# 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.

## Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level :
| Polling firm | Last day of survey | 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 | 57 | 33 | 6 | — | 4.4 | — |
| Corporate Research Associates Inc. | August 2003 | 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. 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 | Party leader | Candidates | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Party leader | Candidates | 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 | Independent and no affiliation | 13 | - | - | - | - | 3,812 | 1.38% | -% |
| Total | Total | Total | 143 | 48 | 48 | 48 | - | 277,538 | 100.00% | |

### Results by region

| Party name | Party name | 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 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Popular vote: | 67.73% | 57.61% | 54.02% | 57.48% | 30.52% | 58.71% |
| | Liberal | Seats: | - | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| | Liberal | Popular vote: | 19.43% | 38.17% | 42.78% | 40.16% | 29.93% | 33.05% |
| | New Democratic | Seats: | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| | New Democratic | 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: | Total seats: | 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 | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| 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 | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| 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 | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| 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 | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| 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 | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| 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 | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | Liberal | Liberal | NDP | NDP | Labrador | Labrador | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| 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 | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | PC | Clayton Forsey | 2,605 | 55.2 |
| | Liberal | George Saunders | 1,958 | 41.5 |
| | NDP | John Whelan | 159 | 3.4 |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,722 | 100% |
Placentia and St. Mary's (resignation of Fabian Manning), February 21, 2006:
By-election: Placentia and St. Mary's :
| Party | 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 | Total | Total | 4,850 | |
Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi (resignation of Jack Harris), November 1, 2006:
By-election: Signal Hill—Quidi Vidi :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | NDP | Lorraine Michael | 1,968 | 55.23 | +6.77 |
| | PC | Jerome Kennedy | 1,595 | 44.77 | +0.95 |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,563 | 100% | |
Ferryland (resignation of Loyola Sullivan), February 8, 2007:
By-election: Ferryland :
| Party | 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 | Total | Total | 3,668 | 100% | |
Kilbride (resignation of Ed Byrne), February 8, 2007:
By-election: Kilbride :
| Party | 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 | Total | Total | 3,481 | 100% | |
Port au Port (resignation of Jim Hodder), February 8, 2007:
By-election: Port au Port :
| Party | 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 | Total | Total | 4,357 | 100% | |
Humber Valley (resignation of Kathy Goudie), February 13, 2007:
By-election: Humber Valley :
| Party | 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 | Total | Total | 4,421 | 100% | |
vteNewfoundland 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 | Total | Total | 4,451 | 100% | +2.13 |
| Called upon the resignation of Randy Collins. |||||||