For faster service at the polls today, take along your Voter Information Card and one piece of ID (Like your Drivers Licence) #2023provincialelection #peipoli pic.twitter.com/WnbHStw2vs
— Elections PEI (@ElectionsPEI) March 25, 2023
The 2023 Prince Edward Island provincial election might not seem as significant as the Ontario and Quebec elections of 2022 in Canada. Those provincial elections turned out to be little more than coronations for the incumbents.
Prince Edward Island is an anomaly in North American politics in that voter turnout is traditionally quite high. The dynamic of this election may turn on Premier Dennis King (Progressive Conservative) to call an early election, going from the designated election date of October 2 to April 3.
The PCs had 15 seats in the 27-seat assembly, a slight majority government. The party won a minority government with 13 seats in 2019. The Green Party is the official opposition party, remaining at 8 seats, the same number won in the 2019 election. The Liberals have 6 seats, up from 4 seats in the 2019 election.
Peter Bevan-Baker, the first Green elected to the PEI Assembly, is the Green Party leader. Sharon Cameron is the new Liberal Party leader, taking over in November. Both parties are only fielding 25 candidates for the 27 electoral districts.
Both Bevan-Baker (incumbent) and Cameron (challenger) are running in the New Haven-Rocky Point electoral district. That should prove to be an intriguing battle.
Michelle Neill is the New Democratic Party leader. The party has a full slate but hasn't won a seat in the chamber since 1996.
Cecile Sly aka Ahava Kálnássy de Kálnás is the new Island Party leader. The party is running in 11 electoral districts.
Prince Edward Island has a Greens growth spurt with a minority government
2019 Prince Edward Island election preview
Health care, especially health care workers, will be a key topic in the election. Land use is important. The Greens and Liberals will benefit if they can go over the King Government in its handling of post-tropical storm Fiona damage.
The CBC News debate was held last night. A telltale sign of how the election might go was that the Greens and Liberals are fighting each other more than attacking the incumbent government. That reminds us sadly of the 2022 Ontario election.
Advance polling stations are open March 25, March 27, and March 31 for advance voting from 9 am to 7 pm. Those hours also will apply on April 3.
CanadianCrossing.com Prince Edward Island coverage
We get some teasing for our obsession with CBC News. You can find the election coverage online via CBC Prince Edward Island.
CBCT, channel 13 in Charlottetown, is the only TV station licensed to Prince Edward Island. The CTV station in Charlottetown is a satellite of its signal out of Moncton, NB while the Global station in Charlottetown is a satellite signal from its Saint John, NB station.
CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage
2023 Canadian politics preview
We will have results on April 4.
Twitter capture: @ElectionsPEI
photo credit: CBC News Charlottetown
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