List of Nova Scotia general elections
Encyclopedia
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
s to the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
's unicameral legislative body
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
. The number of seats has varied over time, from a low of thirty during the 1930s and early 1940s, to the current high of fifty-two. This article only covers elections since Nova Scotia became part of the newly formed Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
in 1867. Prior to that, Nova Scotia was a British colony. The Nova Scotia House of Assembly dates back to 1758, and Nova Scotia became the first British colony to be granted responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
from London in 1848.
The chart on the upper right provides a graphical summary of the results, with the most recent elections towards the right. It shows how the Liberal party (red) dominated the province's early political history, winning nineteen of the first twenty-two elections from 1867 to 1953; and that since 1953, the Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia
The Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia, registered under the Nova Scotia Elections Act as the "Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia", is a moderate right-of-centre political party in Nova Scotia, Canada....
(blue) have been the most successful party, winning eleven of the fifteen elections since then. The New Democratic Party
Nova Scotia New Democratic Party
The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is aligned with the federal New Democratic Party . Originally founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1932, it became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing...
(orange), after winning Official Opposition status
Leader of the Opposition (Nova Scotia)
The Leader of the Opposition in Nova Scotia is the MLA in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly who leads the political party recognized as the Official Opposition. This status generally goes to the leader of the second largest party in the Legislative Assembly...
in four consecutive elections, finally achieved government for the first time in the 2009 election.
Summary of results
The table below shows the total number of seats won by the major political parties at each election. It also shows the percentage of the vote obtained by the major political parties at each election, if greater than 0.1%. The winning party's totals are shown in bold. To date, no party has formed a government that did not have the largest share of the vote. Full details on any election are linked via the number of the election at the start of the row.| Election | Conservative Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia The Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia, registered under the Nova Scotia Elections Act as the "Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia", is a moderate right-of-centre political party in Nova Scotia, Canada.... | NDP Nova Scotia New Democratic Party The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is aligned with the federal New Democratic Party . Originally founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1932, it became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing... | Liberal | Other | Total seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Vote (%) | Seats | Vote (%) | Seats | Vote (%) | Seats | Seat-winning party | Vote (%) | ||||
| 38th | June 9, 2009 | 10 | 24.5 | 31 | 45.3 | 11 | 27.2 | 3.0 | 52 | |||
| 37th Nova Scotia general election, 2006 The 37th Nova Scotia general election was held on June 13, 2006 to elect members of the 60th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada.... | June 13, 2006 | 23 | 39.6 | 20 | 34.6 | 9 | 23.4 | 2.4 | 52 | |||
| 36th Nova Scotia general election, 2003 The 36th Nova Scotia general election was held on August 5, 2003 to elect members of the 59th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada... | August 5, 2003 | 25 | 36.3 | 15 | 31.0 | 12 | 31.5 | 1.2 | 52 | |||
| 35th Nova Scotia general election, 1999 The 35th Nova Scotia general election was held on July 27, 1999, to elect members of the 58th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party, led by Dr... | July 27, 1999 | 30 | 39.2 | 11 | 30.0 | 11 | 29.8 | 1.1 | 52 | |||
| 34th Nova Scotia general election, 1998 The 34th Nova Scotia general election was held on March 24, 1998 to elect members of the 57th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Liberal party and the New Democratic Party tied in the seat count, with 19 each, while the Progressive Conservatives won 14 seats... | March 24, 1998 | 14 | 29.8 | 19 | 34.6 | 19 | 35.3 | 2.4 | 52 | |||
| 33rd Nova Scotia general election, 1993 The 33rd Nova Scotia general election was held on May 25, 1993 to elect members of the 56th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Liberals under John Savage won a landslide victory over the unpopular Progressive Conservatives under Premier Donald Cameron, while Alexa... | May 25, 1993 | 9 | 31.1 | 3 | 17.7 | 40 | 49.7 | 0.9 | 52 | |||
| 32nd Nova Scotia general election, 1988 The 32nd Nova Scotia general election was held on September 6, 1988 to elect members of the 55th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.* Vote share included in "other"... | September 6, 1988 | 28 | 43.4 | 2 | 15.8 | 21 | 39.6 | 1 | Cape Breton Labour Cape Breton Labour Party The Cape Breton Labour Party was a social democratic provincial political party in Nova Scotia, Canada that advocated separate provincial status for Cape Breton, which is the northern part of the Province of Nova Scotia.-Founding:... | 1.1 | 52 | |
| 31st Nova Scotia general election, 1984 The 31st Nova Scotia general election was held on November 6, 1984 to elect members of the 54th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.... | November 6, 1984 | 42 | 50.6 | 3 | 15.9 | 6 | 31.3 | 1 | Cape Breton Labour | 2.2 | 52 | |
| 30th Nova Scotia general election, 1981 The 30th Nova Scotia general election was held on October 6, 1981 to elect members of the 53rd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.* vote share included in "other".... | October 6, 1981 | 37 | 47.5 | 1 | 18.1 | 13 | 33.2 | 1 | Cape Breton Labour | 1.2 | 52 | |
| 29th Nova Scotia general election, 1978 The 29th Nova Scotia general election was held on September 19, 1978 to elect members of the 52nd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.... | September 19, 1978 | 31 | 45.8 | 4 | 14.4 | 17 | 39.4 | 0.4 | 52 | |||
| 28th Nova Scotia general election, 1974 The 28th Nova Scotia general election was held on 2 April 1974 to elect members of the 51st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | April 2, 1974 | 12 | 38.6 | 3 | 13.0 | 31 | 47.9 | 0.5 | 46 | |||
| 27th Nova Scotia general election, 1970 The 27th Nova Scotia general election was held on 13 October 1970 to elect members of the 50th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | October 13, 1970 | 21 | 46.9 | 2 | 6.7 | 23 | 46.1 | 0.2 | 46 | |||
| 26th Nova Scotia general election, 1967 The 26th Nova Scotia general election was held on 30 May 1967 to elect members of the 49th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party.... | May 30, 1967 | 40 | 52.8 | 5.2 | 6 | 41.8 | 0.2 | 46 | ||||
| 25th Nova Scotia general election, 1963 The 25th Nova Scotia general election was held on 8 October 1963 to elect members of the 48th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservatives.* party was then the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... | October 8, 1963 | 39 | 56.2 | 4.1 | 4 | 39.7 | 43 | |||||
| 24th Nova Scotia general election, 1960 The 24th Nova Scotia general election was held on 7 June 1960 to elect members of the 47th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservatives.... | June 7, 1960 | 27 | 48.3 | 1 | 8.9 | 15 | 42.6 | 0.2 | 43 | |||
| 23rd Nova Scotia general election, 1956 The 23rd Nova Scotia general election was held on 30 October 1956 to elect members of the 46th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservatives led by Robert Stanfield. This was the first election the Liberal Party fought without their... | October 30, 1956 | 24 | 48.6 | 1 | 3.0 | 18 | 48.2 | 0.1 | 43 | |||
| 22nd Nova Scotia general election, 1953 The 22nd Nova Scotia general election was held on 26 May 1953 to elect members of the 45th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | May 26, 1953 | 13 | 43.6 | 2 | 6.9 | 22 | 49.0 | 0.5 | 37 | |||
| 21st Nova Scotia general election, 1949 The 21st Nova Scotia general election was held on 9 June 1949 to elect members of the 44th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | June 9, 1949 | 8 | 39.2 | 2 | 9.6 | 27 | 51.0 | 0.1 | 37 | |||
| 20th Nova Scotia general election, 1945 The 20th Nova Scotia general election was held on 23 October 1945 to elect members of the 43rd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | October 23, 1945 | 0 | 33.5 | 2 | 13.6 | 28 | 52.7 | 0.1 | 30 | |||
| 19th Nova Scotia general election, 1941 The 19th Nova Scotia general election was held on 28 October 1941 to elect members of the 42nd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | October 28, 1941 | 5 | 40.3 | 3 | 7.0 | 22 | 52.7 | 30 | ||||
| 18th Nova Scotia general election, 1937 The 18th Nova Scotia general election was held on 20 June 1937 to elect members of the 41st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | June 20, 1937 | 5 | 46.0 | 1.1 | 25 | 52.9 | 30 | |||||
| 17th Nova Scotia general election, 1933 The 17th Nova Scotia general election was held on 22 August 1933 to elect members of the 40th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | August 22, 1933 | 8 | 45.9 | 1.5 | 22 | 52.6 | 30 | |||||
| 16th Nova Scotia general election, 1928 The 16th Nova Scotia general election was held on 1 October 1928 to elect members of the 39th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Conservative party.... | October 1, 1928 | 24 | 51.7 | 1 | 1.1 | 18 | 47.2 | 43 | ||||
| 15th Nova Scotia general election, 1925 The 15th Nova Scotia general election was held on 25 June 1925 to elect members of the 38th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Conservative party.... | June 25, 1925 | 40 | 60.9 | 2.8 | 3 | 36.3 | 43 | |||||
| 14th Nova Scotia general election, 1920 The 14th Nova Scotia general election was held on 27 July 1920 to elect members of the 37th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | July 27, 1920 | 3 | 24.7 | 5 | 16.9 | 29 | 44.4 | 6 | United Farmers | 14.0 | 43 | |
| 13th Nova Scotia general election, 1916 The 13th Nova Scotia general election was held on 20 June 1916 to elect members of the 36th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | June 20, 1916 | 12 | 48.8 | 31 | 50.4 | 0.8 | 43 | |||||
| 12th Nova Scotia general election, 1911 The 12th Nova Scotia general election was held on 14 June 1911 to elect members of the 35th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | June 14, 1911 | 12 | 45.4 | 26 | 51.1 | 3.5 | 38 | |||||
| 11th Nova Scotia general election, 1906 The 13th Nova Scotia general election was held on 20 June 1906 to elect members of the 34th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | June 20, 1906 | 4 | 42.1 | 32 | 53.2 | 2 | Independents | 4.6 | 38 | |||
| 10th Nova Scotia general election, 1901 The 10th Nova Scotia general election was held on 2 October 1901 to elect members of the 33rd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | October 2, 1901 | 2 | 41.7 | 36 | 56.7 | 1.5 | 38 | |||||
| 9th Nova Scotia general election, 1897 The 9th Nova Scotia general election was held from 13 April to 20 April 1897 to elect members of the 32nd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | April 13, 1897 | 3 | 44.4 | 34 | 55.0 | 1 | Independent | 0.5 | 38 | |||
| 8th Nova Scotia general election, 1894 The 8th Nova Scotia general election was held from 8 March to 15 March 1894 to elect members of the 31st House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | March 1894 | 13 | 47.3 | 25 | 51.9 | 0.8 | 37 | |||||
| 7th Nova Scotia general election, 1890 The 7th Nova Scotia general election was held from 14 May to 21 May 1890 to elect members of the 30th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | May 1890 | 9 | 46.7 | 29 | 52.2 | 1.0 | 38 | |||||
| 6th Nova Scotia general election, 1886 The 6th Nova Scotia general election was held from 8 June to 15 June 1886 to elect members of the 29th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | June 1886 | 10 | 43.6 | 28 | 54.7 | 1.6 | 37 | |||||
| 5th Nova Scotia general election, 1882 The 5th Nova Scotia general election was held on 20 June 1882 to elect members of the 28th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party, their first of ten consecutive wins that would see retain power until 1925.... | June 20, 1882 | 14 | 46.9 | 24 | 51.8 | 1.3 | 38 | |||||
| 4th Nova Scotia general election, 1878 The 4th Nova Scotia general election was held on 17 September 1878 to elect members of the 27th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Conservative.... | September 17, 1878 | 32 | 51.7 | 6 | 45.1 | 3.1 | 38 | |||||
| 3rd Nova Scotia general election, 1874 The 3rd Nova Scotia general election was held on 17 December 1874 to elect members of the 26th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | December 17, 1874 | 12 | 43.6 | 22 | 55.0 | 4 | Independents | 1.4 | 38 | |||
| 2nd Nova Scotia general election, 1871 The 2nd Nova Scotia general election was held on 16 May 1871 to elect members of the 25th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.... | May 16, 1871 | 14 | 43.7 | 24 | 52.2 | 4.0 | 38 | |||||
| 1st Nova Scotia general election, 1867 The 1st Nova Scotia general election was held on 18 September 1867 to elect members of the 24th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was the first general election in Nova Scotia after Confederation, and was won by the Liberal party.... | September 18, 1867 | 2 | 38.5 | 36 | 58.6 | 2.9 | 38 | |||||
See also
- Timeline of Canadian electionsTimeline of Canadian electionsThis article provides a timeline of elections in Canada, including all the provincial, territorial and federal elections. The information starts from when each province was formed or entered the Confederation, and continues through to the present day. The background colour indicates which party won...
- List of political parties in Nova Scotia