The 42nd Newfoundland general election was held on April 20, 1989 to elect members of the 41st General Assembly of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

, the 13th general election for the province

Province of Canada

The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...

 of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It was won by the Liberal

Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...

 party despite polling fewer votes than the Conservatives.

Unusually, however, Liberal leader Clyde Wells

Clyde Wells

Clyde Kirby Wells, QC was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1999 to March 2009...

 was defeated by Lynn Verge

Lynn Verge

Lynn Verge is a former Canadian lawyer and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She represented the Corner Brook electoral district of Humber East in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1979 to 1996...

 in his own riding of Humber East

Humber East

Humber East is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Includes the eastern section of Corner Brook as well as Humber Village, Little Rapids, Massey Drive, Pasadena and Steady Brook. There is a mix of urban and rural areas...

 despite having led his party to victory. Consequently, a member of his caucus, Eddie Joyce

Eddie Joyce

Eddie Joyce is a Canadian politician, who represents the district of Bay of Islands in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. Joyce held the seat in 1989, from 1999 to 2007 and was elected in 2011 for the Liberal Party....

, resigned shortly after the election, and Wells was acclaimed to office in the riding of Bay of Islands

Bay of Islands (electoral district)

Bay of Islands is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011 the district has 7,688 eligible voters....

.

Results

	Party	Leader	1985 Newfoundland general election, 1985 The 41st Newfoundland general election was held on 2 April 1985 to elect members of the 40th General Assembly of Newfoundland, the 12th general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.-Results:...	Seats won	% change	Popular vote	(%)	Liberal Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...	Clyde Wells Clyde Wells Clyde Kirby Wells, QC was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1999 to March 2009...	15	31	+107%	137,271	47.2%	Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...	Tom Rideout	36	21	-42%	138,609	47.6%	New Democratic	Cle Newhook Cle Newhook Cleophas Newhook is a theologian, author and former Newfoundland politician.Newhook was leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party from 1989 to 1992 but was unsuccessful in several attempts to win a seat for himself in the House of Assembly. Prior to becoming party leader he was...	1	0	-100%	12,929	4.4%	Other		0	0	0%	2,138	0.8%
Totals			52	52	-	291,785	100%