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.
The following MHAs had announced that they would not be running in this provincial election:
Liberal
Progressive Conservative
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. She later chose to resign on October 19 and was replaced by MHA Jim Dinn as interim leader.
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.
Four ridings changed their allegiance from 2019:
2019
2020
2021
At the start of the campaign, incumbent Liberal Premier Andrew Furey framed the election around the economy, by focusing on the provincial debt, the oil industry, and government spending. There are $55M worth of expenses proposed.
With a similar focus on the economy, PC leader Ches Crosbie emphasized the importance of creating jobs through infrastructure projects, eliminating regulations, and cutting taxes. Meanwhile, NDP leader Alison Coffin centred her priorities on health care and affordable living.
Prior to the election being called, the provincial government made a series of announcements involving new spending programs and reached agreements with several unions. The timing of these announcements received disapproval from the PCs. The Liberals were also criticized by the PCs and NDP for calling an election during the winter and the COVID-19 pandemic. Both of the opposition parties suggested that the Liberals should have waited until recommendations were made by the premier's economic recovery team, which was scheduled to release an interim report at the end of February and a final report at the end of April. Despite their criticism, the PCs and NDP indicated that they were prepared for the election.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elections NL issued lengthy guidelines for candidates, with parties placing a larger emphasis on social media rather than door-to-door canvassing, large rallies or visits to seniors' homes. In order to avoid crowds on election day, Elections NL focused efforts on voting by mail and scheduled the election on a Saturday for the first time in the province's history. Additionally, the Liberals did not allow members of the media on the party's campaign bus, citing "COVID-19 protocols".
Early voting has increased.
On February 8, the province confirmed its first case of community spread of COVID-19 since April 2020. Since the deadlines for voting early or by mail had already passed, it raised concerns about if the election should still go ahead as planned. Chief Electoral Officer Bruce Chaulk stated that no provisions existed that allowed people in isolation to vote, and that the election would proceed as intended.
On February 9, PC candidate Damian Follett suspended in-person campaigning after his son tested positive for COVID-19. On February 12, Follett announced that he had tested positive himself. On the same day, PC candidate Rhonda Simms also suspended in-person campaigning after an individual who had visited her headquarters later tested presumptive positive.
On February 10, Elections NL announced that there would be a 'drive-thru' voting option for the increasing number of people who were in self-isolation. However, this option was later scrapped, as it went against a medical advisory which stated that those self-isolating should not leave their property. On February 11, Chief Electoral Officer Bruce Chaulk issued a letter requesting that party leaders meet with Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote to discuss delaying the election. Chaulk announced later that day that in-person voting would be delayed to a later date on the Avalon Peninsula but would go ahead as planned elsewhere. The following day, Chaulk announced that no in-person voting would take place soon after it was confirmed that the recent COVID-19 cases were the Variant of Concern 202012/01.
In January 2021, the leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Alliance Graydon Pelley withdrew his candidacy in Humber-Gros Morne following a medical emergency.
There were claims that sexism and misogyny has affected women candidates on the campaign trail.
CBC News identified 5 "must-watch districts";
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;" rowspan=2| Mount Scio<br />46.80% turnout |rowspan=2 | |rowspan=2|Sarah Stoodley<br />2,011<br />46.60% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Damian Follett<br />1,152<br />26.70% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2| Sheilagh O'Leary<br />1,074<br />24.89% | |Andrea Newbury (NL Alliance)<br />60<br />1.39%<br /> |rowspan=2 | |rowspan=2|Sarah Stoodley |- | |Larry Borne (Independent)<br />18<br />0.42% |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|St. John's Centre<br />38.92% turnout | |Gemma Hickey<br />1,277<br />33.60% | |Robyn LeGrow<br />533<br />14.02% || |Jim Dinn<br />1,991<br />52.38% | | || |Jim Dinn |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|St. John's East-Quidi Vidi<br />50.76% turnout || |John Abbott<br />2,447<br />42.95% | |Vaughn Hammond<br />856<br />15.03% | |Alison Coffin<br />2,394<br />42.02% | | || | Alison Coffin |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|St. John's West<br />49.14% turnout || |Siobhan Coady<br />2,679<br />57.82% | |Kristina Ennis<br />1,484<br />32.03% | |Brenda Walsh<br />470<br />10.14% | | || |Siobhan Coady |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Virginia Waters-Pleasantville<br />56.83% turnout || |Bernard Davis<br />3,481<br />59.61% | |Victor Lawlor<br />1,224<br />20.96% | |Jenn Deon<br />1,135<br />19.43% | | || |Bernard Davis |- |style="background-color:whitesmoke"|Waterford Valley<br />52.78% turnout || |Tom Osborne<br />3,592<br />66.79% | |Michael Holden<br />1,348<br />25.07% | |Peter Young<br />438<br />8.14% | | || |Tom Osborne |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Windsor Lake<br />56.68% turnout || |John Hogan<br />2,688<br />50.58% | |Ches Crosbie<br />2,154<br />40.53% | |Tomás Shea<br />472<br />8.88% | | || |Ches Crosbie
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Cape St. Francis<br />58.12% turnout | |Peter Whittle<br />1,571<br />28.25% || |Joedy Wall<br />3,476<br />62.51% | |Phyllis Fleming<br />449<br />8.07% | |Ryan Lane<br />65<br />1.17% | | || |Kevin Parsonsâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Conception Bay East â Bell Island<br />50.12% turnout | |Lynn Hammond<br />1,893<br />33.08% || | David Brazil<br />3,215<br />56.18% | |Gavin Will<br />614<br />10.73% | | | | || |David Brazil |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Conception Bay South<br />55.54% turnout | |Shelley Moores<br />1,941<br />36.18% || |Barry Petten<br />3,063<br />57.09% | |Andrew Lovell<br />225<br />4.19% | |Warrick Butler<br />136<br />2.53% | | || |Barry Petten |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Mount Pearl North<br />49.64% turnout || |Lucy Stoyles<br />2,428<br />46.69% | |Jim Lester<br />2,319<br />44.60% | |Jennifer McCreath<br />337<br />6.48% | |William Neville<br />116<br />2.23% | | || |Jim Lester |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Mount Pearl-Southlands<br />54.61% turnout | |Karla Hayward<br />1,386<br />23.98% | |Cindy Grant<br />797<br />13.79% | |Cara Winsor-Hehir<br />152<br />2.63% | | || |Paul Lane (Independent)<br />3,445<br />59.60% || |Paul Lane |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Topsail-Paradise<br />55.60% turnout | |Ken Carter<br />2,525<br />42.08% || |Paul Dinn<br />3,036<br />50.59% | |Kathleen Burt<br />440<br />7.33% | | | | || |Paul Dinn
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde<br />51.55% turnout || |Steve Crocker<br />3,892<br />67.53% | |Frank Butt<br />1,596<br />27.69% | |Matthew Smith<br />261<br />4.53% | |Edward Thomas Cole (Independent)<br />14<br />0.24% || |Steve Crocker |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Ferryland<br />58.69% turnout | |Cheryl OâÂÂBrien<br />2,696<br />44.13% || |Loyola O'Driscoll<br />3,197<br />52.33% | |Paul Murphy<br />216<br />3.54% | | || |Loyola O'Driscoll |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Harbour Grace-Port de Grave<br />44.35% turnout || |Pam Parsons<br />3,404<br />71.09% | |Roy Sparkes<br />1,169<br />24.42% | |Dion Hynes<br />215<br />4.79% | | || |Pam Parsons |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Harbour Main<br />53.70% turnout | |George Murphy<br />2,430<br />41.62% || |Helen Conway-Ottenheimer<br />3,180<br />54.47% | |Anthony Chadwick<br />228<br />3.91% | | || |Helen Conway-Ottenheimer |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Placentia-St. Mary's<br />54.29% turnout || | Sherry Gambin-Walsh<br />2,552<br />50.85% | |Calvin Manning<br />2,336<br />46.54% | | | |Clem Whittle (NL Alliance)<br />131<br />2.61% || |Sherry Gambin-Walsh
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Bonavista<br />40.48% turnout | |Christine Gill<br />944<br />25.56% || |Craig Pardy<br />2,117<br />57.32% | |Timothy Whey<br />70<br />1.90% | |Neil King (Independent)<br />562<br />15.22% || |Craig Pardy |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Burin-Grand Bank<br />50.54% turnout || |Paul Pike<br />2,666<br />59.59% | |Fred Dodge<br />1,639<br />36.63% | |Alvin Banfield<br />169<br />4.47% | | || |Carol Anne Haleyâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Placentia West-Bellevue<br />56.84% turnout | |Sam Synard<br />2,304<br />42.21% || |Jeff Dwyer<br />2,965<br />54.32% | |Carolyn Davis<br />189<br />3.46% | | || |Jeff Dwyer |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Terra Nova<br />53.25% turnout | |Steve Denty<br />2,323<br />43.56% || |Lloyd Parrott<br />2,837<br />53.20% | |Anne Marie Anonsen<br />173<br />3.24% | | || |Lloyd Parrott
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Baie Verte-Green Bay<br />42.11% turnout || |Brian Warr<br />2,148<br />52.06% | |Lin Paddock<br />1,987<br />47.94% | | || |Brian Warr |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Exploits<br />51.50% turnout | |Rodney Mercer<br />2,178<br />45.20% || |Pleaman Forsey<br />2,641<br />54.80% | | || |Pleaman Forsey |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fogo Island-Cape Freels<br />40.74% turnout || |Derrick Bragg<br />2,511<br />61.05% | |Sue Collins<br />1,507<br />36.64% | |Jim Gill<br />95<br />2.31% || |Derrick Bragg |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune<br />50.99% turnout || |Elvis Loveless<br />1,868<br />68.22% | |Charlene Walsh<br />781<br />28.52% | |Noel Joe<br />89<br />3.25% || |Elvis Loveless |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Gander<br />47.85% turnout || |John Haggie<br />3,358<br />70.93% | |Jamie Harnum<br />1,228<br />25.94% | |Dawn Lahey<br />148<br />3.13% || |John Haggie |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans<br />47.75% turnout | |Deborah Ball<br />1,776<br />38.47% || |Chris Tibbs<br />2,735<br />59.24% | |Holly Pike<br />106<br />2.30% || |Chris Tibbs |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Lewisporte-Twillingate<br />41.06% turnout || |Derek Bennett<br />2,593<br />62.44% | |Rhonda Simms<br />1,560<br />37.56% | | || |Derek Bennett
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Burgeo-La Poile<br />33.54% turnout || |Andrew Parsons<br />1,992<br />87.10% | |Ethan Wheeler-Park<br />235<br />10.28% | |Judy Vanta<br />60<br />2.62% | | || |Andrew Parsons |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Corner Brook<br />38.44% turnout || |Gerry Byrne<br />2,593<br />66.54% | |Tom Stewart<br />1,304<br />33.46% | | | | || |Gerry Byrne |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Humber-Gros Morne<br />44.83% turnout || |Andrew Furey<br />2,838<br />63.96% | |Jim Goudie<br />1,492<br />33.63% | |Sheina Lerman<br />107<br />2.41% | | || |Andrew Furey |- |style="background:whitesmoke;"|Humber-Bay of Islands<br />41.00% turnout | |Stelman Flynn<br />741<br />17.76% | |Robert Marche<br />444<br />10.64% | | || |Eddie Joyce (Independent)<br />2,988<br />71.60% || |Eddie Joyce |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows<br />51.30% turnout || |Krista Howell<br />2,365<br />51.17% | |Sheila Fitzgerald<br />2,159<br />46.47% | |John McClusky<br />38<br />0.82% | |Ford Mitchelmore (Independent)<br />70<br />1.51% || |Chris Mitchelmoreâ |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|St. George's-Humber<br />43.70% turnout || |Scott Reid<br />2,420<br />58.54% | |Gary Bishop<br />1,474<br />35.66% | |Melissa Samms<br />191<br />4.62% | |Shane Snook (NL Alliance)<br />49<br />1.19% || |Scott Reid |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Stephenville-Port au Port<br />43.41% turnout | |Kevin Aylward<br />1,574<br />37.85% || |Tony Wakeham<br />2,481<br />59.67% | |Jamie Ruby<br />103<br />2.48% | | || |Tony Wakeham
|- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair<br />35.28% turnout || |Lisa Dempster<br />973<br />95.21% | |Joshua Nolan<br />49<br />4.79% | | | | || |Lisa Dempster |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Labrador West<br />43.23% turnout | |Wayne Button<br />780<br />28.72% | |Nick McGrath<br />577<br />21.24% || |Jordan Brown<br />1,359<br />50.04% | | || |Jordan Brown |- | style="background:whitesmoke;" rowspan="2"|Lake Melville<br />36.39% turnout |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Michelle Baikie<br />306<br />13.35% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Shannon Tobin<br />547<br />23.87% |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Amy Norman<br />279<br />12.17% || |Perry Trimper (Independent)<br />1,143<br />49.83% |rowspan=2 | |rowspan=2|Perry Trimper |- | |Andrew Abbass (Independent)<br />17<br />0.74% |- | style="background:whitesmoke;"|Torngat Mountains<br />22.46% turnout | |Devon Ryan<br />16<br />3.38% || |Lela Evans<br />420<br />88.79% | |Patricia Johnson-Castle<br />37<br />7.82% | | || |Lela Evans