Newfoundland general election, 1949

Newfoundland general election, 1949

May 27, 1949
→ 1951

28 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly
15 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Joey Smallwood Harry Mews Peter Cashin
Party Liberal Progressive Conservative Independent
Seats won 22 5 1
Popular vote 109,802 55,111 2,642

Premier before election

New Office

Elected Premier

Joey Smallwood
Liberal

The 30th Newfoundland general election was held on 27 May 1949 to elect members of the 29th General Assembly of Newfoundland. It was the first general election held since Newfoundland joined Canadian confederation on 31 March 1949 and the first Newfoundland-wide election of any kind since the suspension of responsible government and the creation of the Commission of Government in 1934. The election was won by the Liberal party.

Joey Smallwood was invited to form an interim administration when Newfoundland became a part of Canada just before midnight on March 31, 1949. This interim Smallwood administration continued until the results of the May election.

The election was held under the House of Assembly Act of 1932, with the same 27 seats, plus a new seat for Labrador, though the election in the Labrador seat was deferred until July 25. The five seats where Progressive Conservatives won had all voted heavily against confederation in the 1948 Newfoundland referendums.

References