1988 Nova Scotia general election

The 1988 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.

1988 Nova Scotia general election

← 1984September 6, 19881993 →

52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
27 seats needed for a majority
Turnout75.76% Increase 8.24 pp
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
PC
Lib
LeaderJohn BuchananVince MacLeanAlexa McDonough
PartyProgressive ConservativeLiberalNew Democratic
Leader sinceMarch 6, 1971February 22, 1986November 16, 1980
Leader's seatHalifax AtlanticCape Breton SouthHalifax Chebucto
Last election4263
Seats won28212
Seat changeDecrease14Increase15Decrease1
Popular vote204,150186,00774,038
Percentage43.21%39.37%15.67%
SwingDecrease7.20ppIncrease8.22ppDecrease0.20pp

Premier before election

John Buchanan
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

John Buchanan
Progressive Conservative

John Dunsworth, who would later gain fame for playing alcoholic trailer park supervisor Jim Lahey on the TV series Trailer Park Boys, stood as the NDP candidate in Halifax Bedford Basin. He finished in third place with a little over 19% of the vote. His underdog campaign was later the subject of a short documentary.[1]

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firmLast day
of survey
SourcePCNSLANSNSNDPOtherMESample
Election 1988September 6, 198843.2139.3715.671.19
Angus ReidAugust 30, 1988[2]4534204.0601
OmnifactsAugust 1988[3]4140193.5804
OmnifactsJuly 1988[4]3738252.5650
OmnifactsOctober 1987[5]354124500
OmnifactsOctober 1986[6]32.746.920.4
OmnifactsJuly 25, 1986[7]304425419
Election 1984November 6, 198450.4131.1515.872.15

Results

Results by party

282121
Progressive ConservativeLiberalNew DemocraticInd
Official results [8]
PartyParty leader# of
candidates
SeatsPopular vote
1984DissolutionElectedChange#%Change (pp)
 Progressive ConservativeJohn Buchanan52424028-14204,15043.21%-7.20%
 LiberalVince MacLean526621+15186,00739.37%+8.22%
 New DemocraticAlexa McDonough52332-174,03815.67%-0.20%
 Independent7021+15,6381.19%+1.04%
 Vacant1 
Total valid votes469,83399.45%-0.13%
Blank and invalid ballots2,6040.55%+0.13%
Total163525252472,437100.00%
Registered voters / turnout623,58675.76%+8.24%
Popular vote
PC
43.21%
Liberal
39.37%
New Democratic
15.67%
Independent
1.19%
Seats summary
PC
53.85%
Liberal
40.38%
New Democratic
3.85%
Independent
1.92%

Retiring incumbents

Progressive Conservative
New Democratic Party

Nominated candidates

Legend
bold denotes party leader
† denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest

Valley

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
Annapolis EastGraham Smith
3,188
44.33%
Earl Rayfuse
3,519
48.93%
Margaret Wolfe
485
6.74%
Gerry Sheehy
Annapolis WestGreg Kerr
3,090
55.78%
Daurene Lewis
2,068
37.33%
Nancy Onysko
306
5.52%
Leo E. MacDonald
76
1.37%
Greg Kerr
ClareGuy LeBlanc
3,587
54.02%
Nadine Boudreau
2,773
41.76%
Jan Slakov-Crombie
280
4.22%
Guy LeBlanc
DigbyMaxine Connell
2,687
40.43%
Joseph H. Casey
3,514
52.87%
Susan Jamieson
445
6.70%
Merryl Lawton
Hants WestRon Russell
5,091
52.84%
Donzell A. Ross
2,829
29.36%
Penny Reid
1,715
17.80%
Ron Russell
Kings NorthGeorge Archibald
3,868
45.42%
Glenn Ells
3,116
36.59%
Don Fraser
1,532
17.99%
George Archibald
Kings SouthDerrick Kimball
3,531
42.44%
Perry Wallace
1,710
20.55%
Steve Mattson
3,079
37.01%
Bob Levy
Kings WestGeorge Moody
5,899
59.61%
Frank Bezanson
3,114
31.47%
Ralph Lynch
883
8.92%
George Moody

South Shore

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
ArgyleNeil LeBlanc
3,798
64.14%
Rick Murphy
1,862
31.45%
Raymond Ethier
261
4.41%
Neil LeBlanc
Lunenburg CentreAl Mosher
5,071
46.52%
Don Zwicker
4,024
36.92%
Muriel Maybee
1,805
16.56%
Maxine Cochran
Lunenburg EastRichard P. Eldridge
2,352
38.91%
Jim Barkhouse
3,024
50.02%
Wanda Broome
623
10.31%
Malcolm Callaway
46
0.76%
Jim Barkhouse
Lunenburg WestMarie Dechman
3,511
42.34%
Jack Logan
3,243
39.11%
John Scott
1,539
18.56%
Mel Pickings
QueensJohn Leefe
4,099
56.04%
Dave Randall
2,228
30.46%
Margo Kleiker
988
13.51%
John Leefe
ShelburneTim Van Zoost
4,241
41.85%
Harold Huskilson
5,224
51.54%
Ralph Niessen
670
6.61%
Harold Huskilson
YarmouthLeroy Legere
4,479
44.86%
Fraser Mooney
4,138
41.44%
Brian Noble
1,368
13.70%
Alex McIntosh

Fundy-Northeast

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
Colchester NorthJack Coupar
4,097
44.85%
Ed Lorraine
4,260
46.63%
Penny Marchbank
778
8.52%
Jack Coupar
Colchester SouthR. Colin Stewart
3,855
56.11%
Larry Thomas
2,462
35.83%
Julia A. Skipper
554
8.06%
R. Colin Stewart
Cumberland CentreScott Lockart
1,108
25.26%
Guy Brown
3,117
71.05%
Gary Thomas
162
3.69%
Guy Brown
Cumberland EastRoger Stuart Bacon
4,758
52.31%
Carolyn Drysdale
3,276
36.02%
Jim Mitchell
1,062
11.68%
Roger Stuart Bacon
Cumberland WestGardner Hurley
2,306
44.31%
Ross Bragg
2,389
45.91%
Barbara Jack
509
9.78%
Gardner Hurley
Hants EastCora Etter
3,977
41.60%
Jack Hawkins
4,502
47.09%
Richard Preeper
1,082
11.32%
Cora Etter
Truro—Bible HillRon Giffin
4,479
50.43%
Kirby Eileen Grant
3,490
39.30%
Carol Martin
912
10.27%
Ron Giffin

Central Halifax

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
Halifax Bedford BasinJoel Matheson
6,462
45.56%
Penny LaRocque
4,977
35.09%
John Dunsworth
2,746
19.36%
Joel Matheson
Halifax ChebuctoJ. Clair Callaghan
3,214
35.72%
Penny Doherty
2,546
28.30%
Alexa McDonough
3,238
35.99%
Alexa McDonough
Halifax CitadelArt Donahoe
3,283
35.11%
Jay Abbass
2,882
30.82%
Eileen O'Connell
3,057
32.70%
Frank J. Fawson
128
1.37%
Art Donahoe
Halifax CornwallisTerry Donahoe
4,195
39.91%
Liz Crocker
4,013
38.18%
Allan O'Brien
2,304
21.92%
Terry Donahoe
Halifax NeedhamRandy Dewell
2,116
25.56%
Gerry O'Malley
3,469
41.91%
Maureen MacDonald
2,693
32.53%
Edmund L. Morris

Suburban Halifax

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
Bedford-Musquodoboit ValleyKen Streatch
5,740
51.49%
Geoff Regan
3,803
34.12%
Susan Coldwell
1,604
14.39%
Ken Streatch
Halifax AtlanticJohn Buchanan
6,284
56.33%
Doug Adams
2,763
24.77%
Rene Quigley
1,976
17.71%
Arthur R. Canning
77
0.69%
Emanuel Jannasch
55
0.49%
John Buchanan
Halifax-St. Margaret'sJerry Lawrence
4,574
37.31%
Kevin Burke
4,061
33.13%
Bill Estabrooks
3,623
29.56%
Jerry Lawrence
SackvilleDave Grace
4,774
31.78%
Bruce Stephen
4,816
32.06%
John Holm
5,430
36.15%
John Holm

Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
Cole HarbourDavid Nantes
6,280
47.58%
Alan Mitchell
4,892
37.06%
Flora Christie
2,027
15.36%
David Nantes
Dartmouth EastJack Greenough
4,940
40.88%
Jim Smith
5,193
42.98%
Maureen Vine
1,950
16.14%
Jim Smith
Dartmouth NorthLaird Stirling
3,389
41.64%
Sandy Jolly
3,510
43.13%
Brenda Thompson
1,239
15.22%
Laird Stirling
Dartmouth SouthRoland J. Thornhill
4,449
47.33%
Allan Peters
2,987
31.78%
Joanne Lamey
1,963
20.89%
Roland J. Thornhill
Halifax Eastern ShoreTom McInnis
5,762
54.01%
Eric Hill
3,810
35.71%
David Noseworthy
1,097
10.28%
Tom McInnis

Central Nova

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
AntigonishBill Garvie
4,463
39.57%
Bill Gillis
6,004
53.24%
Bill Woodfine
811
7.19%
Bill Gillis
GuysboroughChuck MacNeil
4,508
58.23%
Joe Sullivan
3,454
44.93%
Sarah Wilson
503
6.54%
Chuck MacNeil
Pictou CentreJack MacIsaac
6,566
57.80%
Bob Leahy
3,116
27.43%
Gerard Currie
1,677
14.76%
Jack MacIsaac
Pictou EastDonald Cameron
3,996
49.84%
Wayne Fraser
3,243
40.45%
Cecil MacNeil
778
9.70%
Donald Cameron
Pictou WestDonald P. McInnes
3,824
54.74%
John J. Henderson
2,278
32.61%
Geoff Moore
884
12.65%
Donald P. McInnes

Cape Breton

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPIndependent
Cape Breton CentreHarold MacDonald
2,210
27.50%
Wayne Connors
3,681
45.80%
John Wilson
2,146
26.70%
Mike Laffin
Cape Breton EastBruce Clark
4,014
35.39%
John MacEachern
5,739
50.60%
Terry McVarish
1,590
14.02%
Donnie MacLeod
Cape Breton NorthBrian Young
6,018
60.68%
Robert E. McGrath
2,042
20.59%
Gerald Yetman
1,858
18.73%
Brian Young
Cape Breton NovaJoe Burke
1,060
14.05%
Dan MacRury
2,603
34.51%
Terry Crawley
686
9.09%
Paul MacEwan
3,194
42.34%
Paul MacEwan
Cape Breton SouthMurdock Smith
3,461
27.78%
Vince MacLean
7,820
62.76%
Ed MacLeod
1,179
9.46%
Vince MacLean
Cape Breton—The LakesJohn Newell
3,282
35.52%
Bernie Boudreau
4,192
45.37%
Helen MacDonald
1,766
19.11%
John Newell
Cape Breton West"Big" Donnie MacLeod
4,050
35.87%
Russell MacKinnon
6,133
54.31%
Con Mills
1,109
9.82%
"Big" Donnie MacLeod
Inverness NorthNorman J. MacLean
2,865
36.16%
Charles MacArthur
3,666
46.27%
Ben Boucher
1,392
17.57%
Norman J. MacLean
Inverness SouthArchie MacLachlan
866
15.87%
Danny Graham
2,185
40.03%
Martin Beaton
345
6.32%
Billy Joe MacLean
2,062
37.78%
Billy Joe MacLean
RichmondRobert F. Martel
3,135
41.70%
Richie Mann
3,528
46.93%
Clair Rankin
855
11.37%
Vacant
VictoriaFisher Hudson
2,076
39.40%
Kennie MacAskill
2,719
51.60%
Fraser Patterson
474
9.00%
Fisher Hudson

References