After a whole lot of waiting, Liberal Anthony Germain wins Terra Nova-The Peninsulas — by just 12 votes
Race ends as the most competitive in Canada
More than 20 hours after the polls closed in Newfoundland and Labrador, ballot counting for the neck-and-neck race for Terra Nova-The Peninsulas has come to an end, projecting Liberal Anthony Germain as the winner.
Germain, a former teacher and longtime CBC broadcaster, defeated Conservative candidate Jonathan Rowe by 12 votes — the closest margin of victory of any riding race in Canada.
Although the Conservatives led by a hair for most of election night, it was a toss-up by the time Elections Canada paused its count early Tuesday morning.
Germain had a 46-vote lead on Conservative candidate Jonathan Rowe by the time electoral officers postponed the tally around 2:30 a.m, with just a 0.99 per cent difference between the two contenders.
The count for the final poll resumed Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. NT and ended just after 5:15 p.m., when Elections Canada released its tally.
All polls in the riding had reported by early Tuesday morning with the exception of what's called the nation poll, which contains special ballots, such as votes from Canadian Armed Forces members and people living abroad, which is what stalled the results.
Germain received 19,704 total votes, and Rowe 19,692.
"You know all that stuff they tell you about how every vote counts? I learned firsthand it's actually true." Germain told CBC News, minutes after he learned he was the projected victor.
"A win is a win, whether it's 12 or 1,200 … We'll see what comes with whatever review must happen, but I'm just delighted."
Asked what the close race means for representing the riding, Germain told CBC's On The Go — a program he formerly hosted — that he's committed to bring the district's voice to Ottawa.
"I am going to the be MP for everybody in this gigantic riding, no matter who they voted for," he said.
CBC News has made several calls to Rowe for comment, but has not immediately received a reply.
Closest call in last 3 decades
The race is the province's tightest in recent memory. In 2011, Peter Penashue beat Todd Russell for the Labrador seat by 79 votes and a margin of 0.73 per cent.
In 2015, Nick Whalen snatched St. John's East from Jack Harris by 646 votes, and in 2021, Clifford Small's win in Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame was attributed to just 281 votes between the Conservative MP and Liberal Scott Simms — a margin of 0.88 per cent.
Small enough margins may also trigger a recount.
A judicial recount happens automatically if the difference between the leading two candidates is less than one one-thousandth of the total votes cast, according to Elections Canada.
A candidate or elector can also request a recount no later than four days after the results are validated in some cases.
This is the first federal election for Terra Nova-The Peninsulas, a new riding with boundaries defined in 2022. It spans over 16,000 kilometres — including Bonavista, Clarenville and Marystown — with over 76,000 electors.
In December, the Liberal incumbent for the riding formerly known as Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, Churence Rogers, announced he wouldn't seek re-election.
Three political rookies entered the race: Germain, Rowe, and university student Liam Ryan for the New Democratic Party.
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With files from On The Go