairgrieve<br />2982 | |Amy Anderson<br />1247 | |Adam McAvoy<br />82 | |Stewart B. Manuel<br />2026 | | || |Stewart Fairgrieve |- |style="background:whitesmoke;"|Carleton-Victoria || |Andrew Harvey<br />3116 | |Margaret C. Johnson<br />2872 | |Paula Shaw<br />503 | |Margaret Geldart<br />114 | |Terry Leigh Sisson<br />960 | |Carter Edgar<br />58 || |Andrew Harvey |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Victoria-La Vallée || |Chuck Chiasson<br />3570 | |Danny Soucy<br />3212 | |Paul Plourde<br />468 | |Lina Chiasson<br />307 | | | | || |Chuck Chiasson |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Edmundston-Madawaska Centre || |Jean-Claude (JC) D'Amours<br />4668 | |Gérald Levesque<br />1437 | |Sophie Vaillancourt<br />702 | |Anne-Marie Comeau<br />206 | | | | || |Vacant |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston || |Francine Landry<br />4191 | |Jeannot Volpé<br />1826 | |Denis Boulet<br />945 | |Cécile Richard-Hébert<br />156 | | | | || |Francine Landry