# Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley

Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
The district was created in 1978 from Colchester, and was called Colchester South until 1993. In 1993, the name was changed to Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley and it gained the Salmon River and Musquodoboit Valley areas from Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley, and Millbrook 27 from Truro-Bible Hill. It includes the southern half of Colchester County (not including the Truro area) plus the Musquodoboit Valley region of the Halifax Regional Municipality.

## Geography

The landmass of Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley is 3,096 km$^2$ (1,195 sq mi).

## Members of the Legislative Assembly

This riding has elected the following members of the Legislative Assembly:
| Legislature | Years | Member | Party |
| Colchester South Riding created from Colchester |||||
| 52nd | 1978–1981 | R. Colin Stewart | Progressive Conservative |
| 53rd | 1981–1984 | R. Colin Stewart | Progressive Conservative |
| 54th | 1984–1988 | R. Colin Stewart | Progressive Conservative |
| 55th | 1988–1993 | R. Colin Stewart | Progressive Conservative |
| Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley |||||
| 56th | 1993–1993 | Ken Streatch | Progressive Conservative |
| 56th | 1993–1998 | Brooke Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 57th | 1998–1999 | Brooke Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 58th | 1999–2003 | Brooke Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 59th | 2003–2005 | Brooke Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 60th | 2006–2009 | Brooke Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 61st | 2009–2013 | Gary Burrill | New Democratic |
| 62nd | 2013–2017 | Larry Harrison | Progressive Conservative |
| 63rd | 2017–2021 | Larry Harrison | Progressive Conservative |
| 64th | 2021–2024 | Larry Harrison | Progressive Conservative |
| 65th | 2024–present | Scott Armstrong | Progressive Conservative |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 Nova Scotia general election :
| ** Preliminary results — Not yet official ** |||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Scott Armstrong | 4,048 | 67.60 | +12.47 |
| | New Democratic | Janet Moulton | 1,113 | 18.59 | -0.67 |
| | Liberal | Gwynneth "Gwyn" Bellefontaine | 827 | 13.81 | -11.81 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,988 | 99.44 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 34 | 0.56 | +0.16 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,022 | 39.10 | -13.26 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 15,403 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +12.14 |

### 2021

vte2021 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Progressive Conservative | Larry Harrison | 4,117 | 55.13 | +4.56 | $37,087.10 |
| | Liberal | Rhonda MacLellan | 1,913 | 25.62 | -1.32 | $32,423.06 |
| | New Democratic | Janet Moulton | 1,438 | 19.26 | -3.23 | $36,115.07 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 7,468 | 99.60 | +0.33 | $83,775.96 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 30 | 0.40 | -0.33 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,498 | 52.36 | +1.18 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 14,321 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +2.94 |
| Source: Elections Nova Scotia |||||||

### 2017

2017 provincial election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Progressive Conservative | 3,650 | 50.58 |
| Liberal | 1,944 | 26.94 |
| New Democratic | 1,623 | 22.49 |
vte2017 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Larry Harrison | 3,655 | 50.57 | +8.30 |
| | Liberal | Matthew Rushton | 1,947 | 26.94 | -1.46 |
| | New Democratic | Janet Moulton | 1,625 | 22.49 | -6.84 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,227 | 100 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,280 | 51.2 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 14,225 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +4.88 |
| Source: Elections Nova Scotia |||||||

### 2013

2013 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive Conservative | Larry Harrison | 3,304 | 42.27 | +13.28 |
| New Democratic Party | Gary Burrill | 2,293 | 29.33 | -18.76 |
| Liberal | Tom Martin | 2,220 | 28.40 | +7.79 |

### 2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Gary Burrill | 3,697 | 47.45% | 22.24% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Steve Streatch | 2,265 | 29.07% | -34.78% |
| | Liberal | Willie Versteeg | 1,649 | 21.16% | 12.41% |
| | Green | Margaret Whitney | 181 | 2.32% | 0.14% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,792 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 2006

2006 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Brooke Taylor | 4,790 | 63.85% | -0.49% |
| | New Democratic | Gary Burrill | 1,891 | 25.21% | 1.99% |
| | Liberal | Carolyn Matthews | 657 | 8.76% | -3.69% |
| | Green | Leona MacLeod | 164 | 2.19% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,502 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 2003

2003 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Brooke Taylor | 4,695 | 64.34% | -3.06% |
| | New Democratic | Kathryn Belzer | 1,694 | 23.22% | 3.59% |
| | Liberal | Joan Barnhill | 908 | 12.44% | -0.53% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,297 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1999

1999 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Brooke Taylor | 5,465 | 67.40% | 8.32% |
| | New Democratic | Jim Harpell | 1,591 | 19.62% | -2.99% |
| | Liberal | Leo Stacey | 1,052 | 12.97% | -5.33% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,108 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1998

1998 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Brooke Taylor | 5,122 | 59.08% | 13.35% |
| | New Democratic | Jim Harpell | 1,960 | 22.61% | 5.87% |
| | Liberal | Dick Steeves | 1,587 | 18.31% | -19.22% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,669 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1993

1993 Nova Scotia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ken Streatch | 4,221 | 45.74% | -10.37% |
| | Liberal | John David Tilley | 3,463 | 37.52% | 1.69% |
| | New Democratic | Roger J. Hunka | 1,545 | 16.74% | 8.68% |
| Total | Total | Total | 9,229 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1988

1988 Nova Scotia general election: Colchester South :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | R. Colin Stewart | 3,855 | 56.11% | -7.75% |
| | Liberal | Larry Thomas | 2,462 | 35.83% | 8.48% |
| | New Democratic | Julia A. Skipper | 554 | 8.06% | -0.73% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,871 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1984

1984 Nova Scotia general election: Colchester South :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | R. Colin Stewart | 3,572 | 63.85% | 7.37% |
| | Liberal | Fred A. Kennedy | 1,530 | 27.35% | -1.62% |
| | New Democratic | Bernard A. Gay | 492 | 8.80% | -4.96% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,594 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1981

1981 Nova Scotia general election: Colchester South :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | R. Colin Stewart | 3,281 | 56.48% | 0.20% |
| | Liberal | Laurence Mersereau | 1,683 | 28.97% | -9.14% |
| | New Democratic | Chester Rice | 799 | 13.75% | 8.14% |
| | Independent | Bob Kirk | 46 | 0.79% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,809 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||

### 1978

1978 Nova Scotia general election: Colchester South :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | R. Colin Stewart | 3,230 | 56.28% | – |
| | Liberal | Ed Lorraine | 2,187 | 38.11% | – |
| | New Democratic | Chester Rice | 322 | 5.61% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,739 | – |
| Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. |||||||