Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership elections

This page lists the results of leadership elections held by the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.

1949 leadership convention
(Held April 28, 1949)
 * Joey Smallwood acclaimed

1969 leadership convention
(Held November 1, 1969)


 * Joey Smallwood 1070
 * John Crosbie 440
 * Alexander Hickman 187
 * Randolph Joyce 13
 * Peter Cook 3
 * Vincent Spencer 1

1972 leadership convention
(Held February 5, 1972)


 * Edward Roberts 564
 * Tom Burgess 82
 * Rod Moores 14
 * Vincent Spencer 3

1974 leadership convention
(Held October 26, 1974)

First Ballot:
 * Edward Roberts 337
 * Joey Smallwood 305
 * Roger Simmons 57
 * Steve Neary 24

Second Ballot (Neary eliminated):
 * Edward Roberts 403
 * Joey Smallwood 298
 * Roger Simmons 7

1977 leadership convention
(Held October 15, 1977)

First Ballot:
 * Edward Roberts 356
 * Steve Neary 238
 * Bill Rowe 159
 * Roger Simmons 115
 * Hugh Shea 2

Second Ballot (Shea eliminated):
 * Edward Roberts 378
 * Steve Neary 220
 * Bill Rowe 150
 * Roger Simmons 100

Third Ballot (Simmons eliminated):
 * Edward Roberts 373
 * Bill Rowe 227
 * Steve Neary 215

Fourth Ballot (Neary eliminated):
 * Bill Rowe 439
 * Edward Roberts 376

1979 leadership election
Following Rowe's resignation on May 27, 1979 the Party Executive elected Don Jamieson leader.

1980 leadership convention
(Held November 1, 1980)


 * Len Stirling 666
 * Les Thoms 140
 * Ted Noseworthy 1

Stirling was personally defeated in the 1982 general election. On October 16, 1982 Steve Neary was named interim leader.

1984 leadership convention
(Held October 13, 1984)


 * Leo Barry 517
 * Eugene Hiscock 51
 * Hugh Shea 24

1987 leadership convention
(Held June 5, 1987)
 * Clyde Wells 564
 * Winston Baker 67
 * Ted Noseworthy 10

1996 leadership convention
(Held January 17, 1996)


 * Brian Tobin acclaimed

Tobin resigned as premier and leader on October 16, 2000. Beaton Tulk was chosen interim leader and premier.

2001 leadership convention
(Held February 3, 2001)

First Ballot:
 * Roger Grimes 609
 * John Efford 546
 * Paul Dicks 111

Second Ballot (Dicks eliminated):
 * Roger Grimes 638
 * John Efford 624

Grimes resigned on May 30, 2005 and Gerry Reid was named interim leader.

2006 leadership convention
(Held February 6, 2006)


 * Jim Bennett acclaimed

Bennett resigned as leader on May 8, 2006. Gerry Reid once again became interim leader and was elected by the executive as permanent leader on May 29, 2006. Reid was personally defeated in the 2007 General Election and resigned. Yvonne Jones was named interim leader on November 15, 2007.

May 2011 leadership convention
(Held May 28, 2011)

Jones resigned on August 9, 2011. The Party Executive elected a successor on August 14.
 * Yvonne Jones acclaimed

August 2011 leadership election
(Held August 14, 2011 - secret ballot by party executive, vote totals not released)


 * Kevin Aylward elected
 * Brad Cabana
 * Bern Coffey
 * Danny Dumaresque
 * Ryan Lane
 * Rodney Martin
 * Charles Murphy

Aylward was defeated in the 2011 general election and resigned effective January 3, 2012. Dwight Ball was chosen interim leader.

2013 leadership convention
(Held November 15–17, 2013)

= Winner

2020 leadership convention
(Held August 3, 2020) after Dwight Ball announced his pending resignation in February 2020. A virtual convention was held on August 3, 2020, at which Andrew Furey was elected leader.