2003 Prince Edward Island general election

The 2003 Prince Edward Island general election was held on September 29, 2003 to elect the 27 members of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island. The election was called on September 2 by Premier Pat Binns, who enjoyed a high level of popularity among voters.

2003 Prince Edward Island general election

September 29, 2003
All 27 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island 14 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	83.27%[1]
PC Leader Pat Binns Robert Ghiz Party Progressive Conservative Liberal Leader since May 4, 1996 April 5, 2003 Leader's seat Murray River-Gaspereaux Ran in Charlottetown-Rochford Square (won) Last election 26 seats, 58.00% 1 seat, 33.84% Seats won 23 4 Seat change 3 3 Popular vote 43,712 34,347 Percentage 54.29% 42.66% Swing 3.71pp 8.82pp
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 Pat Binns Progressive Conservative Premier after election Pat Binns Progressive Conservative

Polling took place on September 29, despite a blackout across two-thirds of the province and other damage caused by Hurricane Juan.

Binns' Progressive Conservatives were elected to a third consecutive majority government, the first time this had happened in Island history (for the Cons/PC party). The Premier, who ran in Murray River-Gaspereaux, was re-elected, along with his entire existing cabinet.

The Liberals wrested three seats from the Tories, increasing their standing to four seats. The party's new leader, Robert Ghiz, was one of those. The son of former premier Joe Ghiz beat Charlottetown mayor George MacDonald in the riding of Charlottetown-Rochford Square in Charlottetown.

The New Democrats did not win any seats; their leader, Gary Robichaud, was defeated by a Tory incumbent in Wilmot-Summerside.

Results

Party		Party Leader	# of candidates	Seats			Popular Vote
				2000 election	Elected	% Change	#	%
	Progressive Conservative	Pat Binns	27	26	23	-11.5%	43,712	54.29%
	Liberal	Robert Ghiz	27	1	4	+300%	34,347	42.66%
	New Democrats	Gary Robichaud	24	-	-	-	2,460	3.06%
Total			77	27	27	-	80,519	100%

Popular vote PC   54.29% Liberal   42.66% New Democratic   3.06%

Seats summary PC   85.19% Liberal   14.81%

Largest and smallest margins of victory

The five largest margins of victory were:

1. Kensington-Malpeque: Mitch Murphy, PC, defeated Janice Sherry, Liberal, by 1416 votes.
2. North River-Rice Point: Ron MacKinley, Liberal, defeated Donna Butler, PC, by 1103 votes.
3. Murray River-Gaspereaux: Pat Binns, PC, defeated Michelle Johnston, Liberal, by 959 votes.
4. Glen Stewart-Bellevue Cove: David McKenna, PC, defeated Eric Ellsworth, Liberal, by 958 votes.
5. Alberton-Miminegash: Cletus Dunn, PC, defeated Robert B. White, Liberal, by 737 votes.

The five smallest margins of victory were:

1. Sherwood-Hillsborough: Elmer MacFadyen, PC, defeated Robert Mitchell, Liberal, by 61 votes.
2. Borden-Kinkora: Fred McCardle, PC, defeated Lorne Sutherland, Liberal, by 71 votes.
3. St. Eleanors-Summerside: Helen MacDonald, PC, defeated Gerard Greenan, Liberal, by 93 votes.
4. Evangeline-Miscouche: Wilfred Arsenault, PC, defeated Sonny Gallant, Liberal, by 104 votes.
5. Charlottetown-Kings Square: Richard Brown, Liberal, defeated Bob MacMillan, PC, by 142 votes.

Prince County

Electoral District	Candidates									Incumbent
		PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Alberton-Miminegash		Cletus Dunn 1697		Robert B. White 960		Donna Hardy 53				Cletus J. Dunn
Borden-Kinkora		Fred McCardle 1528		Lorne Sutherland 1457		James Rodd 80				Eric Hammill†
Cascumpec-Grand River		Philip Brown 1477		Robert Noye 981		Peter Robinson 178				Philip Brown
Evangeline-Miscouche		Wilfred Arsenault 1312		Sonny Gallant 1208		Leona Arsenault 69				Wilfred Arsenault
Kensington-Malpeque		Mitch Murphy 2536		Janice Sherry 1120		George S. Hunter 92				Mitch Murphy
St. Eleanors-Summerside		Helen MacDonald 1590		Gerard Greenan 1497		Paulette Halupa 97				Helen MacDonald
Tignish-Deblois		Gail Shea 1480		Neil LeClair 1177		Reg Pendergast 20				Gail Shea
West Point-Bloomfield		Eva Rodgerson 1193		Sean O'Halloran 872		Ed Kilfoil 232				Eva Rodgerson
Wilmot-Summerside		Greg Deighan 1807		Duke Cormier 1402		Gary Robichaud 257				Greg Deighan

Queens County

Electoral District	Candidates									Incumbent
		PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Belfast-Pownal Bay		Wilbur MacDonald 1331		Sarah Jane Bell 1091		Michael Page 110				Wilbur MacDonald
Crapaud-Hazel Grove		Norman MacPhee 1683		Carolyn Bertram 1829		Miranda Ellis 99				Norman MacPhee
Glen Stewart-Bellevue Cove		David McKenna 2249		Eric Ellsworth 1291		Jane MacNeil 243				Pat Mella
North River-Rice Point		Donna Butler 1403		Ron MacKinley 2506		Marlene Hunt 108				Ron MacKinley
Park Corner-Oyster Bed		Beth MacKenzie 1908		Jean Tingley 1608		Ken Bingham 184				Beth MacKenzie
Stanhope-East Royalty		Jamie Ballem 1858		Robert Vessey 1400		Gerard Gallant 78				Jamie Ballem
Tracadie-Fort Augustus		Mildred Dover 1628		Buck Watts 1253		Robert Perry 64				Mildred Dover
Winsloe-West Royalty		Wayne Collins 1971		Gordon MacKay 1816						Don MacKinnon†

Charlottetown

Electoral District	Candidates									Incumbent
		PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Charlottetown-Kings Square		Bob MacMillan 1278		Richard Brown 1420		Kevin Roach 86				Bob MacMillan
Charlottetown-Rochford Square		George MacDonald 1276		Robert Ghiz 1433		J'Nan Brown 120				Jeff Lantz †
Charlottetown-Spring Park		Wes MacAleer 1649		Barry Ling 1448		Teresa Peters 99				Wes MacAleer
Parkdale-Belvedere		Chester Gillan 1562		Charlie Cooke 897		Nick Boragina 78				Chester Gillan
Sherwood-Hillsborough		Elmer MacFadyen 1408		Robert Mitchell 1347		Ronald G. Kelly 75				Elmer MacFadyen

Kings County

Electoral District	Candidates									Incumbent
		PC		Liberal		NDP		Other
Georgetown-Baldwin's Road		Mike Currie 1652		Danny Walker 984		Jane Dunphy 64				Mike Currie
Montague-Kilmuir		Jim Bagnall 1431		John Van Dyke 792		Lorne Cudmore 30				Jim Bagnall
Morell-Fortune Bay		Kevin MacAdam 1601		Larry McGuire 1050						Kevin J. MacAdam
Murray River-Gaspereaux		Pat Binns 1584		Michelle Johnston 625		Edith Perry 45				Pat Binns
Souris-Elmira		Andy Mooney 1291		Philip MacDonald 1047						Andy Mooney

See also

• List of PEI political parties

References

1. https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/pei-election/voter-turnout-dips-below-80-per-cent-in-2019-pei-election-305149/

External links

• Government of Prince Edward Island
• Elections PEI
• CBC - PEI Votes 2003

Parties

• Progressive Conservative Party of PEI (see also Progressive Conservative Party of Canada)
• Liberal Party of PEI (see also Liberal Party of Canada)
• Island New Democrats (see also New Democratic Party)