2021 Cornwall-Meadowbank provincial by-election

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District of Cornwall-Meadowbank
Turnout55.25%[1]
  First party Second party Third party
 
Candidate Mark McLane Jane MacIsaac Todd MacLean
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal Green
Popular vote 982 815 574
Percentage 40.02% 33.21% 23.39%
Swing Increase22.47% Decrease14.69% Decrease9.76%
A map of Legislative Assembly districts in Prince Edward Island at the time of the by-election, with Cornwall-Meadowbank highlighted in red.
MLA before election

Heath MacDonald
Liberal

Elected MLA

Mark McLane
Progressive Conservative

The 2021 Cornwall-Meadowbank provincial by-election was held on November 15, 2021,[2] to elect a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island for the district of Cornwall-Meadowbank. The seat became vacant upon the resignation of Liberal MLA Heath MacDonald on August 18, 2021.[3] MacDonald had held the seat since 2015 but resigned to run for Member of Parliament in the 2021 Canadian federal election in Malpeque, which he was successful.

Mark McLane of the governing Progressive Conservatives won the seat, defeating Liberal Jane MacIsaac. It was the first time the Tories won the area in 36 years. The Tories increased their seat total in the 27 seat legislature to 15.[1]

Candidates

Musician and activist Todd MacLean ran unopposed for the Green Party nomination, and was acclaimed on October 4.[4]

The Progressive Conservatives nominated businessman Marc McLane at a meeting on October 18.[5] Party president Charles Blue had indicated that several potential candidates were interested in the nomination,[4] however McLane ran unopposed.

On October 20, both the Liberals and New Democrats announced candidates. Businesswoman Jane MacIsaac won the Liberal nomination from a field of four candidates, and biology professor Larry Hale was acclaimed for the New Democrats.[6][7]

Results

Prince Edward Island provincial by-election, November 15, 2021: Cornwall-Meadowbank
Resignation of Heath MacDonald
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative Mark McLane 982 40.02 +22.47 $45,007.75
Liberal Jane MacIsaac 815 33.21 -14.69 $12,077.11
Green Todd MacLean 574 23.39 -9.76 $12,025.33
New Democratic Larry Hale 83 3.38 +1.98 $1,873.22
Total valid votes/expense limit 2,454 100.00   $53,910.85
Turnout 2,454 55.38 −24.90
Eligible voters 4,431
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +18.58
[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Chang, Arturo (November 15, 2021). "PC's Mark McLane unofficial winner of Cornwall-Meadowbank byelection". CBC. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  2. ^ Thibodeau, Wayne (October 18, 2021). "Premier Dennis King says timing right for Cornwall-Meadowbank byelection". CBC News. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Chang, Arturo (August 18, 2021). "Heath MacDonald officially resigns as MLA to run in federal election". CBC News. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Neatby, Stu (October 5, 2021). "P.E.I. Green candidate Todd MacLean first out of the gate in Cornwall-Meadowbank". Saltwire. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  5. ^ Neatby, Stu (October 18, 2021). "P.E.I. PCs nominate Mark McLane as candidate in Cornwall-Meadowbank". Saltwire. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Higgins, Brian (October 21, 2021). "Liberals, NDP select candidates for District 16 byelection". CBC News. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Neatby, Stu (September 22, 2022). "Former P.E.I. deputy minister officially enters the Liberal leadership race". The Salt Wire. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  8. ^ Garrity, Tim (March 21, 2022). Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of PEI: 2021 By-Election, District 16, Cornwall-Meadowbank (PDF) (Report). Elections Prince Edward Island. Retrieved April 5, 2023.