2015 Prince Edward Island general election

The 2015 Prince Edward Island general election was held on May 4, 2015, to elect members of the 65th General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. Under amendments passed by the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in 2008, Prince Edward Island elections are usually held on the first Monday of October in the fourth calendar year, unless it is dissolved earlier by the lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island due to a motion of no confidence, or at the request of the premier. The current government had hinted that an election would be held "before Mother's Day" 2015, and such a dissolution would avoid any conflicts with the next federal election, expected to be held in October 2015.
The governing [Prince Edward Island Party of Prince Edward Island|Island Prince Edward Island Liberal Party|Liberal Party|Liberals] were elected to a third consecutive majority government under Premier Wade MacLauchlan. At the same time, the Progressive Conservatives made slight gains despite party leader Rob Lantz failing to win the election in Charlottetown-Brighton. The Green Party, meanwhile, won its first seat in the legislature, with leader Peter Bevan-Baker elected in Kellys 'Cross-Cumberland. The New Democratic Party was shut out.

Results

October 13: The New Democratic Party elects Michael Redmond as party leader.
November 3: The Green Party elects Peter Bevan-Baker as party leader
December 5: Progressive Conservative leader Olive Crane announces her intention to resign as party leader in January 2013 after party members narrowly vote against having a leadership review. Crane further announces that she will stay on as Leader of the Opposition.

January 30: Olive Crane resigns as Leader of the Opposition. The Progressive Conservative caucus names Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry, a candidate for the interim leadership, as Leader of the Opposition.
January 31: Olive Crane resigns as Progressive Conservative leader. Georgetown-St. Peters MLA Steven Myers is elected interim PC leader over Leader of the Opposition and Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry. Perry initially announces that he will remain Leader of the Opposition, despite Myers' urging that the party leader should hold both positions.
February 11: Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry steps down as Leader of the Opposition, citing internal divisions within the Progressive Conservative Party. Interim PC leader and Georgetown-St. Peters MLA Steven Myers is subsequently named Leader of the Opposition.
October 3: In what is believed to be the first instance of a sitting MLA crossing the floor, Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry leaves the Progressive Conservatives to join the Liberals, citing his concerns with the federal Conservative governments changes to employment insurance.
October 4: Morell-Mermaid MLA and former Progressive Conservative leader Olive Crane is kicked out of the party. Crane subsequently announces she will sit as an independent.

November 13: Robert Ghiz announces he will be resigning as Premier in early 2015 as soon as the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party elects a new leader.

February 21: The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party held its leadership election. As the sole candidate nominated, Wade MacLauchlan was acclaimed the new leader and incoming premier.
February 23: Robert Ghiz resigns as Premier. Wade MacLauchlan is appointed and sworn in as the new Premier. Later that day, Ghiz, Wes Sheridan, and Robert Vessey resign as MLAs, triggering potential by-elections in their former seats.
February 28: At the party's leadership election, Rob Lantz is elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island.
April 6: After being nominated as the Liberal candidate for York-Oyster Bed, Premier Wade MacLauchlan dropped the writ, calling for an election on May 4, 2015.
April 10: The Island Party drops out of the campaign, due to not having enough candidates
April 27: Party leaders' first televised debate, held in Summerside.
April 30: A second televised debate was held for the party leaders, in Charlottetown.
May 4: Election results - The Liberals win a third consecutive majority government, with a reduced number of 18 seats. The Progressive Conservatives remain as the official opposition, with an increase to 8 seats. The Greens make Prince Edward Island political history, winning their first seat.

Polling Firm	Last date of polling	Link	Liberal	PC	Green	NDP	Island	Other
Corporate Research Associates			44	35	6	15
Abingdon Research			43	27	12	18
Corporate Research Associates			58	26	4	12		0
Corporate Research Associates			50	23	11	15	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			48	28	7	16	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			53	23	3	21	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			53	17	7	22	0	1
Corporate Research Associates			49	17	7	26	0	1
Corporate Research Associates			42	23	3	32	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			52	22	5	21	0	1
Corporate Research Associates			51	16	7	26	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			45	28	5	22	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			42	32	8	18	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			47	26	8	18	1	1
Corporate Research Associates			50	33	5	11	0	0
Corporate Research Associates			53	34	4	9	0	0
2011 election			51.38	40.16	4.36	3.16	0.91	0.02

Candidates' names appear as recorded by Elections PEI
Party leaders' names are in bold; cabinet ministers' names are in italics.