Judge dismisses Coffin's bid for recount in St. John's East-Quidi Vidi NDP Leader Alison Coffin, who lost to Liberal John Abbott by 53 votes in March, has lost a subsequent bid to have those results overturned. Social Sharing CBC News · comments NDP Leader Alison Coffin and lawyer Kyle Rees — seen outside Supreme Court in St. John's Wednesday — had argued unsuccessfully for a recount in the district of St. John's East-Quidi Vidi. (Patrick Butler/Radio-Canada) There will be no vote recount for the district of St. John's-Quidi Vidi, as a judge has put an obstacle in NDP Leader Alison Coffin's bid to stay in the House of Assembly.