Next Nova Scotia general election

Next Nova Scotia general election

40th

51 seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly 26 seats needed for a majority   Leader Stephen McNeil Jamie Baillie Gary Burrill Party Liberal Progressive Conservative New Democratic Leader since April 28, 2007 October 26, 2010 February 27, 2016 Leader's seat Annapolis Cumberland South Running in TBA Last election 33 seats, 45.71% 11 seats, 26.31% 7 seats, 26.84% Current seats 34 10 6

Incumbent Premier Stephen McNeil Liberal

The 40th Nova Scotia general election will be held when the provincial government passes "an Order in Council calling an election", as the Nova Scotia Elections Act does not provide for fixed election dates.^[1]

No Assembly may continue for longer than five years and forty days after the issuing of writs for the previous election,^[2] making an election probable for 2018, as the writs were issued on September 7, 2013. Upon the expiration of the Legislature, on October 18, 2018, the Lieutenant Governor is not required to call an election, but section 8(2) of the House of Assembly Act requires Parliament to meet once in each half of the calendar year. The election must be held on a Tuesday at least 30 days after the date the writ of election is issued, but no maximum period is provided.^[3]

Timeline

• October 8, 2013 – The Liberal Party, led by Stephen McNeil, wins the 2013 Nova Scotia general election, the Progressive Conservative Association become the official opposition, and the governing New Democratic Party are relegated to third party status.
• November 23, 2013 – Darrell Dexter resigns as leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), and MLA Maureen MacDonald becomes interim leader.^[4]
• June 13, 2014 – Hants West MLA Chuck Porter leaves the Progressive Conservative caucus, and sits as an independent.^[5]
• March 16, 2015 – MLA for Dartmouth South Allan Rowe died from an aneurysm.^[6]
• April 2, 2015 – MLAs for Cape Breton Centre Frank Corbett and Sydney-Whitney Pier Gordie Gosse resign.^[7]
• July 14, 2015 – Three byelections are held. Liberals David Wilton and Derek Mombourquette are elected in Cape Breton Centre and Sydney-Whitney Pier, respectively, and New Democrat Marian Mancini is elected in Dartmouth South.^[8]
• November 5, 2015 – Dartmouth East MLA Andrew Younger is fired from the cabinet and Liberal caucus after failing to testify at a trial of a woman accused of assaulting him in 2013.^[9]
• February 17, 2016 – Hants West Independent MLA Chuck Porter joins the Liberal caucus.^[10]
• February 27, 2016 – Gary Burrill elected leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.^[11]
• April 12, 2016 – Halifax Needham MLA Maureen MacDonald resigns.^[12]

Party standings

Party		Leader	Seats
			2013	Current
	Liberal	Stephen McNeil	33	34
	Progressive Conservative	Jamie Baillie	11	10
	New Democratic	Gary Burrill	7	6
	Independent		0	1
Total			51	51

Opinion polls

Polling Firm	Last Day of Polling	Link	Liberal	PC	NDP	Green
Corporate Research Associates	March 1, 2016		56	23	16	5
Corporate Research Associates	December 1, 2015		64	17	17	2
Corporate Research Associates	September 2, 2015		50	20	28	2
Corporate Research Associates	June 1, 2015		50	19	27	3
Corporate Research Associates	February 28, 2015		58	20	18	3
Corporate Research Associates	November 26, 2014		64	18	15	3
Corporate Research Associates	September 1, 2014		62	20	14	3
Corporate Research Associates	May 27, 2014		57	21	19	3
Corporate Research Associates	February 28, 2014		60	20	18	2
Corporate Research Associates	November 28, 2013		58	19	19	3
Election 2013	October 8, 2013	HTML	45.71	26.31	26.84	0.85

References

1. "Sample Election Calendar". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
2. House of Assembly Act, section 8(1).
3. Elections Act 2011, section 29(b).
4. Canadian Press (November 16, 2013). "Former NS premier Darrell Dexter resigns as NDP leader". Global News. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
5. "Chuck Porter leaves PC caucus, cites leadership as a factor". CBC News. June 13, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
6. "Dartmouth South MLA Allan Rowe dies". The Chronicle Herald. March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
7. "NDP MLAs Gordie Gosse, Frank Corbett resign". The Chronicle Herald. April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
8. "Nova Scotia Liberals win 2 byelections, lose Dartmouth South". CBC News. July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
9. "Environment Minister Andrew Younger fired from Liberal cabinet, caucus". CBC News. November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
10. "Chuck Porter, former Progressive Conservative MLA, joins Liberals". CBC News. February 17, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
11. "Nova Scotia's New Democrats elect Gary Burrill as new leader". CBC News. February 27, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
12. "Maureen MacDonald retires from provincial politics after 18 years as MLA". CBC News. April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.