Eastern Shore (electoral district)

Eastern Shore
Nova Scotia electoral district
Provincial electoral district
Legislature	Nova Scotia House of Assembly
MLA	Kent Smith ; Progressive Conservative
;
District created	1967
First contested	1967
Last contested	2024
Demographics
Population (2011)	15,720
Electors	11,765
Area (km²)	2,252
Pop. density (per km²)	7
Census division	Halifax County
Census subdivision	Halifax Regional Municipality

Last updated January 02, 2026

Eastern Shore is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

In 1967, the district was created as Halifax Eastern Shore out of Halifax East and part of Halifax County Dartmouth. Upon the recommendations of the 1992 Electoral Boundaries Commission report, the district name was changed to Eastern Shore and it gained the Upper Lawrencetown area from Cole Harbour. In 2003, it gained an area on its western boundary from Dartmouth-Cole Harbour and lost an area on its eastern boundary to Guysborough-Sheet Harbour. In 2013, the district lost the Ross Road area to Preston-Dartmouth.^[1]

It is known as a bellwether district, having elected a government representative in every election since 1970.^[2]^[3]

Geography

The land area of Eastern Shore is 2,252 km² (870 sq mi).^[4]

Members of the Legislative Assembly

This riding has elected the following members of the Legislative Assembly:

Legislature	Years		Party
Halifax Eastern Shore Riding created from Halifax County Dartmouth and Halifax East
49th	1967–1969	Duncan MacMillan	Liberal
49th	1969–1970	Alexander Garnet Brown
50th	1970–1974
51st	1974–1978
52nd	1978–1981	Tom McInnis	Progressive Conservative
53rd	1981–1984
54th	1984–1988
55th	1988–1993
Eastern Shore
56th	1993–1998	Keith Colwell	Liberal
57th	1998–1999	Keith Colwell	Liberal
58th	1999–2003	Bill Dooks	Progressive Conservative
59th	2003–2005
60th	2006–2009
61st	2009–2013	Sid Prest	New Democratic
62nd	2013–2017	Kevin Murphy	Liberal
63rd	2017–2021	Kevin Murphy	Liberal
64th	2021–present	Kent Smith	Progressive Conservative

Election results

2024

v t e 2024 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Kent Smith	4,600	61.6%
	Liberal	Doyle Safire	1,441	19.3%
	New Democratic	Don Carney	1,231	16.5%
	Green	Kevin Conrod	197	2.6%
Total valid votes
Total rejected ballots
Turnout			7,469
Eligible voters
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing
Source: Elections Nova Scotia ^[5]

2021

v t e 2021 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Kent Smith	4,264	45.82	+14.71	$38,052.56
	Liberal	Kevin Murphy	3,169	34.06	-5.69	$45,473.02
	New Democratic	Deirdre Dwyer	1,618	17.39	-7.27	$34,745.13
	Green	Cheryl Atkinson	254	2.73	-0.04	$200.00
Total valid votes/expense limit			9,305	99.44	–	$94,668.78
Total rejected ballots			52	0.56
Turnout			9,357	56.92
Eligible voters			16,438
	Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing		+10.20
Source: Elections Nova Scotia ^[6]

2017

2017 provincial election redistributed results^[7]
Party		Vote	%
	Liberal	3,345	39.75
	Progressive Conservative	2,618	31.11
	New Democratic	2,075	24.66
	Green	233	2.77
	Independent	145	1.72

v t e 2017 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Kevin Murphy	2,527	37.71	-15.28
	Progressive Conservative	Patricia Auchnie	2,024	30.20	+10.20
	New Democratic	Devin Ashley	1,780	26.56	-0.45
	Green	Andy Berry	221	3.30
	Independent	Randy Carter	149	2.22
Total valid votes			6,701	100.00
Total rejected ballots			22	0.33	-0.59
Turnout			6,723	54.20	-5.71
Eligible voters			12,405
	Liberal hold		Swing		-12.74
Source: Elections Nova Scotia ^[8]^[9]

2013

2013 Nova Scotia general election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Kevin Murphy	3,770	52.99	-39.53
	New Democratic Party	Sid Prest	1,922	27.01	-22.21
	Progressive Conservative	Steve Brine	1,423	20.00	-14.69
Total valid votes			7,115	100.00
Total rejected ballots			66	0.92
Turnout			7,181	59.60
Eligible voters			11,988

2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Sid Prest	3,628	49.22%	8.42%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Dooks	2,557	34.69%	-11.24%
	Liberal	Loretta Day Halleran	992	13.46%	2.86%
	Green	Michael Marshall	194	2.63%	-0.04%
Total			7,371	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2006

2006 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Dooks	3,232	45.93%	0.91%
	New Democratic	Sid Prest	2,871	40.80%	5.24%
	Liberal	Judith Cabrita	746	10.60%	-8.82%
	Green	Elizabeth van Dreunen	188	2.67%	–
Total			7,037	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2003

2003 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Dooks	3,073	45.02%	3.17%
	New Democratic	Sid Prest	2,427	35.56%	12.89%
	Liberal	Rufus Carter	1,326	19.43%	-11.59%
Total			6,826	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1999

1999 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Dooks	3,637	41.85%	13.01%
	Liberal	Keith Colwell	2,695	31.01%	-7.47%
	New Democratic	Mary-Alice Tzagarakis	1,970	22.67%	-10.01%
	Nova Scotia Party	Jack Friis	388	4.46%	–
Total			8,690	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1998

1998 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Keith Colwell	3,299	38.49%	-4.97%
	New Democratic	Darren Richard	2,801	32.68%	16.85%
	Progressive Conservative	Greg Brown	2,472	28.84%	-11.88%
Total			8,572	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1993

1993 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Keith Colwell	3,760	43.46%	7.75%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom McInnis	3,523	40.72%	-13.29%
	New Democratic	Gary Moore	1,369	15.82%	5.54%
Total			8,652	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia. Chief Electoral Officer (1993). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-Third General Election (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1988

1988 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom McInnis	5,762	54.01%	-8.73%
	Liberal	Eric Hill	3,810	35.71%	10.70%
	New Democratic	David Noseworthy	1,097	10.28%	-1.96%
Total			10,669	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia. Chief Electoral Officer (1988). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-Second General Election (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1984

1984 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom McInnis	5,395	62.74%	3.42%
	Liberal	Paul MacKenzie	2,151	25.01%	0.80%
	New Democratic	Kevin Wilson	1,053	12.25%	-4.22%
Total			8,599	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia. Chief Electoral Officer (1984). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-First General Election (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1981

1981 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom McInnis	5,639	59.32%	5.04%
	Liberal	Angus MacNeil	2,302	24.22%	-15.85%
	New Democratic	Bruce Beasley	1,565	16.46%	10.81%
Total			9,506	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia. Chief Electoral Officer (1981). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirteith General Election (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1978

1978 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom McInnis	5,298	54.28%	19.72%
	Liberal	Alexander Garnet Brown	3,911	40.07%	-12.83%
	New Democratic	Daniel Matheson	552	5.66%	-6.89%
Total			9,761	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia. Chief Electoral Officer (1978). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Twenty-Ninth General Election (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1974

1974 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Alexander Garnet Brown	6,437	52.90%	-5.20%
	Progressive Conservative	Hanson D. Josey	4,205	34.56%	-7.35%
	New Democratic	John T. Kennedy	1,527	12.55%	–
Total			12,169	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia. Chief Electoral Officer (1974). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Twenty-Eighth General Election (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1970

1970 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Alexander Garnet Brown	5,585	58.09%	8.62%
	Progressive Conservative	Murray E. Ritcey	4,029	41.91%	-1.46%
Total			9,614	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1970). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1967

1967 Nova Scotia general election : Halifax Eastern Shore
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Duncan MacMillan	4,201	49.48%	–
	Progressive Conservative	Nelson Gaetz	3,682	43.36%	–
	New Democratic	James Yetman	608	7.16%	–
Total			8,491	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Eastern Shore" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1967). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

References

↑ Eastern Shore - Constituency History Archived 2017-08-23 at the Wayback Machine Nova Scotia Legislature
↑ Eastern Shore bellwether a focus for Nova Scotia election CBC News - October 3, 2013
↑ A bellwether of success Halifax Chronicle Herald - September 22, 2013
↑ "Find Your Electoral District for the 41st Provincial General Election". enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca. Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/10865520/nova-scotia-election-2024-eastern-shore/
↑ "Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
↑ "Transposition of Votes from the 2017 Provincial General Election to 2019 Electoral District Boundaries" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia . 12 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
↑ "Statement of Votes & Statistics, Volume I" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
↑ "May 30th, 2017 - 40th Nova Scotia Provincial General Election". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

External links

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[1] Eastern Shore - Constituency History Archived 2017-08-23 at the Wayback Machine Nova Scotia Legislature

[2] Eastern Shore bellwether a focus for Nova Scotia election CBC News - October 3, 2013

[3] A bellwether of success Halifax Chronicle Herald - September 22, 2013

[4] "Find Your Electoral District for the 41st Provincial General Election". enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca. Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 22 July 2021.

[5] ttps://globalnews.ca/news/10865520/nova-scotia-election-2024-eastern-shore/

[6] "Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 7 October 2021.

[7] "Transposition of Votes from the 2017 Provincial General Election to 2019 Electoral District Boundaries" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia . 12 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.

[8] "Statement of Votes & Statistics, Volume I" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

[9] "May 30th, 2017 - 40th Nova Scotia Provincial General Election". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

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