2020 Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election
The 2020 Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election will be held due to the announcement by Dwight Ball on February 17, 2020 that he will be resigning as Liberal Party leader and Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador effective when the party elects his successor. Provincial legislation requires that a general election must occur no more than one year following a Premier's resignation.
The leadership campaign was suspended on March 23, 2020 at noon due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The party's leadership election committee met on May 25, 2020, announcing that the race would resume on June 8, 2020. A virtual convention will be held on August 3, 2020, where election results will be announced.
Timeline
- 17 February 2020 - Liberal leader and Premier Dwight Ball informs Liberal Party president John Allan of his resignation as party leader and premier, to take effect when the Liberal Party chooses his successor. Ball subsequently announces his decision to the province in a pre-taped video.
- 18 February 2020 - Liberal board of directors meets to make decisions on the process to replace Ball.
- 24 February 2020 - Liberal Party releases leadership election rules, official opening of nomination period.
- 6 March 2020, noon - deadline for candidates to be nominated.
- 18 March 2020 - the executive announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the physical leadership convention would be cancelled and the vote would proceed entirely online.
- 23 March 2020 - The party executive announced that the leadership campaign has been suspended effective at noon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The party executive is to meet on 1 May 2020 to decide whether the race can resume or whether it and/or the election will be postponed.
- 4 April 2020 - original deadline to become a party member or renew party membership so that one can be able to vote in the leadership election.
- 1 May 2020 - Party releases a press release stating that the leadership election committee will meet on May 11, 2020, to determine whether the suspension of the leadership election will be lifted.
- 8 May 2020 - leadership convention was to have opened.
- 9 May 2020 - original date leadership vote was scheduled to occur by preferential ballot.
- 11 May 2020 - leadership election committee meets to determine whether the suspension of the election can be lifted and, if so, determine a new schedule. It announces that the race remains suspended and that the situation will be reviewed again on 25 May.
- 25 May 2020 - the leadership election committee announces that the race will resume on 8 June. No schedule was determined.
- 1 June 2020 - the Liberal party formally informs the candidates that the race will resume the following week, and announces that the results will be revealed at a virtual convention on 3 August.
- 8 June 2020 - Campaigning resumes.
- 21 June 2020 - NTV News hosted a virtual town hall debate with Abbott and Furey.
- 25 June 2020 - CBC NL hosted a debate with Abbott and Furey.
- 28 June 2020 - Deadline to become a party member or renew party membership so that one can be able to vote in the leadership election.
- 3 August 2020 - Virtual convention held. New leader to be elected.
Declared candidates
John Abbott
CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Deputy Minister of Health under Premiers Danny Williams and Dwight BallDate campaign launched: March 5, 2020
Andrew Furey
Philanthropist and orthopedic surgeon, founder of Team Broken Earth, son of Senator George Furey and nephew of former cabinet minister Chuck Furey.Date campaign launched: March 3, 2020
Declined
- Paul Antle - St. John's businessman, federal Liberal candidate in St. John's East, runner-up in 2013 Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election
- Bernard Davis - Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry, MHA for Virginia Waters-Pleasantville, St. John's City Councillor
- Gerry Byrne - Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, MHA for Corner Brook, federal Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, MP for Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte
- Siobhán Coady - Minister of Natural Resources, Government House Leader, MHA for St. John's West, MP for St. John's South—Mount Pearl
- Steve Crocker - Minister of Transportation and Works, Minister of Fisheries, MHA for Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde
- Lisa Dempster - Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, MHA for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair
- Jamie Fowlow - CEO of the Western Regional Hospital Foundation
- Sherry Gambin-Walsh- Minister of Service NL, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, Minister of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development, MHA for Placentia-St. Mary's
- John Haggie - Minister of Health and Community Services, MHA for Gander, surgeon
- Carol Anne Haley - Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, MHA for Burin-Grand Bank
- Yvonne Jones - Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, MP for Labrador, Leader of the Opposition in Newfoundland and Labrador, former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party, MHA for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, Mayor of Mary's Harbour
- Dean MacDonald - owner of Newfoundland Growlers minor hockey team
- Christopher Mitchelmore - Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, MHA for St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows
- Seamus O'Regan - federal Minister of Natural Resources, federal Minister of Indigenous Services, federal Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, MP for St. John's South—Mount Pearl, former host of CTV Canada AM, correspondent for CTV National News
- Andrew Parsons - Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Government House Leader, MHA for Burgeo-La Poile
- Pam Parsons - MHA for Harbour Grace-Port de Grave
- Sarah Stoodley - MHA for Mount Scio
- Brian Warr - Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, MHA for Baie Verte-Green Bay
- Nick Whalen - MP for St. John's East