1989 Newfoundland general election

The 1989 Newfoundland general election was held on April 20, 1989 to elect members of the 41st General Assembly of Newfoundland. It was won by the Liberal party despite polling fewer votes than the Conservatives.

1989 Newfoundland general election

April 20, 1989 (1989-04-20)
52 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly 27 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Clyde Wells Tom Rideout Cle Newhook Party Liberal Progressive Conservative New Democratic Leader's seat Ran in Humber East (lost) Baie Verte-Springdale Ran in St. John's East Extern (lost) Last election 15 36 1 Seats won 31 21 0 Seat change 16 15 1 Popular vote 137,271 138,609 12,929 Percentage 47.2% 47.6% 4.4% Swing 10.5pp 1.0pp 10.0pp
Premier before election Tom Rideout Progressive Conservative Premier after election Clyde Wells Liberal

Unusually, however, Liberal leader Clyde Wells was defeated by Lynn Verge in his own riding of Humber East despite having led his party to victory. Consequently, a member of his caucus, Eddie Joyce, resigned shortly after the election, and Wells was acclaimed to office in the riding of Bay of Islands. Seven years later, Verge was the leader of the Progressive Conservatives during the 1996 election, and she also lost Humber East in the election, though her party did not win that election.

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level

Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source	LPNL	PCNL	NLNDP	Other	ME	Sample
Election 1989	April 20, 1989		47.2	47.6	4.4	0.8
Omnifacts	April 1989		41.6	52.1	6.3	—	4.1	622
	April 1989		43.9	50	6.1	—	—	1,305
Election 1985	November 6, 1984		36.7	48.6	14.4	0.3

Results

Summary of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador election results

Party		Party leader	Candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				1985	Dissol.	1989	Change	#	%	% Change
	Liberal	Clyde Wells	52	15	14	31	+16	137,271	47.2	+10.5
	Progressive Conservative	Tom Rideout	52	36	34	21	−15	138,609	47.6	–1.0
	New Democratic	Cle Newhook	36	1	2	0	−1	12,929	4.4	–10.0
	Independents		5	0	0	0	0	2,138	0.8	+0.5
	Vacant				2
Total			145	52	52	52	-	291,785	100	-

External links

• Election Report

Further reading

• Leyton-Brown, David, ed. (1995). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1989. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802007148.