Pictou West

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

Pictou West

Nova Scotia electoral district
Provincial electoral district
Legislature	Nova Scotia House of Assembly
MLA	Marco MacLeod Progressive Conservative
District created	1949
First contested	1949
Last contested	2024
Demographics
Population (2011)	13,922
Electors	10,886
Area (km²)	1,190
Pop. density (per km²)	11.7
Census division(s)	Pictou County
Census subdivision(s)	Pictou, Pictou, Subd. A, Pictou Subd. B

Its member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) since 2024 has been Marco MacLeod of the Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia (PC).

The riding was created prior to the 1949 election out of the two-seat Pictou riding.

Geography

The riding includes the western half of Pictou County, plus the town of Pictou. The riding contains the communities of Abercrombie, Alma, Bay View, Bigney, Black River, Braeshore, Brookland, Campbell Hill, Cape John, Caribou, Caribou Island, Caribou River, Central Caribou, Central West River, College Grant, Concord, Dalhousie, Diamond, Durham, East Branch, Elmfield, Four Mile Brook, Glengarry Station, Granton, Greenhill, Haliburton, Heathbell, Hedgeville, Hodson, Lansdowne Station, Loch Broom, Loganville, Louisville, Lovat, Lyons Brook, Marshdale, Marshville, Meadowville, Melville, Millbrook, Millsville, Mountain Road, Mount Thom, Mount William, New Gairloch, New Lairg, Pictou Island, Plainfield, Pleasant Valley, Poplar Hill, River John, Rockfield, Rocklin, Salt Springs, Scotsburn, Seafoam, Scotch Hill, Six Mile Brook, Sundridge, Sylvester, Toney River, Union Centre, Waterside, Watervale, Welsford, West Branch, West River Station, White Hill

The geography of Pictou West is 1,190 km² (460 sq mi) of land area.^[1]

Members of the Legislative Assembly

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

Legislature	Years	Member		Party
65th	2024-present		Marco MacLeod	Progressive Conservative
64th	2024-2024
	2021-2024		Karla MacFarlane	Progressive Conservative
63rd	2017–2021
62nd	2013–2017
61st	2009–2013		Charlie Parker	New Democratic
60th	2006-2009
59th	2003-2006
58th	1999-2003		Muriel Baillie	Progressive Conservative
57th	1998-1999		Charlie Parker	New Democratic
56th	1993-1998		Donald P. McInnes	Progressive Conservative
55th	1988-1993
54th	1984-1988
53rd	1981-1984
52nd	1978-1981
51st	1974-1978		Dan Reid	Liberal
50th	1970-1974		Harvey Veniot	Progressive Conservative
49th	1967-1970
48th	1963-1967
47th	1960-1963
46th	1956-1960
45th	1953-1956		Stewart W. Proudfoot	Liberal
44th	1949-1953

Election results

2024

v t e 2024 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Marco MacLeod	4,325	74.1%	+1.60
	Liberal	Mary Wooldridge-Elliott	778	13.3%	+3.75
	New Democratic	Carol Ferguson	620	10.6%	-5.94
	Green	Clare Brett	115	2.0%	+0.57
Total valid votes
Total rejected ballots
Turnout			5,838
Eligible voters
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[2]

2024 by-election

Nova Scotia provincial by-election, May 21, 2024 Resignation of Karla MacFarlane
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Marco MacLeod	4,159	72.48	+8.86
	New Democratic	Melinda MacKenzie	949	16.54	+4.18
	Liberal	Mary Wooldridge-Elliott	548	9.55	-11.86
	Green	Clare Brett	82	1.43	-0.33
Total valid votes/Expense limit			5,738	99.29
Total rejected ballots			41	0.71	+0.34
Turnout			5,779	48.09	-13.36
Eligible voters			12,018
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		+2.34
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[3]

2021

v t e 2021 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Karla MacFarlane	4,487	63.62	+1.04	$26,401.55
	Liberal	Mary Wooldridge-Elliott	1,510	21.41	+4.95	$29,635.78
	New Democratic	Rick Parker	872	12.36	-6.30	$25,332.33
	Green	Clare Brett	124	1.76	-0.54	$200.00
	Independent	John A. Clark	60	0.85		$200.00
Total valid votes/expense limit			7,053	99.63	–	$69,087.61
Total rejected ballots			26	0.37
Turnout			7,079	61.44
Eligible voters			11,521
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		-1.96
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[4]

2017

2017 provincial election redistributed results[5]
Party		Vote	%
	Progressive Conservative	4,380	62.58
	New Democratic	1,306	18.66
	Liberal	1,152	16.46
	Green	161	2.30

v t e 2017 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Karla MacFarlane	4,333	62.44	+22.35
	New Democratic	Shawn McNamara	1,302	18.76	-15.53
	Liberal	Ben MacLean	1,143	16.47	-9.14
	Green	Cecile Vigneault	161	2.32
Total valid votes			6,939	99.58
Total rejected ballots			29	0.42	-0.40
Turnout			6,968	62.08	-7.28
Eligible voters			11,225
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		+18.94
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[6][7]

2013

2013 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Karla MacFarlane	3,026	40.10	+20.10
	New Democratic	Charlie Parker	2,588	34.29	-23.34
	Liberal	Glennie Langille	1,933	25.61	+5.55
Total valid votes			7,547	99.19	–
Total rejected ballots			62	0.81	+0.56
Turnout			7,609	69.36	+2.49
Eligible voters			10,971
	Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic		Swing		+21.72

2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Charlie Parker	4,226	57.63	+2.74
	Liberal	Paul Landry	1,471	20.06	+10.88
	Progressive Conservative	Leonard William Fraser	1,466	19.99	-14.00
	Green	Chelsea Richardson	170	2.32	0.38
Total valid votes			7,333	99.74	–
Total rejected ballots			19	0.26	-0.23
Turnout			7,352	66.86	-1.93
Eligible voters			10,996
	New Democratic hold		Swing		-4.07
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "42 Electoral District of Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2006

2006 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Charlie Parker	4,173	54.89	+10.85
	Progressive Conservative	Ron Baillie	2,584	33.99	+1.31
	Liberal	Sandy MacKay	698	9.18	-11.99
	Green	Douglas Corbett	147	1.93	-0.17
Total valid votes			7,602	99.52	–
Total rejected ballots			37	0.48	-0.09
Turnout			7,639	68.79	-12.22
Eligible voters			11,105
	New Democratic hold		Swing		+4.77
Source(s) Source: Elections Nova Scotia (July 14, 2006). "42 - Pictou West" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia.

2003

2003 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Charlie Parker	3,410	44.05	+8.36
	Progressive Conservative	Paul Veniot	2,530	32.68	-4.78
	Liberal	Edward MacMaster	1,639	21.17	-4.30
	Independent	Doug Corbett	163	2.11	–
Total valid votes			7,742	99.42	–
Total rejected ballots			45	0.58	-0.05
Turnout			7,787	81.01	+2.87
Eligible voters			9,612
	New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative		Swing		+6.57
Source(s) Source: Elections Nova Scotia (2003). "42 - Pictou West" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia.

1999

1999 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Muriel Baillie	3,102	37.46	-2.39
	New Democratic	Charlie Parker	2,955	35.69	-4.57
	Liberal	Paul Landry	2,109	25.47	+5.59
	Nova Scotia Party	D. Ed Berringer	114	1.38	–
Total valid votes			8,280	99.38	–
Total rejected ballots			52	0.62	+0.13
Turnout			8,332	78.15	+1.82
Eligible voters			10,662
	Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic		Swing		+1.09
Source(s) Source: Elections Nova Scotia (1999). "Pictou West" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia.

1998

1998 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	New Democratic	Charlie Parker	3,306	40.26	+27.82
	Progressive Conservative	Luke Young	3,273	39.86	-5.86
	Liberal	Rob McDowell	1,633	19.89	-18.07
Total valid votes			8,212	99.50	–
Total rejected ballots			41	0.50	+0.03
Turnout			8,253	76.32	-3.94
Eligible voters			10,813
	New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative		Swing		+16.84
Source(s) Source: Elections Nova Scotia (1998). "(42) Pictou West" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia.

1993

1993 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Donald P. McInnes	4,032	45.72%	-9.02%
	Liberal	Rob McDowell	3,347	37.95%	5.34%
	New Democratic	Sonny Campbell	1,097	12.44%	-0.21%
	Independent	Edward MacMaster	343	3.89%	–
Total			8,819	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (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
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Donald P. McInnes	3,824	54.74%	-5.04%
	Liberal	John J. Henderson	2,278	32.61%	2.56%
	New Democratic	Geoff Moore	884	12.65%	5.10%
Total			6,986	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (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
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Donald P. McInnes	3,844	59.78%	4.13%
	Liberal	Bob Naylor	1,932	30.05%	-3.06%
	New Democratic	Lynn Curwin-Porteous	486	7.56%	-3.69%
	Independent	Franklin R. Fiske	168	2.61%	–
Total			6,430	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (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
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Donald P. McInnes	3,473	55.65%	12.76%
	Liberal	Doris Rink	2,066	33.10%	-7.51%
	New Democratic	Jim Scanlan	702	11.25%	-4.30%
Total			6,241	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (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
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Donald P. McInnes	2,888	42.89%	-0.73%
	Liberal	Dan Reid	2,735	40.61%	-3.38%
	New Democratic	John McDonald	1,047	15.55%	3.16%
	Independent	Lloyd H. MacLellan	64	0.95%	–
Total			6,734	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (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
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Dan Reid	2,624	43.99%	6.46%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	2,602	43.62%	-7.38%
	New Democratic	Charles Parker	739	12.39%	0.91%
Total			5,965	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (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
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	2,729	51.00%	-14.20%
	Liberal	D. Laurence Mawhinney	2,008	37.53%	2.73%
	New Democratic	Robert Cormier	614	11.47%	–
Total			5,351	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1970). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1967

1967 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	3,137	65.20%	5.67%
	Liberal	Edward Snow	1,674	34.80%	-5.67%
Total			4,811	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1967). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1963

1963 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	2,999	59.54%	7.26%
	Liberal	Charles Ernest MacCarthy	2,038	40.46%	-4.37%
Total			5,037	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1963). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1960

1960 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	2,744	52.28%	1.43%
	Liberal	W. A. Broidy	2,353	44.83%	-4.33%
	Co-operative Commonwealth	W. E. Salsman	152	2.90%	–
Total			5,249	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1960). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1956

1956 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	2,644	50.85%	0.93%
	Liberal	Stewart W. Proudfoot	2,556	49.15%	-0.93%
Total			5,200	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1956). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1953

1953 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Stewart W. Proudfoot	2,628	50.09%	-4.95%
	Progressive Conservative	Harvey Veniot	2,619	49.91%	4.95%
Total			5,247	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1953). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.

1949

1949 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Stewart W. Proudfoot	2,817	55.04%	–
	Liberal–Conservative	Donald R. Gilchrist	2,301	44.96%	–
Total			5,118	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou West" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1949). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer.