P.E.I. Greens capture Cornwall-Meadowbank in byelection upset with Tayte Willows

Tayte Willows will be P.E.I.’s newest MLA after having won the byelection in Cornwall-Meadowbank. Willows captured just over 24 per cent of the vote on Monday night, beating Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell by 229 votes. Mitchell captured 19 per cent of the vote while the governing PCs’ candidate Caley McDonald captured just under 17 per [...]

Tayte Willows will be P.E.I.’s newest MLA after having won the byelection in Cornwall-Meadowbank. Willows captured just over 24 per cent of the vote on Monday night, beating Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell by 229 votes. Mitchell captured 19 per cent of the vote while the governing PCs’ candidate Caley McDonald captured just under 17 per cent.

New Democratic Party candidate Craig Nash, who suffered a heart attack in the last week of the campaign, drew less than one per cent of votes. Turnout in the byelection was just under 61 per cent, buoyed by a large advance vote turnout of 34 per cent of voters. Second byelection for Liberal leader The results were a disappointment for Mitchell and the Liberals.

This is the second unsuccessful attempt by Mitchell to gain a seat in the P.E.I. legislature in a byelection. Mitchell ran in a byelection in Georgetown-Pownal in December, and lost to Progressive Conservative Brendan Curran. The July 13 byelection was called following the death of Mark McLane, the former minister of health, in March.

Speaking to reporters at a watch party at her Green party campaign office, Willows said voters brought up health care and affordability concerns most frequently at the doors. The win for the Greens appears to reflect voter dissatisfaction with the PC government of Rob Lantz. Recent polling by Narrative Research found 55 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with the performance of the Lantz government.

More to come...