# Pictou East

Pictou East is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
Its Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) since the 2013 election is Tim Houston of the Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia who replaced Clarrie MacKinnon of the New Democratic Party of Nova Scotia.

## Geography

Pictou East covers 1,644 km$^2$ (635 sq mi) of land area.

## Members of the Legislative Assembly

This riding has elected the following members of the Legislative Assembly:
| Legislature | Years | Member | Party |
| 65th | 2024-Present | Tim Houston | Progressive Conservative |
| 64th | 2021–2024 | Tim Houston | Progressive Conservative |
| 63rd | 2017–2021 | Tim Houston | Progressive Conservative |
| 62nd | 2013–2017 | Tim Houston | Progressive Conservative |
| 61st | 2009–2013 | Clarrie MacKinnon | New Democratic |
| 60th | 2006-2009 | Clarrie MacKinnon | New Democratic |
| 59th | 2003-2006 | Jim DeWolfe | Progressive Conservative |
| 58th | 1999-2003 | Jim DeWolfe | Progressive Conservative |
| 57th | 1998-1999 | Jim DeWolfe | Progressive Conservative |
| 56th | 1993-1998 | Wayne Fraser | Liberal |
| 56th | 1993 | Don Cameron | Progressive Conservative |
| 55th | 1988-1993 | Don Cameron | Progressive Conservative |
| 54th | 1984-1988 | Don Cameron | Progressive Conservative |
| 53rd | 1981-1984 | Don Cameron | Progressive Conservative |
| 52nd | 1978-1981 | Don Cameron | Progressive Conservative |
| 51st | 1974-1978 | Don Cameron | Progressive Conservative |
| 50th | 1970-1974 | A. Lloyd MacDonald | Liberal |
| 49th | 1967-1970 | Thomas MacQueen | Progressive Conservative |
| 48th | 1963-1967 | A. Lloyd MacDonald | Liberal |
| 47th | 1960-1963 | John W. MacDonald | Liberal |
| 46th | 1956-1960 | William A. MacLeod | Progressive Conservative |
| 45th | 1953-1956 | John W. MacDonald | Liberal |
| 44th | 1949-1953 | John W. MacDonald | Liberal |

## Election results
### 1949

1949 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John W. MacDonald | 2,455 | 46.55% | – |
| | Liberal–Conservative | William A. MacLeod | 2,216 | 42.02% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Collie G. Ross | 603 | 11.43% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,274 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1949). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1953

1953 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John W. MacDonald | 2,681 | 48.78% | 2.23% |
| | Progressive Conservative | William A. MacLeod | 2,592 | 47.16% | 5.14% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Joseph D. Ryan | 223 | 4.06% | -7.38% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,496 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1953). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1956

1956 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | William A. MacLeod | 2,754 | 50.05% | 2.88% |
| | Liberal | John W. MacDonald | 2,749 | 49.95% | 1.17% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,503 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1956). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1960

1960 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John W. MacDonald | 2,568 | 47.20% | -2.76% |
| | Progressive Conservative | William A. MacLeod | 2,424 | 44.55% | -5.49% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Barrie M. Hould | 449 | 8.25% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,441 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1960). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1963

1963 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | A. Lloyd MacDonald | 2,660 | 50.10% | 2.91% |
| | Progressive Conservative | John Andrew McLean | 2,649 | 49.90% | 5.35% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,309 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1963). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1967

1967 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Thomas MacQueen | 2,876 | 51.14% | 1.24% |
| | Liberal | A. Lloyd MacDonald | 2,748 | 48.86% | -1.24% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,624 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1967). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1970

1970 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | A. Lloyd MacDonald | 3,000 | 47.48% | -1.39% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Thomas MacQueen | 2,981 | 47.18% | -3.96% |
| | New Democratic | Charles E. Arbuckle | 338 | 5.35% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,319 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia Legislature (1970). Legislature of Nova Scotia Election Returns (PDF). Queen's Printer. |||||||

### 1974

1974 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 3,217 | 45.98% | -1.20% |
| | Liberal | Lester MacLean | 2,945 | 42.09% | -5.39% |
| | New Democratic | Joanne Kohout | 835 | 11.93% | 6.58% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,997 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (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. |||||||

### 1978

1978 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 4,315 | 58.96% | 12.99% |
| | Liberal | W. G. (Bill) Munro | 2,364 | 32.30% | -9.79% |
| | New Democratic | Bill Mitton | 639 | 8.73% | -3.20% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,318 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (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. |||||||

### 1981

1981 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 4,347 | 60.88% | 1.92% |
| | Liberal | Harold Lowe | 1,833 | 25.67% | -6.63% |
| | New Democratic | Hasse Lindblad | 960 | 13.45% | 4.71% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,140 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (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. |||||||

### 1984

1984 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 4,367 | 63.75% | 2.87% |
| | Liberal | Scott Johnston | 1,754 | 25.61% | -0.07% |
| | New Democratic | Larry Duchesne | 729 | 10.64% | -2.80% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,850 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (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. |||||||

### 1988

1988 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 3,996 | 49.84% | -13.91% |
| | Liberal | Wayne Fraser | 3,243 | 40.45% | 14.85% |
| | New Democratic | Cecil MacNeil | 778 | 9.70% | -0.94% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,017 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (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. |||||||

### 1993

1993 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald Cameron | 4,446 | 47.05% | -2.80% |
| | Liberal | Wayne Fraser | 3,729 | 39.46% | -0.99% |
| | New Democratic | Dave Peters | 1,275 | 13.49% | 3.79% |
| Total | Total | Total | 9,450 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (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. |||||||

### 1993 by-election

August 3, 1993 by-Election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Liberal | Wayne Fraser | 4,417 | 59.60 |
| Progressive Conservative | Mel MacLean | 1,902 | 25.66 |
| New Democratic Party | Dave Peters | 935 | 12.62 |
| Independent | Alexander James MacKenzie | 111 | 1.50 |
| Natural Law | Peter H. Cameron | 46 | 0.62 |

### 1998

1998 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James DeWolfe | 3,816 | 45.83% | -1.22% |
| | New Democratic | David MacKenzie | 2,302 | 27.65% | 14.16% |
| | Liberal | Wayne Fraser | 2,208 | 26.52% | -12.94% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,326 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1999

1999 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James DeWolfe | 4,478 | 54.94% | 9.11% |
| | New Democratic | Andy Thompson | 2,388 | 29.30% | 1.65% |
| | Liberal | Lynn MacDonald | 1,285 | 15.76% | -10.75% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,151 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 2003

2003 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | James DeWolfe | 3,295 | 44.15% | -10.79% |
| | Liberal | John Fraser | 2,239 | 30.00% | 14.24% |
| | New Democratic | Bob Matheson | 1,929 | 25.85% | -3.45% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,463 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 2006

2006 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Clarrie MacKinnon | 2,761 | 36.73% | 10.88% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Sue Uhren | 2,654 | 35.31% | -8.84% |
| | Liberal | Danny Walsh | 2,000 | 26.61% | -3.39% |
| | Green | John Clark | 102 | 1.36% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,517 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Clarrie MacKinnon | 4,893 | 63.98% | 27.25% |
| | Progressive Conservative | J. Ed MacDonald | 1,984 | 25.94% | -9.37% |
| | Liberal | Francois Rochon | 642 | 8.39% | -18.21% |
| | Green | Robbie Loftus White | 129 | 1.69% | 0.33% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,648 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Pictou East" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 2013

2013 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 3,714 | 48.05 | +22.11 |
| New Democratic | Clarrie MacKinnon | 2,788 | 36.07 | -27.91 |
| Liberal | Francois Rochon | 1,228 | 15.89 | +7.50 |

### 2017

vte2017 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 5,275 | 73.88 | +25.83 |
| | Liberal | John Fraser | 1,301 | 18.22 | +2.33 |
| | New Democratic | Deborah Stiles | 564 | 7.90 | -28.17 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,140 | 100 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 34 | 0.47 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,174 | 59.9 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 11,976 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +11.75 |
| Source: Elections Nova Scotia |||||||

### 2021

vte2021 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 4,918 | 69.68 | -4.20 | $36,667.66 |
| | Liberal | Joe MacDonald | 1,585 | 22.46 | +4.24 | $24,555.29 |
| | New Democratic | Joy Polley | 500 | 7.08 | -0.82 | $18,372.66 |
| | Atlantica | Jonathan Geoffrey Dean | 55 | 0.78 | | $200.00 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 7,058 | 99.62 | – | $70,149.96 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 27 | 0.38 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,085 | 61.44 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 11,532 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -4.22 |
| Source: Elections Nova Scotia |||||||

### 2024

vte2024 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Tim Houston | 4,398 | 78.6% | +8.92 |
| | New Democratic | Vernon Theriault | 668 | 11.9% | +4.82 |
| | Liberal | Stephanie Quinn | 527 | 9.4% | -13.06 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,593 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | |
| Source: Elections Nova Scotia |||||||