Byelection date set in Newfoundland and Labrador riding after veteran Tory steps down

Newfoundland and Labrador’s chief electoral officer has set Jan. 29 as the date for a byelection in the provincial riding of Conception Bay East-Bell Island.

The byelection became necessary after former Progressive Conservative interim leader David Brazil announced last month that he was leaving politics effective Dec. 29.

The deadline for candidate nominations is Jan. 7 with the advance poll set for Jan. 22.

Three candidates are in the race so far, including Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s councillor Tina Neary for the Progressive Conservatives, former broadcaster Fred Hutton for the Liberals and Kim Churchill who is running for the NDP.

Brazil, who had held the riding’s seat since 2010, became his party’s interim leader following the 2021 provincial election and served in the post until October of this year when Tony Wakeham was elected Tory leader at a convention in St. John’s.

Currently the governing Liberals have 23 seats in the 40-seat House of Assembly, with the Tories holding 12 seats, the NDP three and two members sitting as Independents.