The election was called soon after Premier Danny Williams announced the popular Hebron Oil Field deal,[1] and it was widely considered a foregone conclusion that Williams' Progressive Conservatives would be reelected.[2] Polls during the campaign showed the Conservatives reaching up to 73 per cent of voter support, leading some commentators to speculate that the party could in fact win every seat in the House of Assembly — a feat accomplished only twice before in Canadian history, in Prince Edward Island in the 1935 election and in New Brunswick in the 1987 election.
On election day, the Progressive Conservatives did win ten more seats than they held at the dissolution of the previous legislature, and won just under 70 per cent of the popular vote, the highest popular vote share ever attained by a party in the province. However, they did not sweep all 48 seats in the legislature though their popular vote share was higher than the winning party's share in the 1935 PEI election and the 1987 New Brunswick election. Three Liberal incumbents, as well as New Democratic Party leader Lorraine Michael, successfully held their seats.[3][4] Notably, however, Liberal leader Gerry Reid was not reelected in his own riding.[5]
Grand Falls-Windsor—Buchans and Bonavista South
On October 1, 2007, Gerry Tobin, Liberal candidate in the riding of Grand Falls-Windsor—Buchans, was found dead in his home.[6] As a result, the chief electoral officer postponed the election in that riding until November 6, 2007.[7] The Progressive Conservatives won the special election, bringing their total number of seats in the legislature to 44.
Subsequently, Clayton Hobbs, Liberal candidate in the riding of Bonavista South, dropped out of the race, citing health reasons;[8] consequently, incumbent Progressive Conservative MHA Roger Fitzgerald was declared re-elected.
Results
Riding-by-riding results
Results by party
Results by region
Results by riding
Bold incumbents indicates party leaders. The premier's name is boldfaced and italicized.
All candidate names are those on the official list of confirmed candidates; names in media or on party website may differ slightly.
Names in boldface type represent party leaders.
† represents that the incumbent is not running again.
§ represents that the incumbent was defeated for nomination.
₰ represents that the incumbent ran in another district and lost the nomination
‡ represents that the incumbent is running in a different district.
^Paul Shelley had resigned his seat on July 12, 2007, and a by-election had not been held to fill the seat prior to the general election call.
^Clayton Hobbs was originally the Liberal candidate, but he withdrew prior to the election.
^Due to the death of Liberal candidate Gerry Tobin on October 1, the election in the riding of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans was delayed. The deferred election for this riding took place on November 6, 2007, with the Liberals nominating John Woodrow in Tobin's place.
^Woodrow briefly suspended his campaign on November 3, 2007 when it became known that he had falsely accused former Premier Beaton Tulk of bribery. However, being unable to remove his name from the ballot, Woodrow revived his campaign on November 5, 2007.
^Wally Andersen had resigned his seat on September 5, 2007, and a by-election had not been held to fill the seat prior to the general election call.
References
^"N.L. announces $16B Hebron oilfield deal". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 22, 2007. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
^Marland, Alex (2007). "The 2007 provincial election in Newfoundland and Labrador". Canadian Political Science Review. 1 (2): 75–85.
^"Jones takes on interim Liberal leadership". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. November 15, 2007. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
^"NDP Leader Michael alone again". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 9, 2007. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
^"Reid resigns leadership, vows Grit rebuilding" Archived 2016-05-06 at the Wayback Machine. CBC News, November 13, 2007.
^"Candidate's death shocks Liberal campaign". CBC News. October 2, 2007. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
^"Postponement of Advance Poll and Polling Day in Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans". Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
^"PCs chalk up early victory as Liberal withdraws from election". CBC News. October 5, 2007. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
^"By-Election Call Necessary for District of Baie Verte". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
^"Withdrawal of Candidate in Bonavista South". Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
Further reading
Mutimer, David, ed. (2014). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 2007. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442648555.
