The 2018 New Brunswick general election was held on September 24, 2018,Legislative Assembly Act, Section 2(4). to elect the 49 members of the 59th New Brunswick Legislature, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada.
Two smaller parties — the People's Alliance and the Greens — made breakthroughs, winning three seats each, and potentially holding the balance of power. The People's Alliance entered the legislature for the first time, while the Greens increased their seat count from one. This marked the first time since the 1991 election that four parties won representation in the legislature. The election was also contested by the provincial New Democrats, newcomers KISS NB, and eight independents.
This is the first election since 1920 that did not return a majority for any party. The Progressive Conservatives won the most seats, with 22, but incumbent Liberal Premier Brian Gallant, whose party secured only 21 seats despite winning the popular vote by six percentage points, indicated that he would seek the confidence of the legislature and attempt to form a minority government.
On September 25, Gallant met with the Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau and received permission to continue in office. On November 2, Gallant's minority government was defeated in a non-confidence vote. On November 9, Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs was sworn in as premier with a minority government.
Timeline September 22, 2014 – The New Brunswick Liberal Association, led by Brian Gallant, won a narrow majority government, defeating incumbent Premier David Alward's Progressive Conservatives, which became the second single-term government in New Brunswick's history. September 23, 2014 - Alward announces his resignation as Progressive Conservative leader. October 18, 2014 - Bruce Fitch became interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. December 10, 2014 - The NDP executive rejects Cardy's resignation as leader, urging him to continue and offering him a salary as he has been working as leader on a volunteer basis. October 22, 2016 - Blaine Higgs becomes the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in a leadership election. January 1, 2017 - Dominic Cardy resigns as leader of the NDP, and as a party member. He subsequently joins the PCs as Chief of Staff to Leader Blaine Higgs. January 8, 2017 - Rosaire L'Italien is chosen as interim leader of the NDP by the party's executive. August 10, 2017 - Jennifer McKenzie is acclaimed as the new leader of the NDP.
Summary of seat changes + Changes in seats held (2014–2018) Seat Before ChangeDateMemberPartyReasonDateMemberPartySaint John EastOctober 14, 2014Gary KeatingResignationNovember 17, 2014Glen SavoieCarletonMay 22, 2015David AlwardResignationOctober 5, 2015Stewart FairgrieveCampbellton-DalhousieNovember 30, 2017Donald ArseneaultResignationMoncton CentreMay 10, 2018Chris CollinsLeft the partyEdmundston-Madawaska CentreJuly 6, 2018Madeleine DubéResignation
Results + Summary of the 2018 Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick electionPartyLeaderCandidatesVotesSeats # ± % Change (pp) 2014 2018 ±Brian Gallant 49 143,791 15,057 37.80 276Blaine Higgs 49 121,300 7,501 31.89 211Kris Austin 30 47,860 39,896 12.58 –3David Coon 47 45,186 20,604 11.88 12Jennifer McKenzie 49 19,039 29,218 5.01 8 2,821 472 0.74 -0.14Gerald Bourque 9 366 366 0.10 NewTotal 241380,363 100.00% Rejected ballots 1,412 210 Turnout381,775 8,41464.85% 0.20 Registered voters588,671 11,142
Synopsis of results + 2018 New Brunswick general election - synopsis of riding results Riding Winning party Turnout Votes 2014 1st place Votes Share Margin# Margin% 2nd place Lib PC NDP Green PA KISS Total Albert PC PC 3,479 42.78% 1,704 20.95% Lib 64.6% 1,775 3,479 375 870 1,546 – 87 8,132 Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore Lib Lib 3,550 51.79% 1,524 22.23% NDP 63.5% 3,550 858 2,026 421 – – – 6,855 Bathurst West-Beresford Lib Lib 4,351 67.53% 3,269 50.74% PC 59.1% 4,351 1,082 443 503 – 64 – 6,443 Campbellton-Dalhousie Lib Lib 3,720 50.29% 1,959 26.48% PC66.9% 3,720 1,761 721 637 558 – – 7,397 Caraquet Lib Lib 5,420 63.78% 3,593 42.28% PC77.1% 5,420 1,827 548 330 – – 373 8,498 Carleton PC PC 2,982 39.58% 956 12.69% PA66.6% 1,197 2,982 82 1,247 2,026 – – 7,534 Carleton-Victoria Lib Lib 3,116 40.88% 244 3.20% PC 65.6% 3,116 2,872 114 503 960 58 – 7,623 Carleton-York PC PC 3,118 37.17% 535 6.38% PA68.6% 1,556 3,118 255 837 2,583 40 – 8,389 Dieppe Lib Lib 5,173 71.57% 4,116 56.95% NDP 65.0% 5,173 998 1,057 – – – – 7,228 Edmundston-Madawaska Centre PC Lib 4,668 66.56% 3,231 46.07% PC 62.7% 4,668 1,437 206 702 – – – 7,013 Fredericton North Lib Lib 2,443 31.61% 261 3.38% PC66.5% 2,443 2,182 139 1,313 1,651 – – 7,728 Fredericton South Green Green 4,273 56.31% 2,748 36.22% Lib68.2% 1,525 1,042 132 4,273 616 – – 7,588 Fredericton West-Hanwell PC PC 2,739 31.82% 335 3.89% Lib69.1% 2,404 2,739 171 1,490 1,803 – – 8,607 Fredericton-Grand Lake PC PA 4,799 54.58% 2,366 26.91% PC74.1% 955 2,433 114 472 4,799 19 – 8,792 Fredericton-York PC PA 3,033 33.73% 256 2.85% PC71.0% 1,652 2,777 103 1,393 3,033 34 – 8,992 Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West Lib PC 3,808 47.56% 1,386 17.31% Lib69.3% 2,422 3,808 203 469 1,104 – – 8,006 Gagetown-Petitcodiac PC PC 3,674 45.71% 1,782 22.17% PA67.9% 1,153 3,674 165 1,097 1,892 56 – 8,037 Hampton PC PC 3,702 49.17% 2,248 29.86% Lib 63.7% 1,454 3,702 384 743 1,246 – – 7,529 Kent North Lib Green 4,056 45.91% 755 8.55% Lib72.1% 3,301 1,112 171 4,056 – – 194 8,834 Kent South Lib Lib 5,595 60.93% 3,747 40.80% PC73.7% 5,595 1,848 436 1,304 – – – 9,183 Kings Centre PC PC 3,267 43.11% 1,482 19.55% Lib 66.0% 1,785 3,267 342 731 1,454 – – 7,579 Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston Lib Lib 4,191 58.88% 2,365 33.23% PC 62.7% 4,191 1,826 156 945 – – – 7,118 Memramcook-Tantramar Lib Green 3,148 38.33% 11 0.13% Lib69.3% 3,137 1,518 410 3,148 – – – 8,213 Miramichi Lib PA 3,788 46.96% 963 11.94% Lib72.5% 2,825 1,154 110 189 3,788 – – 8,066 Miramichi Bay-Neguac Lib Lib 3,512 41.97% 1,465 17.51% PA70.2% 3,512 1,741 718 349 2,047 – – 8,367 Moncton Centre Lib Lib 2,698 43.59% 1,498 24.20% Ind 58.2% 2,698 982 229 771 309 – 1,200 6,189 Moncton East Lib Lib 3,626 46.81% 855 11.04% PC 62.9% 3,626 2,771 424 925 – – – 7,746 Moncton Northwest PC PC 3,186 41.07% 223 2.87% Lib 62.2% 2,963 3,186 297 437 875 – – 7,758 Moncton South Lib Lib 3,099 47.44% 1,009 15.45% PC 58.0% 3,099 2,090 249 628 466 – – 6,532 Moncton Southwest PC PC 2,920 41.73% 253 3.62% Lib 58.0% 2,667 2,920 503 907 – – – 6,997 New Maryland-Sunbury PC PC 3,844 41.21% 1,630 17.48% PA70.4% 2,210 3,844 143 902 2,214 14 – 9,327 Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton PC PC 2,399 31.95% 93 1.24% Lib 62.8% 2,306 2,399 159 903 1,741 – – 7,508 Portland-Simonds PC PC 3,168 53.28% 1,465 24.64% Lib 53.8% 1,703 3,168 449 435 – – 191 5,946 Quispamsis PC PC 4,691 56.87% 2,613 31.68% Lib68.2% 2,078 4,691 239 445 795 – – 8,248 Restigouche West Lib Lib 4,233 52.53% 1,693 21.01% Green69.4% 4,233 961 263 2,540 – 62 – 8,059 Restigouche-Chaleur Lib Lib 4,430 66.04% 3,599 53.65% Green 60.3% 4,430 826 621 831 – – – 6,708 Riverview PC PC 3,701 49.02% 1,648 21.83% Lib 64.0% 2,053 3,701 249 542 1,005 – – 7,550 Rothesay PC PC 3,542 49.98% 1,541 21.74% Lib 63.5% 2,001 3,542 251 571 722 – – 7,087 Saint Croix Lib PC 3,249 39.21% 813 9.81% Lib68.2% 2,436 3,249 89 1,047 1,466 – – 8,287 Saint John East Lib PC 3,017 45.62% 1,242 18.78% Lib 58.4% 1,775 3,017 402 373 1,047 – – 6,614 Saint John Harbour Lib Lib 1,865 32.89% 10 0.18% PC 53.1% 1,865 1,855 836 721 393 – – 5,670 Saint John Lancaster PC PC 3,001 45.15% 1,274 19.17% Lib 62.7% 1,727 3,001 414 582 922 – – 6,646 Shediac Bay-Dieppe Lib Lib 6,162 67.09% 4,809 52.36% PC68.1% 6,162 1,353 764 906 – – – 9,185 Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé Lib Lib 5,919 63.54% 3,838 41.20% PC72.0% 5,919 2,081 428 888 – – – 9,316 Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou Lib PC 4,048 46.25% 99 1.13% Lib79.2% 3,949 4,048 578 – – – 178 8,753 Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin PC PC 2,960 35.42% 35 0.42% PA74.1% 1,909 2,960 97 447 2,925 19 – 8,357 Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins PC PC 3,816 49.46% 1,942 25.17% PA 64.0% 1,212 3,816 254 505 1,874 – 54 7,715 Tracadie-Sheila Lib Lib 4,320 48.77% 1,930 21.79% PC74.2% 4,320 2,390 1,213 390 – – 544 8,857 Victoria-La Vallée Lib Lib 3,570 47.24% 358 4.74% PC66.6% 3,570 3,212 307 468 – – – 7,557
= Open seat = Turnout is above provincial average = Winning candidate was in previous Legislature = Incumbent had switched allegiance = Previously incumbent in another riding = Not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature = Incumbency arose from byelection gain = Other incumbents renominated = Previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada = Multiple candidates
Detailed analysis + Position attained in seats contestedPartySeatsSecondThirdFourth212071221710–32112737152–2614–1–4
+ Principal races, according to 1st and 2nd-place results Parties Seats 3152218 Total49
Aftermath
On election night, Higgs claimed victory, saying his team had received a mandate; however, Gallant did not resign, instead stating his intent to remain in office by securing support on a vote-by-vote basis. The following day, Gallant met with Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau and received permission to continue in office and attempt to seek confidence of the legislature. On September 27, Higgs met with Roy-Vienneau, and was told that if Gallant was unable to secure the confidence of the House, he would be called on to form government; shortly afterwards, Higgs called on Gallant to either resign or immediately recall the legislature.
In the immediate aftermath of the election, both Kris Austin of the People's Alliance and David Coon of the Green Party were noncommittal in their support: Austin pledged to work with any party willing to work with him, but said the party won't sacrifice its "values and ideals" to do so; while Coon said his caucus would take time to figure out how they would align themselves, but would not be able to work with anyone uncommitted to rights for linguistic minorities or combatting climate change. Gallant opted to pursue a partnership with the Green Party, ruling out any arrangement with the PCs or PA because they don't share Liberal "values". Higgs initially ruled out any formal agreements with other parties, but later said that a four-year agreement would be ideal for stability—pointing to the confidence and supply deal that the British Columbia NDP and Greens negotiated following the province's inconclusive 2017 election as an example.
Austin agreed to support to a Progressive Conservative government for 18 months, though no formal agreement was made. Coon said his party would negotiate with both the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. On October 10, Coon announced that the Green Party would not formally side with either party, and would base their votes on their own "declaration of intent". Accordingly, Coon said that their support for the throne speech depends on its "merits", and that his caucus would be free to vote their own way on the speech.
The results drew notice elsewhere in Canada. Parti Québécois leader Jean-François Lisée described the results as "an advertisement for our proposal for proportional representation." Andrew Weaver, leader of the BC Greens, suggested that Coon should make an agreement with the Progressive Conservatives. The Globe and Mail published an editorial calling for electoral reform, as did National Post columnist Andrew Coyne.
On November 1, Gallant's Liberal minority government was defeated by a non-confidence vote (25–23) by the opposition Progressive Conservatives and People's Alliance. On November 9, Blaine Higgs was sworn in as premier.
Opinion polls