Dwight Ball

Dwight Ball MHA is the Leader of the Official Opposition and leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. He represents the electoral district of Humber Valley in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. On 3 January 2012, Ball began his duties as Leader of the Official Opposition and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.^[1] On July 5, 2013 Ball stepped down as interim leader of the Liberal Party to run for the position permanently in the 2013 leadership election.^[2] Ball subsequently won the leadership race with 59% on the third ballot.^[3]

Politics

Ball was the Liberal candidate in the district of Humber Valley in the 2003 provincial election but was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Kathy Goudie by less than 200 votes. When Goudie resigned from the legislature, Ball ran in a by-election to succeed her on 13 February 2007. At first, it was announced that Progressive Conservative candidate Darryl Kelly had won the by-election by a margin of twelve votes; however, Ball was later declared elected by a margin of 18 votes. A judicial recount was conducted weeks later and resulted in a reduction of Ball's lead to seven votes.^[4][5] In a rematch in the general election on 9 October 2007, Kelly defeated Ball by 254 votes. Four years later Ball once again ran as the Liberal candidate in the 2011 election and this time narrowly defeated Kelly by 68 votes.^[6]

Leadership

At a press conference on 15 December 2011, the Liberal Party announced that Ball would serve as interim leader of the party and as the Leader of the Official Opposition, effective 3 January 2012. He succeeds Kevin Aylward, who failed to win a seat in the general election, as leader of the Liberal Party and Yvonne Jones as the Official Opposition Leader. Ball announced on the same day that he planned to run for the permanent leadership of the party at the next leadership convention, and that he would step down as interim leader 90 days before the convention to even the playing field for other candidates.^[7] In May 2012, the party announced the leadership convention would take place from 15–17 November 2013.^[8] On July 5, 2013 Ball stepped down as interim leader of the Liberal Party to run for the position permanently in the 2013 leadership election.

Electoral record

References

External links

• Dwight Ball

v t e Current members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly Progressive Conservative Marshall Brazil F. Collins S. Collins Cornect Cross Crummell Dalley Davis Dinn Dunderdale Forsey French Granter Hedderson Hunter Hutchings Jackman Johnson Kent King Little Littlejohn McGrath O'Brien K. Parsons Peach Perry Pollard Russell Shea Sullivan Verge Wiseman Liberal Ball Bennett Dempster Edmunds Joyce Kirby Lane Mitchelmore Osborne A. Parsons Slade New Democrat Michael Murphy Rogers