119 candidates running in P.E.I. provincial election as deadline passes

The list of candidates running in the 2023 P.E.I. provincial election is now official, and it's a record-long one.

Election's P.E.I.'s deadline for candidates to register was 2 p.m. AT, on Friday and this time around there are 119people running compared to105in 2015 and 109 in 2019.

There are five parties fielding candidates, plus four Independent candidates, to give P.E.I. its highest number of provincial election candidates ever.

Here is the number of candidates per party:

• PCs: 27 of 27.
• Greens: 25 of 27.
• Liberals: 25 of 27.
• NDP: 27 of 27.
• Island Party: 11 of 27.

Election's P.E.I. sent out the official list Friday afternoon after nominations closed. It also said voter information cards are being delivered to voters registeredwith the arm's-length agency that runs the vote.

Advance voting days are March 25, 27, and 31. Election Day is Monday, April 3.

Only PCs and NDP have full slate of candidates

The PCs under Dennis King and the NDPunder Michelle Neill are the only two parties running a full slate ofcandidates in P.E.I.'s 27 districts, with the Greens and Liberals each running 25.

For the first time in more than 100 years, the Liberal Party is not running a full slate of candidates. Looking through election results throughout the decades, 1919 is the last time there wasn't a full slate for the Liberals.

"Unfortunately, the PCs had the advantage of knowing they were triggering the election call on the heels of the closing ceremonies of the 2023 Canada Games, when many of our volunteers had given their 'all' to make the Games successful for P.E.I.," the Liberal Party said ina release.

"In two districts, we have very interested parties who were considering offering their name for public service in the fall of 2023. Yet with the early call, it was not possible to muster the volunteers and make the necessary arrangements. Unfortunately, Premier King did not allow a reasonable window. As a result, we do not have candidates representing Districts 8 or 19."

Leader Sharon Cameron said the party is "not deterred" by being unable to run candidates in two districts, but said with the early election call, "that's the hand we've been dealt."

Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker says the timing of the election campaign made it hard to attract candidates. He saidhe does not believe he needs 27 candidates running to win a majority andform government. Hehopes voters will look at the quality ofthe25 candidates he has.

The general cruelty and ugliness that can be associated with politics everywhere is another part of it.Peter Bevan-Baker

He also said he had many conversations with potential candidates who said the way some citizens treatelected officials in public and online makes running for office a tough sell.

"The general cruelty and ugliness that can be associated with politics everywhere is another part of it," Bevan-Baker said.

"People get too hung up, perhaps, on whether you have an absolutely full slate. So I'mactually feeling good about where we are in terms of the numbers, but particularly in terms of the quality of the candidates that we have."