# Topsail (electoral district)

Topsail is a defunct provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. In 2011, there are 11,080 eligible voters living in the district. The district was abolished in 2015 and was mostly replaced by Topsail-Paradise. Parts of the riding were also redistributed into Mount Scio, Mount Pearl North and Conception Bay South.
Topsail was located on the eastern shore of Conception Bay and included parts of the city of Mount Pearl and the towns of Conception Bay South and Paradise. The residential mix was suburban and sometimes rural, although many residents had commutes to St. John's.
Topsail was created in a 1995 redistribution, incorporating much of Conception Bay South and a small part of Mount Scio-Bell Island.
The 2007 redistribution changed the district significantly. Fifty-four per cent of it was retained, 32 per cent moved to Conception Bay South, 10 per cent moved to Mount Pearl North and four per cent shifted to Conception Bay East-Bell Island. The district also gained 16 per cent of both Waterford Valley and Conception Bay East-Bell Island. (CBC Electoral District Profile)
The district was represented by Liberal Ralph Wiseman, from 1996 until 2003. Wiseman was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Elizabeth Marshall in the 2003 general election, Marshall was re-elected in 2007 garnering 83% of the vote. In January 2010 Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Marshall to the Senate of Canada.
In the by-election held on March 16, 2010 Progressive Conservative candidate Paul Davis held on to the seat for the governing Tories, winning over 81% of the vote.

## Members of the House of Assembly

The district has elected the following members of the House of Assembly:
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 43rd | 1996–1999 | Ralph Wiseman | Liberal |
| 43rd | 1999–2003 | Ralph Wiseman | Liberal |
| 44th | 2003–2007 | Elizabeth Marshall | Progressive Conservative |
| 45th | 2007–2010 | Elizabeth Marshall | Progressive Conservative |
| 45th | 2010–2011 | Paul Davis | Progressive Conservative |
| 46th | 2011–2015 | Paul Davis | Progressive Conservative |

## Election results

2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Paul Davis | 3,860 | 68.35 | -14.69 |
| | NDP | Brian Nolan | 1,507 | 26.69 | +18.44 |
| | Liberal | Nic Reid | 280 | 4.96 | -3.75 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,647 | 99.86 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 8 | 0.14 | -0.10 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,655 | 49.85 | -9.64 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 11,345 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -16.56 |
^ Change is from 2007
By-Election - March 16, 2010 On the Senate appointment of Elizabeth Marshall, January 29, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Paul Davis | 2,737 | 81.73 | -1.32 |
| | NDP | Brian Nolan | 374 | 11.17 | +2.92 |
| | Liberal | Shane Kennedy | 238 | 7.11 | -1.60 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3,349 | 99.88 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 4 | 0.12 | -0.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,353 | 32.91 | -26.58 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 10,188 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -2.12 |
2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elizabeth Marshall | 4,892 | 83.04 | +17.59 |
| | Liberal | Cynthia Layden-Barron | 513 | 8.71 | -20.07 |
| | NDP | Kyle Rees | 486 | 8.25 | +2.48 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,891 | 99.76 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 14 | 0.24 | +0.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,905 | 59.49 | -21.04 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 9,926 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +18.83 |
2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elizabeth Marshall | 5,354 | 65.45 | +26.37 |
| | Liberal | Ralph Wiseman | 2,354 | 28.78 | -23.38 |
| | NDP | Mike Kehoe | 472 | 5.77 | -2.99 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,180 | 99.80 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 16 | 0.20 | -0.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,196 | 80.53 | +0.75 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 10,178 |
| | Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +24.88 |
1999 Newfoundland and Labrador general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ralph Wiseman | 3,381 | 52.16 | -2.56 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Rick Fifield | 2,533 | 39.08 | -6.21 |
| | NDP | Mary Snow | 568 | 8.76 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,482 | 99.78 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 14 | 0.22 | -0.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,496 | 79.77 | +0.64 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 8,143 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +1.83 |
1996 Newfoundland and Labrador general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Ralph Wiseman | 3,510 | 54.72 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Dianne Whalen | 2,905 | 45.28 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,415 | 99.55 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 29 | 0.45 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,444 | 79.14 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 8,143 |
| Source: Elections Newfoundland and Labrador |||||||