2011 Prince Edward Island general election

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Prince Edward Island general election, 2011

← 2007 October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03) 2015 →

27 seats of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
14 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Robert Ghiz.jpg
PC
Leader Robert Ghiz Olive Crane
Party Liberal Progressive Conservative
Leader since April 5, 2003 October 2, 2010
Leader's seat Charlottetown-Brighton Morell-Mermaid
Last election 23 seats, 52.93% 4 seats, 41.35%
Seats before 24 2
Seats won 22 5
Seat change -2 +3
Percentage 51.39% 40.18%
Swing -1.54% -1.17%

Pei2011.png
Map of PEI's ridings coloured in based on how they voted

Premier before election

Robert Ghiz
Liberal

Premier-designate

Robert Ghiz
Liberal

The 64th Prince Edward Island general election was held on October 3, 2011.[1][2]

The Liberal government of Robert Ghiz was elected to a second majority government, winning one seat less than they did in 2007. Ghiz himself considered 18 seats to be a marker for a strong majority. He won 22.

Health care was an important issue during the election, especially in rural areas.[3]

The Progressive Conservatives retained their position as Official Opposition, winning five seats. Olive Crane used the issue of the Provincial Nominee Program during the election, as well as issues surrounding immigration and investments that came under investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Federal Minister Jason Kenney during the election.[4]

Results

Both the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives lost votes, and lost in the share of vote. Turnout was down and seven thousand fewer voters cast ballots total. The Greens and New Democrats increased both their raw vote and their share of the vote, and the new Island party took nearly a full percentage point. Three incumbent Liberal MLAs were defeated by Progressive Conservatives; the Progressive Conservatives retained one of the two seats they held at the dissolution of the previous legislature, as well as one vacant seat which they held prior to the resignation of Michael Currie from the legislature in March 2011, while the Liberals gained one seat whose Progressive Conservative incumbent did not stand for re-election.

The election saw one riding, Kellys Cross-Cumberland, have six candidates, a rarity in PEI elections.

The PC Party solidified their base in central-east PEI, winning four ridings that were part of the federal riding of Cardigan, and carried the region. The PC Party also managed to win a single seat on the northern tip of the Island.

Summary of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island election results
Party Party leader Candidates Seats Popular vote
2007 Dissol. 2011 Change # % Change
Liberal Robert Ghiz 27 23 24 22 -1 38,315 51.38% -1.55%
Progressive Conservative Olive Crane 27 4 2 5 +1 29,950 40.16% -1.19%
Green Sharon Labchuk 22 - - 0 3,254 4.36% +1.32%
New Democratic James Rodd 14 - - 0 2,355 3.16% +1.20%
Island Billy Cann 12 * - 0 682 0.91% *
Independents and no affiliation 1 - - 0 15 0.02% -0.71%
Vacant - - 1
Total 103 27 27 27 74,571

* The Island Party of Prince Edward Island was not a registered political party at the time of the 2007 election.

Results by region

Party Name Cardigan Malpeque Charlottetown Egmont Total
  Liberal Seats: 3 8 5 6 22
  Popular Vote: 42.54% 52.87% 54.31% 57.01% 51.38%
  Progressive Conservative Seats: 4 0 0 1 5
  Popular Vote: 49.68% 38.10% 31.16% 38.89% 40.16%
Total seats: 7 8 5 7 27
Parties that won no seats:
  Green Vote: 651 1,191 927 485 3,254
  Popular Vote: 3.32% 4.81% 7.40% 2.74% 4.36%
  NDP Vote: 403 932 873 147 2,355
  Popular Vote: 2.06% 3.77% 6.97% 0.83% 3.16%
  Island Party Vote: 470 98 19 95 682
  Popular Vote: 2.40% 0.40% 0.15% 0.54% 0.91%
  Independent Vote: 15 15
  Popular Vote: 0.06% 0.02%

Incumbent MLAs not running for re-election