2011 Prince Edward Island general election

2011 Prince Edward Island general election

← 2007 October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03) 2015 →
27 seats of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island 14 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	76.53%[1]
First party Second party   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 Popular vote 38,315 29,950 Percentage 51.39% 40.18% Swing 1.54% 1.17%
Popular vote by riding. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via plurality results by each riding.
Premier before election Robert Ghiz Liberal Premier after election Robert Ghiz Liberal

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

The Liberal government of Premier 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.^[4]

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.^[5]

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.

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

Results by region[]

Incumbent MLAs not running for re-election[]