The 2024 Nova Scotia general election was held on November 26, 2024, to elect members to the 65th General Assembly of Nova Scotia. The election was held under first-past-the-post voting.

The incumbent Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia (PC) government, led by Premier Tim Houston since 2021, called a snap election and won a second consecutive majority government. It is the first time since 1984 that the PCs won over half of the popular vote, and a supermajority (i.e., greater than two-thirds) of seats in the General Assembly means that it can alter procedural rules without the collaboration of the other parties. In raw numbers (but not proportion of seats), this is the largest government caucus they have ever had. The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, led by Claudia Chender, formed the official opposition for the first time since 2006, though they narrowly came in third in votes. The Nova Scotia Liberal Party, led by Zach Churchill, recorded its worst result in party history.

This election had the lowest turnout in Nova Scotia history, with only 45% of those eligible participating. This was the first Nova Scotia general election where less than half of eligible voters cast their vote.

Background During the 2021 election, the Progressive Conservatives included a commitment in their platform to introduce fixed election dates in the province. Under amendments to the provincial Elections Act introduced and passed in October 2021, the first fixed election date following the 2021 Nova Scotia general election was set as 15 July 2025 with all subsequent elections to take place on the third Tuesday in July of the fourth calendar year following the previous election. However, the general assembly may be dissolved earlier by order of the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia on the advice of the premier, which was the case for this election.

+ Standings in the 64th General Assembly Affiliation House members 2021 election results At dissolution 31 34 17 14 6 6 1 1 0 0

Incumbents not standing for re-election The following MLAs announced that they would not run in the election:

Party MLA Riding LiberalRafah DiCostanzo Clayton Park WestTony Ince Cole HarbourKeith Irving Kings SouthLorelei Nicoll Cole Harbour-DartmouthKelly Regan Bedford BasinGary Burrill Halifax Chebucto PCKeith Bain Victoria-The LakesSteve Craig Sackville-CobequidPat Dunn Pictou CentreLarry Harrison Colchester-Musquodoboit ValleyAllan MacMaster Inverness

Timeline

August 17, 2021 – The Progressive Conservative Association, led by Tim Houston, wins the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, the Liberal Party becomes the official opposition, and the New Democratic Party remains at third party status. October 23, 2021 - Anthony Edmonds is elected leader and Jo-Ann Roberts is elected deputy leader of the Green Party of Nova Scotia. November 9, 2021 – Gary Burrill, leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, announces his resignation, triggering a leadership election for the party. December 16, 2021 – Nova Scotians United becomes Nova Scotia's newest registered political party. January 5, 2022 – Iain Rankin, leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party, announces his resignation, triggering a leadership election for the party. June 25, 2022 – Claudia Chender is elected leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party. July 9, 2022 – Zach Churchill is elected leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. April 30, 2024 – The Atlantica Party is voluntarily deregistered by Elections Nova Scotia. October 22, 2024 – Liberal Fred Tilley crosses the floor to the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservatives. October 27, 2024 – Premier Tim Houston calls a general election for November 26, 2024. November 6, 2024 – Candidate nomination deadline. November 26, 2024 – General election held, resulting in a majority government for the Progressive Conservatives.

Seat Before ChangeDateMemberPartyReasonDateMemberPartyPrestonApril 1, 2023Angela SimmondsResignationAugust 8, 2023Twila GrosseHalifax AtlanticFebruary 22, 2024Brendan MaguireJoined Progressive Conservative caucusPictou WestApril 12, 2024Karla MacFarlaneResignationMay 21, 2024Marco MacLeodNorthside-WestmountOctober 22, 2024Fred TilleyJoined Progressive Conservative caucus

Campaign Contests + Candidate contests in the ridings Candidates nominated Ridings PartyPCLibNDPGreenIndTotals3 30 30 30 29 0 1 904 24 24 24 24 22 2 965 1 1 1 1 1 1 5Total 55 55 55 54 23 4 191

Leaders' debates 2024 Nova Scotia general election debates Date Organizers Venue Moderator(s) Participant Absent invitee Non-invitee Source PC Liberal NDP Green NSU November 14, 2024 CBC Nova Scotia CBC Studios, Halifax Tom Murphy, Amy SmithP HoustonP ChurchillP ChenderN EdmondsN Baker November 21, 2024 CTV Atlantic CTV Studios, Halifax Todd BattisP HoustonP ChurchillP ChenderN EdmondsN Baker

Results

Two judicial recounts took place in December:

+ Recount resultsConstituency Date held Reason ConfirmedYarmouthDecember 9on request of the losing incumbentAnnapolisDecember 10automatic due to narrowness of margin

Results by party

+ Summary of the 2024 Nova Scotia House of Assembly electionPartyLeaderCandidatesVotesSeats # ± % Change (pp) 2021 2024 ±Tim Houston 55 187,047 24,574 52.49 3143 / 5512Zach Churchill 55 80,854 74,172 22.69 172 / 5515Claudia Chender 54 79,008 9,469 22.17 69 / 553Anthony Edmonds 23 2,941 6,101 0.83 4 4,220 740 1.18 11 / 55Total 354,070 100.00% Rejected ballots 2,250 539 Turnout 356,320 66,392 45.19 9.88 Registered voters 788,427 20,809

Synopsis of results + Results by riding - 2024 Nova Scotia general election Riding Winning party Turnoutincluding spoilt ballots Votes 20211st place Votes Share Margin# Margin%2nd place3rd place PC Lib NDP Grn Total  Annapolis Lib PC 3,289 44.46% 8 0.11% Lib NDP 46.43% 3,289 3,281 689 138 – 7,397Antigonish PC PC 5,202 64.82% 3,482 43.39% Lib NDP 52.37% 5,202 1,720 1,103 – – 8,025ArgyleHistorically Acadian riding PC PC 3,383 85.65% 2,944 74.53% Lib NDP 57.86% 3,383 439 67 61 – 3,950Bedford Basin Lib PC 3,692 60.15% 2,382 38.81% Lib NDP 46.76% 3,692 1,310 1,136 – – 6,138Bedford South Lib PC 2,888 41.25% 102 1.46% Lib NDP 42.62% 2,888 2,786 1,243 85 – 7,002Cape Breton Centre-Whitney Pier NDP NDP 3,212 48.60% 536 8.11% PC Lib 45.00% 2,676 721 3,212 – – 6,609Cape Breton East PC PC 4,250 61.34% 2,513 36.27% Lib NDP 48.50% 4,250 1,737 942 – – 6,929Chester-St. Margaret's PC PC 4,806 58.21% 2,646 32.05% Lib NDP 50.36% 4,806 2,160 1,290 – – 8,256Clare Lib PC 2,805 59.71% 1,015 21.60% Lib NDP 65.35% 2,805 1,790 103 – – 4,698Clayton Park West Lib PC 2,096 35.41% 86 1.45% NDP Lib 40.75% 2,096 1,813 2,010 – – 5,919Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley PC PC 4,030 67.53% 2,919 48.91% NDP Lib 38.71% 4,030 827 1,111 – – 5,968Colchester North PC PC 4,282 67.79% 3,220 50.97% NDP Lib 39.96% 4,282 828 1,062 145 – 6,317Cole Harbour Lib PC 1,986 42.28% 238 5.07% NDP Lib 46.58% 1,986 893 1,748 70 – 4,697Cole Harbour-Dartmouth Lib PC 4,243 51.64% 2,164 26.34% NDP Lib 49.17% 4,243 1,894 2,079 – – 8,216Cumberland North Ind Ind 3,567 55.29% 1,373 21.28% PC Lib 45.44% 2,194 414 277 – 3,567 6,452Cumberland South PC PC 3,442 77.21% 2,902 65.10% Lib NDP 38.07% 3,442 540 476Larry Duchesne was previously the leader of the Prince Edward Island New Democratic Party. – – 4,458Dartmouth East PC PC 3,167 44.17% 932 13.00% NDP Lib 49.48% 3,167 1,768 2,235 – – 7,170Dartmouth North NDP NDP 3,698 62.92% 2,345 39.90% PC Lib 36.36% 1,353 826 3,698 – – 5,877Dartmouth South NDP NDP 4,415 68.46% 2,966 45.99% PC Lib 47.43% 1,449 585 4,415 – – 6,449Digby-Annapolis PC PC 3,300 73.22% 2,446 54.27% Lib NDP 41.65% 3,300 854 353 – – 4,507Eastern Passage PC PC 2,754 63.75% 1,644 38.06% Lib Ind 40.82% 2,754 1,110 – – 456Tammy Jakeman was previously an NDP candidate in 2021. 4,320Eastern Shore PC PC 4,690 62.05% 3,249 42.98% Lib NDP 42.90% 4,690 1,441 1,231 197 – 7,559Fairview-Clayton Park Lib NDP 2,429 38.98% 406 6.52% PC Lib 39.63% 2,023 1,779 2,429 – – 6,231Glace Bay-Dominion PC PC 4,187 72.31% 3,178 54.89% Lib NDP 43.79% 4,187 1,009 594 – – 5,790Guysborough–Tracadie PC PC 3,128 77.46% 2,538 62.85% Lib NDP 50.86% 3,128 590 320 – – 4,038Halifax Armdale Lib NDP 2,521 39.40% 241 3.77% PC Lib 44.66% 2,280 1,597 2,521 – – 6,398Halifax Atlantic Lib PC 3,879 57.41% 1,996 29.54% NDP Lib 41.24% 3,879 911 1,883 84 – 6,757Halifax Chebucto NDP NDP 3,682 53.99% 2,105 30.87% PC Lib 53.60% 1,577 1,441 3,682 120 – 6,820Halifax Citadel-Sable Island NDP NDP 3,903 52.67% 1,995 26.92% PC Lib 41.73% 1,908 1,440 3,903 159 – 7,410Halifax Needham NDP NDP 5,126 68.03% 3,847 51.06% PC Lib 43.49% 1,279 1,003 5,126 127 – 7,535Hammonds Plains-Lucasville Lib PC 3,508 46.31% 403 5.32% Lib NDP 47.99% 3,508 3,105 895 67 – 7,575Hants East PC PC 4,614 62.69% 2,918 39.65% NDP Lib 38.66% 4,614 1,050 1,696 – – 7,360Hants West PC PC 4,253 52.59% 1,632 20.18% Lib NDP 45.91% 4,253 2,621 1,120 – 93 8,087Inverness PC PC 4,058 57.63% 1,959 27.82% Lib NDP 48.93% 4,058 2,099 884 – – 7,041Kings North PC PC 4,047 53.67% 1,952 25.89% NDP Lib 44.17% 4,047 1,260 2,095 139 – 7,541Kings South Lib PC 3,372 41.77% 1,046 12.96% NDP Lib 46.03% 3,372 2,230 2,326 144 – 8,072Kings West PC PC 5,226 72.78% 4,152 57.82% Lib NDP 39.68% 5,226 1,074 714 167 – 7,181Lunenburg PC PC 4,308 60.16% 2,812 39.27% Lib NDP 46.54% 4,308 1,496 1,185 172 – 7,161Lunenburg West PC PC 4,239 56.28% 1,937 25.72% Lib NDP 43.98% 4,239 2,302 846 145 – 7,532Northside-Westmount Lib PC 4,978 67.89% 3,303 45.05% Lib NDP 45.05% 4,978 1,675 679 – – 7,332Pictou Centre PC PC 3,741 67.61% 2,769 50.05% Lib NDP 41.11% 3,741 972 820 – – 5,533Pictou East PC PC 4,424 78.89% 3,768 67.19% NDP Lib 46.40% 4,424 528 656 – – 5,608Pictou West PC PC 4,325 74.08% 3,547 60.76% Lib NDP 47.74% 4,325 778 620 115 – 5,838PrestonHistorically Black riding Lib PC 2,139 51.41% 925 22.23% NDP Lib 37.88% 2,139 739 1,214 69 – 4,161Queens PC PC 3,461 79.93% 2,974 68.68% Lib NDP 46.65% 3,461 487 382 – – 4,330Richmond PC PC 3,496 70.84% 2,275 46.10% Lib NDP 61.13% 3,496 1,221 218 – – 4,935Sackville-Cobequid PC NDP 2,834 44.78% 63 1.00% PC Lib 42.26% 2,771 724 2,834 – – 6,329Sackville-Uniacke PC PC 2,925 48.99% 396 6.63% NDP Lib 42.58% 2,925 517 2,529 – – 5,971Shelburne PC PC 3,092 76.80% 2,610 64.83% NDP Lib 34.32% 3,092 452 482 – – 4,026Sydney-Membertou Lib Lib 3,691 45.05% 786 9.59% PC NDP 53.01% 2,905 3,691 1,513 85 – 8,194Timberlea-Prospect Lib Lib 4,969 54.89% 2,079 22.96% PC NDP 49.54% 2,890 4,969 1,062 132 – 9,053Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River PC PC 4,034 67.76% 2,967 49.84% NDP Lib 35.27% 4,034 852 1,067 – – 5,953Victoria-The Lakes PC PC 3,685 65.45% 2,467 43.82% Lib NDP 42.93% 3,685 1,218 510 113 104 5,630Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank PC PC 4,653 56.70% 3,018 36.77% Lib NDP 45.20% 4,653 1,635 1,575 344 – 8,207Yarmouth Lib PC 3,663 48.32% 16 0.21% Lib NDP 52.26% 3,663 3,647 208 62 – 7,580

= Open seat = Turnout is above provincial average = Winning candidate was in previous Legislature = Incumbent had switched allegiance = Previously incumbent in another riding = Not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature = Incumbency arose from byelection gain = Other incumbents renominated = Previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada = Previously a member of another provincial/territorial legislature

Comparative analysis for ridings (2024 vs 2021) Analytical charts

Turnout, winning shares and swings