2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

The 2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 21, 2003, to elect the 48 members of the 45th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador. The election was called on September 29 by Premier Roger Grimes of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.^[2]

2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election

← 1999 October 21, 2003 2007 →
← outgoing members members →
48 seats of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly 25 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	72.5% ( 2.9 pp)[1]
First party Second party Third party   Leader Danny Williams Roger Grimes Jack Harris Party Progressive Conservative Liberal New Democratic Leader since 2001 2001 1992 Leader's seat Humber West Exploits Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi Last election 14 32 2 Seats won 34 12 2 Seat change 20 20 0 Popular vote 162,949 91,729 19,048 Percentage 58.71% 33.05% 6.86% Swing 17.94% 16.57% 1.37%
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 Roger Grimes Liberal Premier after election Danny Williams Progressive Conservative

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level

Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source	PCNL	LPNL	NLNDP	Other	ME	Sample
Election 2003	October 21, 2003		58.71	33.05	6.86	1.38
Corporate Research Associates Inc.	October 2003	[3]	57	33	6	—	4.4	—
Corporate Research Associates Inc.	August 2003	[4]	54	36	6	—	3.5	801
Election 1999	February 9, 1999		40.77	49.62	8.23	1.38

Results

This election marked only the third change of government in the 54 years since the province joined Canada. The Liberals, led by Roger Grimes, were soundly defeated by the Danny Williams-led Progressive Conservative Party, who took almost three-quarters of the seats in the House of Assembly and well over half of the popular vote.^[5] The Liberals lost seven of their 17 Cabinet ministers, along with the Speaker of the House, from the preceding government. Jack Harris and the New Democrats hopes to increase their seat total from two were frustrated, although their incumbents were re-elected.

Results by party

Summary of the Legislative Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador election results

Party		Party leader	Candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				1999	Dissol.	2003	Change	#	%	Change
	Progressive Conservative	Danny Williams	48	14	19	34	+78.9%	162,949	58.71%	+17.94%
	Liberal	Roger Grimes	48	32	27	12	-55.6%	91,729	33.05%	-16.57%
	New Democratic	Jack Harris	34	2	2	2	-	19,048	6.86%	-1.37%
	Independent and no affiliation		13	-	-	-	-	3,812	1.38%	-%
Total			143	48	48	48	-	277,538	100.00%

Results by region

Party name			St. John's	Avalon/Burin	Central/Southern	Western	Labrador	Total
Parties winning seats in the legislature:
	Progressive Conservative	Seats:	13	5	8	7	1	34
		Popular vote:	67.73%	57.61%	54.02%	57.48%	30.52%	58.71%
	Liberal	Seats:	-	4	5	1	2	12
		Popular vote:	19.43%	38.17%	42.78%	40.16%	29.93%	33.05%
	New Democratic	Seats:	1	-	-	-	1	2
		Popular vote:	12.59%	4.20%	2.62%	1.61%	21.65%	6.86%
Parties not winning seats in the legislature:
	Other	Popular vote:	0.25%	0.02%	0.58%	0.75%	17.90%	1.38%
Total seats:			14	9	13	8	4	48

Results by riding

• Names in boldface type represent party leaders.
• † represents that the incumbent is not running again.

St. John's

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Kilbride 70.54% turnout		Ed Byrne 5,315 78.28%		Joe Wadden 1,071 15.77%		David Reynolds 404 5.95%				Ed Byrne
St. John's Centre 70.51% turnout		Shawn Skinner 3,349 55.19%		Joan Marie Aylward 1,763 29.05%		Carol Cantwell 956 15.75%				Joan Marie Aylward
St. John's East 65.68% turnout		John Ottenheimer 4,151 70.11%		George Murphy 862 14.56%		Bruce Clark 841 14.21%		Steve Durant (Independent) 66 1.11%		John Ottenheimer
St. John's North 62.69% turnout		Bob Ridgley 3,107 57.97%		Jeff Brace 1,433 26.74%		Liam Walsh 820 15.30%				Lloyd Mathews †
St. John's South 67.72% turnout		Tom Osborne 4,532 75.99%		Dennis O'Keefe 756 12.68%		Tom McGinnis 676 11.33%				Tom Osborne
St. John's West 66.91% turnout		Sheila Osborne 4,557 72.23%		Tom Hann 1,292 20.48%		Raj Sharan 460 7.29%				Sheila Osborne
Signal Hill—Quidi Vidi 67.55% turnout		Karen Carroll 2,221 43.82%		Ray O'Neill 391 7.72%		Jack Harris 2,456 48.46%				Jack Harris
Virginia Waters 69.14% turnout		Kathy Dunderdale 4,193 58.10%		Walter Noel 2,358 32.67%		Dave Sullivan 666 9.23%				Walter Noel

St. John's suburbs

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Cape St. Francis 78.42% turnout		Jack Byrne 5,604 71.13%		Bill Tapper 1,294 16.43%		Ralph Tapper 980 12.44%				Jack Byrne
Conception Bay East and Bell Island 77.71% turnout		Dianne Whalen 4,147 56.36%		Jim Walsh 1,870 25.41%		Ken Kavanaugh 1,180 16.04%		Doug Cole (Independent) 171 2.32%		Jim Walsh
Conception Bay South 72.74% turnout		Terry French 5,606 83.10%		Sheina Lerman 372 5.51%		Andy Lewis 768 11.38%				Terry French
Mount Pearl 68.79% turnout		Dave Denine 5,662 81.30%		Wayne Ralph 798 11.46%		Roy Locke 504 7.24%				Julie Bettney †
Topsail 80.53% turnout		Elizabeth Marshall 5,354 65.45%		Ralph Wiseman 2,354 28.78%		Michael Kehoe 472 5.77%				Ralph Wiseman
Waterford Valley 66.81% turnout		Harvey Hodder 4,569 73.03%		Averill Baker 1,277 20.41%		Justin Locke 410 6.55%				Harvey Hodder

Avalon and Burin peninsulas

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Bellevue 74.54% turnout		Joan Cleary 2,523 46.34%		Percy Barrett 2,623 48.17%		Michael Fahey 299 5.49%				Percy Barrett
Burin—Placentia West 82.20% turnout		Clyde Jackman 3,450 55.05%		Sam Synard 2,133 34.04%		Wayne Butler 684 10.91%				Mary Hodder†
Carbonear—Harbour Grace 77.95% turnout		John Babb 3,165 46.11%		George Sweeney 3,699 53.84%						George Sweeney
Ferryland 71.73% turnout		Loyola Sullivan 5,167 85.25%		Andrea Kavanagh 504 8.41%		Lois Martin 309 5.16%		Pilar Riego-Hickey (Independent) 11 0.18%		Loyola Sullivan
Grand Bank 85.51% turnout		Darin King 3,058 48.58%		Judy Foote 3,101 49.26%		Bill Wakeley 136 2.16%				Judy Foote
Harbour Main—Whitbourne 83.69% turnout		Tom Hedderson 4,769 70.71%		Fred Akerman 1,482 21.98%		Eugene Conway 493 7.31%				Tom Hedderson
Placentia and St. Mary's 84.87% turnout		Fabian Manning 3,746 65.60%		Kevin Power 1,812 31.73%		Janet Stringer 152 2.66%				Fabian Manning
Port de Grave 74.97% turnout		Clarence Gosse 2,374 37.34%		Roland Butler 3,983 62.66%						Roland Butler
Trinity—Bay de Verde 81.40% turnout		Charlene Johnson 4,091 63.20%		Lloyd Snow 2,095 32.37%		Victoria Harnum 287 4.43%				Lloyd Snow

Central Newfoundland

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Baie Verte 71.03% turnout		Paul Shelley 3,045 74.52%		Maurice Budgell 927 22.69%				William Day (Independent) 114 2.79%		Paul Shelley
Bonavista North 74.42% turnout		Harry Harding 3,384 58.33%		Churence Rogers 2,301 39.67%		Howard E. Parsons 116 2.00%				Harry Harding
Bonavista South 66.82% turnout		Roger Fitzgerald 4,354 79.58%		Betty Fitzgerald 938 17.14%		Sam Kelly 179 3.27%				Roger Fitzgerald
Exploits 75.26% turnout		Clayton Forsey 2,346 40.93%		Roger Grimes 3,218 56.14%		John L. Whelan 168 2.93%				Roger Grimes
Gander 65.94% turnout		Kevin O'Brien 3,621 61.38%		Dianne Crewe 1,930 32.72%		Steve Johnson 348 5.90%				Sandra Kelly†
Grand Falls—Buchans 70.63% turnout		Paula Flood 2,331 35.20%		Anna Thistle 3,921 59.21%		Gerry Tobin 370 5.59%				Anna Thistle
Lewisporte 65.49% turnout		Tom Rideout 3,504 70.96%		Todd Manuel 1,275 25.82%				Garry Vatcher (Independent) 159 3.22%		Tom Rideout
Terra Nova 79.03% turnout		Paul Oram 3,114 52.37%		Tom Lush 2,614 43.96%		Herbert Ralph 218 3.67%				Tom Lush
Trinity North 76.88% turnout		Ross Wiseman 4,126 67.57%		Kathryn Small 1,640 26.86%		Howard W. Duffett 340 5.57%				Ross Wiseman
Twillingate and Fogo 72.73% turnout		Derrick Dalley 2,334 44.25%		Gerry Reid 2,941 55.75%						Gerry Reid
Windsor—Springdale 65.82% turnout		Ray Hunter 3,488 62.32%		Barry J. Oake 1,826 32.62%		Clar Jacobs 138 2.47%		Elmer Anthony (Independent) 145 2.59%		Ray Hunter

Western and Southern Newfoundland

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Bay of Islands 76.61% turnout		Mike Monaghan 2,760 46.93%		Eddie Joyce 2,907 49.43%		Dave Quigley 214 3.64%				Eddie Joyce
Burgeo and La Poile 69.79% turnout		Stephen MacKenzie 1,008 19.23%		Kelvin Parsons 4,233 80.77%						Kelvin Parsons
Fortune Bay—Cape La Hune 72.55% turnout		Andrew Colford 2,044 41.52%		Oliver Langdon 2,880 58.49%						Oliver Langdon
Humber East 71.90% turnout		Tom Marshall 3,976 60.25%		Bob Mercer 2,624 39.75%						Bob Mercer
Humber Valley 78.02% turnout		Kathy Goudie 2,796 52.72%		Dwight Ball 2,507 47.28%						Rick Woodford†
Humber West 61.52% turnout		Danny Williams 3,823 68.72%		Edward Buckle 1,533 27.56%		Matthew Robbins 207 3.72%				Danny Williams
Port au Port 67.91% turnout		Jim Hodder 3,101 55.74%		Gerald Smith 2,378 42.75%				Frederick G. Ollerhead (Independent) 84 1.51%		Gerald Smith
St. Barbe 73.59% turnout		Wallace Young 2,948 61.07%		Ralph Payne 1,577 32.67%		Holly Patey 293 6.07%				Wallace Young
St. George's—Stephenville East 70.23% turnout		Joan Burke 2,927 52.63%		Ron Dawe 2,464 44.31%				Nancy Critchley (Independent) 170 3.06%		Kevin Aylward†
The Straits - White Bay North 70.46% turnout		Trevor Taylor 3,133 62.50%		Don McDonald 1,802 35.95%				Ford Michelmore (Independent) 78 1.56%		Trevor Taylor

Labrador

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	PC		Liberal		NDP		Labrador
Cartwright—L'Anse au Clair 80.47% turnout		Dennis Normore 804 31.85%		Yvonne Jones 1,514 59.98%				Frank Pye 206 8.16%		Yvonne Jones
Labrador West 67.34% turnout		Graham Letto 1,142 23.03%		Doris Sacrey 423 8.53%		Randy Collins 2,762 55.71%		Ern Condon 631 12.73%		Randy Collins
Lake Melville 72.56% turnout		John Hickey 1,778 39.35%		Ken Anthony 1,126 24.92%		Barbara Stickley 129 2.86%		Brandon Pardy 1,485 32.87%		Ernie McLean †
Torngat Mountains 80.80% turnout		Winston White 352 25.98%		Wally Andersen 934 68.93%				Lucy Jararuse 69 5.09%		Wally Andersen

By-elections since the general election

Exploits (resignation of Roger Grimes), June 23, 2005:

By-election: Exploits

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PC	Clayton Forsey	2,605	55.2
	Liberal	George Saunders	1,958	41.5
	NDP	John Whelan	159	3.4
Total			4,722	100%

Placentia and St. Mary's (resignation of Fabian Manning), February 21, 2006:

By-election: Placentia and St. Mary's

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PC	Felix Collins	2,247	46.3
	Independent	Nick Careen	1,641	33.8
	Liberal	Kevin Power	931	19.2
	Newfoundland and Labrador First	Tom Hickey	31	0.6
Total			4,850

Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi (resignation of Jack Harris), November 1, 2006:

By-election: Signal Hill—Quidi Vidi

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	Lorraine Michael	1,968	55.23	+6.77
	PC	Jerome Kennedy	1,595	44.77	+0.95
Total			3,563	100%

Ferryland (resignation of Loyola Sullivan), February 8, 2007:

By-election: Ferryland

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PC	Keith Hutchings	2,770	75.52	-10.73
	Liberal	Kevin Bennett	715	19.49	+11.08
	NDP	Rick Boland	183	4.99	-0.17
Total			3,668	100%

Kilbride (resignation of Ed Byrne), February 8, 2007:

By-election: Kilbride

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PC	John Dinn	2,744	78.83	+0.55
	Liberal	Bob Clarke	508	14.59	-1.18
	NDP	Gemma Schlamp-Hickey	229	6.58	+0.63
Total			3,481	100%

Port au Port (resignation of Jim Hodder), February 8, 2007:

By-election: Port au Port

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	PC	Tony Cornect	2,701	61.99	+6.25
	Liberal	Mark Felix	1,521	34.91	-7.84
	NDP	Paul O'Keefe	135	3.90	*
Total			4,357	100%

Humber Valley (resignation of Kathy Goudie), February 13, 2007:

By-election: Humber Valley

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dwight Ball	2,153	48.70	+1.26
	PC	Darryl Kelly	2,146	48.54	-4.02
	NDP	Shelley Senior	122	2.76	*
Total			4,421	100%

v t e Newfoundland and Labrador provincial by-election, February 13, 2007: Labrador West
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Jim Baker	1,666	41.62	+18.59
	New Democratic	Darrell Brenton	1,240	30.98	−24.73
	Labrador	Ron Barron	670	16.74	+4.01
	Liberal	Karen Oldford	427	10.66	–
Total			4,451	100%	+2.13
Called upon the resignation of Randy Collins.

See also

• 2007 Newfoundland and Labrador provincial by-elections
• 45th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
• List of Newfoundland and Labrador General Assemblies
• List of Newfoundland and Labrador political parties