James Bowden's Blog

Even that wry grin cannot bridge the absurd incongruence of PEI’s fixed-date elections law, scheduling elections every fourth October, with the practice whereby the last three elections in 2015, 2019, and 2023 all occurred every fourth April or May.

Dennis King, Premier of Prince Edward Island and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, advised Lieutenant Governor Antoinette Perry to dissolve the 66^th General Assembly on 6 March 2023, for an election on 3 April 2023.[1] King had hinted as early as December 2022 that he would seek an election in the spring instead of waiting under October 2023.[2] King all but confirmed this course in February 2023 when he declared before a party conference: “April is a time when we usually have elections on P.E.I.” and “The party is working hard on nominations to be ready so if and when we want to call an election, and need to have an election, we’re ready to go.”[3] This upcoming 67^th general election marks the third consecutive general election in which the Premier has advised and obtained an early dissolution of a majority legislature[4] about six months before the date scheduled under the Island’s fixed-date elections law, yet King’s decision comes 3 years, 11 months, and 8 days – as near as makes no difference 4 years – after his predecessor announced the previous provincial general election in March 2019. King said on 6 March: “It’s four years; it’s time to have an election. There’s uncertainty in the future and Islanders should have a say in that.”[5]

Continue reading →