PEIThe newly elected leader of P.E.I.’s Official Opposition will look to win a seat in the legislature through a byelection on Dec. 8. Meanwhile, the governing Progressive Conservatives also confirmed their candidate during a nomination meeting Monday night. PCs nominate Brendan Curran as their candidate in Dec. 8 voteStephen Brun · CBC News · Posted: Nov 11, 2025 3:52 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The resignation of former Progressive Conservative MLA and cabinet minister Steven Myers in early October triggered the need for a byelection in Georgetown-Pownal. (Tony Davis/CBC)The newly elected leader of P.E.I.’s Official Opposition will look to win a seat in the legislature through an upcoming byelection. Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell said in a news release that he is running as the party’s candidate for the Dec. 8 byelection in District 2, Georgetown-Pownal. Mitchell, a former Liberal MLA and cabinet minister from 2007 to 2020, handily won the party’s leadership race over Todd Cormier back on Oct. 4 — but he does not have a seat in the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly. The opportunity to win one opened after the resignation of former Progressive Conservative MLA and cabinet minister Steven Myers in early October, which triggered the need for a byelection in District 2. Robert Mitchell was elected as the P.E.I. Liberal Party leader on Oct. 4. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)“I want to be a voice for all Islanders, and the first step is gaining the trust of constituents in Georgetown-Pownal,” Mitchell said in the release.“I look forward to knocking on doors, meeting the community, and having real conversations with Islanders on their future.”The release notes Mitchell’s decision to run in the byelection is supported by the Liberal caucus, the Georgetown-Pownal district association and the party. It said he grew up in eastern P.E.I. and spent much time in the district throughout his life. Meanwhile, the governing PCs confirmed Brendan Curran as their candidate in District 2. He bested Ray Brow during a nomination meeting Monday night. According to the party’s website, Curran is a lifelong resident of Kings County who was the clean technology project co-ordinator with the P.E.I. Energy Corporation before moving on to work in the premier’s office. “I’m running because I believe in the power of public service and the importance of listening to the people in the district,” Curran said in a release on the site. “I’ve worked behind the scenes to help shape policy and solve problems for over a decade, and now I’m ready to take my experience and continue to serve the community in this new capacity.”WATCH | Steven Myers calls it a career after 14 years in P.E.I. politics:Steven Myers calls it a career after 14 years in P.E.I. politicsOne of the P.E.I. Progressive Conservative Party’s most well-known MLAs has stepped down. Steven Myers has been the province’s minister of transportation, environment and housing during his 14-year career. As CBC’s Laura Meader reports, he now says he’s done with politics. Neither the provincial NDP nor the Green Party has confirmed a candidate for the Georgetown-Pownal byelection. The deadline for candidate nominations is Friday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. Advance polls will take place on Nov. 29, Dec. 1 and Dec. 5. Voting will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each of those days. The byelection results won’t change the balance of power in the province. Premier Rob Lantz’s PCs have a majority in the 27-seat legislative assembly with 19 seats, compared to four for the Liberals and three for the Greens.ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen Brun is the copy editor for digital news at CBC Prince Edward Island. A graduate of UPEI and Holland College, he has been a writer and editor for a number of newspapers and websites across Canada for nearly two decades. You can reach him at stephen.brun@cbc.ca.
Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell will attempt to earn a seat in P.E.I. Legislature in byelection
