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List of post-confederation New Brunswick general elections

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Number of seats won by major parties at each election
  •   Conservative
  •   Liberal
  •   NDP
  •   Confederation of Regions
  •   Other Parties

This article provides a summary of results for the general elections to the Canadian province of New Brunswick's unicameral legislative body, the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. Prior to 1892, New Brunswick had a bicameral legislature, but its Upper House – the Legislative Council – was not elected. The number of seats has varied over time – from 41 at the time of Canadian Confederation, to a high of fifty-eight from 1967 through 1991, to the level of 55 since the 1995 election. Changing again in 2013 to 49 seats at which it remains today.

Beginning with the 37th New Brunswick general election in 2010, elections in New Brunswick are – in general – held on fixed dates on the fourth Monday of September every four years. The date may be varied by one week earlier or later in cases of the fourth Monday of September being a date of cultural or religious significance and may be varied one month earlier or later in cases of a federal election being held during the same period. The Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick also has the power to call an election on another date in the event of a loss of confidence in the legislature.[1]

The chart on the upper right shows the information graphically, with the most recent elections towards the right. It shows that New Brunswick has effectively a two-party system – the Liberals (red) and the Conservatives (blue); along with the one-off success of the Confederation of Regions party (green) in 1991. It also shows the Liberal party's clean sweep of seats in 1987, one of the few instances in history when a party won all the seats in a national or sub-national legislature. Since provincial parties were officially recognised, the Liberal party have won eleven out of twenty elections.

Electoral results by parties as a percentage of total Legislative Assembly seats from 1939 to 2006.

This article only covers elections since the province became part of the Canadian Confederation in 1867. Prior to becoming part of Canada, New Brunswick was a British colony; and the New Brunswick House of Assembly was first formed in 1784 – when New Brunswick separated from Nova Scotia.

Percentage of votes obtained by political party since 1960.

1866–1934

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New Brunswick joined the Canadian confederation in 1867. Between 1917 and 1935, party lines had developed, but were not recognized by electoral law. Before this, only "Government" and "Opposition" were used. The results are listed below.

Election Total
seats
Government Opposition Other Parties
1st May–June, 1866 41 33
(Confederationist)
8
(Constitutionalist)
2nd June–July, 1870 41 24
(coalition)
16 Neutral 1
3rd May–June, 1874 41 35 5 Neutral 1
4th June, 1878 41 31 10
5th June, 1882 41 22 18
(Liberal)
Neutral 1
6th April 26, 1886 41 33
(Liberal)
8
(Conservative)
7th January 20, 1890 41 26
(Liberal)
15
(Conservative)
8th October, 1892 41 25
(Liberal)
12
(Conservative)
Neutral 4
9th October, 1895 46 34
(Liberal)
9
(Conservative)
Neutral 3
10th February 18, 1899 46 40
(Liberal)
4
(Conservative)
Neutral 2
11th February 28, 1903 46 33
(Liberal)
10
(Conservative)
Neutral 3
12th March 3, 1908 46 31
(Conservative)
12
(Liberal)
Neutral 2
13th June 20, 1912 48 44
(Conservative)
2
(Liberal)
Neutral 2
14th February 24, 1917 48 27
(Liberal)
21
(Conservative)
15th October 9, 1920 48 24
(Liberal)
13
(Conservative)
Opposition (United Farmers) 9
Opposition (Farmer-Labour) 2
16th August 10, 1925 48 37
(Conservative)
11
(Liberal)
17th June 19, 1930 48 31
(Conservative)
17
(Liberal)

1935–present

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Between 1935 and 1974, some ridings were multi member seats – i.e., more than one Member of the Legislative Assembly was elected from certain ridings. Political parties were officially recognized and registered beginning in 1935. Since 1974, each riding (electoral district) has elected only one member to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.

Election Total
seats
Conservative[A] Liberal NDP Other Parties
18th June 27, 1935   48 5 43
19th November 20, 1939   48 19 29
20th August 28, 1944   48 12 36
21st June 28, 1948   52 5 47
22nd September 22, 1952   52 36 16
23rd June 18, 1956   52 37 15
24th June 27, 1960   52 21 31
25th April 22, 1963   52 20 32
26th October 13, 1967   58 26 32
27th October 26, 1970   58 32 26
28th November 18, 1974   58 33 25
29th October 23, 1978   58 30 28
30th October 12, 1982   58 39 18 1
31st October 13, 1987   58 0 58
32nd September 23, 1991   58 3 46 1 8 (Confederation of Regions[B])
33rd September 11, 1995   55 6 48 1
34th June 7, 1999   55 44 10 1
35th June 9, 2003   55 28 26 1
36th September 18, 2006   55 26 29
37th September 27, 2010   55 42 13
38th September 22, 2014   49 21 27 1 (Green Party)
39th September 24, 2018   49 22 21 3 (Green Party), 3 (People's Alliance)
40th September 14, 2020   49 27 17 3 (Green Party), 2 (People's Alliance)

Notes

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A Includes results for Progressive Conservatives.
B The Confederation of Regions Party only contested the 1991, 1995 and 1999 elections.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Status of Legislation". www1.gnb.ca.

Bibliography

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