A settlement has been reached that should put the 2021 pandemic election results to bed once and for all.
Cabinet minister John Abbott is stepping down from elected office.
The parties involved in a tight race in St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi reached a resolution announced today. The NDP challenged the result in court years ago, alleging voting errors.
Elections NL says Abbott is guilty of no wrongdoing and acknowledges that there were errors in the administration of some special ballots.
Former NDP leader Alison Coffin led the legal challenge of the results after she lost by just 53 votes to Liberal and current cabinet minister John Abbott in the district of St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi.
At the time there were widespread incidents and allegations of voting irregularities, including the inability for some to vote at all.
The NDP argued that was a breach of charter and voter rights, asking the Supreme Court to throw out the results and order a byelection.
Lawyers for Abbott and then-chief electoral officer Bruce Chaulk have been pushing back since day one, more than four years ago.
Minister John Abbott (VOCM News file photo)
Most recently they argued the window for a byelection, so close to the next general election this year, has already closed so any trial would be moot.
But the Court of Appeal disagreed and said the trial should proceed to resolve the problems that arose during the election.
That appears to have forced everyone’s hand, leading to today’s news of a settlement, just five days before the trial was to start.
The NDP and Abbott are meeting separately with media this afternoon to discuss that settlement.
And VOCM will have all the details as they become available.
It’s not yet clear how the settlement will affect disputed election results in at least two other districts.
