# 1978 Nova Scotia general election

The 1978 Nova Scotia general election was held on September 19, 1978, to elect members of the 52nd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.

## Results
### Results by party

| 31 | 17 | 4 |
| Progressive Conservative | Liberal | New Democratic |
Official results :
| Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | 1974 | Dissolution | Elected | Change | # | % | Change (pp) |
| | Progressive Conservative | John Buchanan | 52 | 12 | 12 | 31 | +19 | 203,500 | 45.48% | +7.17% |
| | Liberal | Gerald Regan | 52 | 31 | 30 | 17 | -14 | 175,218 | 39.16% | -8.41% |
| | New Democratic | Jeremy Akerman | 52 | 3 | 3 | 4 | +1 | 63,979 | 14.30% | +1.43% |
| | Independent | Independent | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,008 | 0.45% | -0.06% |
| | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 1 | | | | | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 444,705 | 99.39% | +0.13% |
| Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | 2,739 | 0.61% | -0.13% |
| Total | Total | Total | 162 | 46 | 46 | 52 | +6 | 447,444 | 100.00% | – |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 542,547 | 78.23% | +0.34% |
Popular vote
PC
45.48%
Liberal
39.16%
New Democratic
14.30%
Independent
0.45% :
Seats summary
PC
59.62%
Liberal
32.69%
New Democratic
7.69% :

### Results by region

| Party name | Party name | Party name | HRM | Cape Breton | Annapolis Valley | South Shore | Fundy-Northeast | Central Nova | Total |
| Parties winning seats in the legislature ||||||||||
| | Progressive Conservative | Seats: | 12 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 31 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Popular vote: | 52.01% | 31.95% | 51.35% | 44.73% | 50.28% | 48.32% | 45.48% |
| | Liberal | Seats: | 2 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 17 |
| | Liberal | Popular vote: | 34.50% | 42.78% | 40.27% | 44.10% | 40.66% | 36.74% | 39.16% |
| | New Democratic Party | Seats: | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| | New Democratic Party | Popular vote: | 12.99% | 25.27% | 8.38% | 9.48% | 8.91% | 14.48% | 14.30% |
| Parties not winning seats in the legislature ||||||||||
| | Independent | Popular vote: | 0.49% | – | – | 1.68% | 0.14% | 0.46% | 0.45% |
| Total seats: | Total seats: | Total seats: | 14 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 52 |

## Retiring incumbents
### Liberal

* Melinda MacLean, Colchester
* Leonard L. Pace, Halifax-St. Margaret's

### Progressive Conservative

* John Wickwire, Queens

## Nominated candidates

Legend bold denotes party leader † denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest

### Valley

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Annapolis East | | Carl L. Bruce 2,470 36.37% | | Gerry Sheehy 3,863 56.88% | | Roger A. Boutilier 458 6.74% | | | Gerry Sheehy |
| Annapolis West | | Peter M. Nicholson 2,329 43.78% | | Greg Kerr 2,690 50.56% | | Larry Duchesne 301 5.66% | | | Peter M. Nicholson |
| Clare | | Benoit Comeau 2,963 56.47% | | Gerald J.B. Comeau 1,896 36.13% | | Sylvio Gagnon 388 7.39% | | | Benoit Comeau |
| Digby | | Joseph H. Casey 3,048 51.56% | | John Comeau 2,603 44.03% | | John Gray 261 4.41% | | | Joseph H. Casey |
| Hants West | | Robert D. Lindsay 3,485 38.08% | | Ron Russell 4,872 53.23% | | Bill Shiers 795 8.69% | | | Robert D. Lindsay |
| Kings North | | Glenn Ells 3,283 42.77% | | Edward Twohig 3,744 48.78% | | Donald C. Fraser 649 8.45% | | | Glenn Ells |
| Kings South | | Wilbur H. Starratt 1,526 22.66% | | Harry How 4,214 62.58% | | Donald F. Archibald 994 14.76% | | | Harry How |
| Kings West | | Frank Bezanson 3,559 37.71% | | George Moody 5,011 53.09% | | William J. Dyer 869 9.21% | | | Frank Bezanson |

### South Shore

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Lunenburg Centre | | Jack Pelley 3,156 30.23% | | Bruce Cochran 5,764 55.22% | | Scott D. Miller 425 4.07% | | Walton Cook 1,094 10.48% | Bruce Cochran |
| Lunenburg East | | Wally MacDonald 1,417 28.01% | | Ron Barkhouse 3,386 66.93% | | Robert Whiting Sr. 256 5.06% | | | Ron Barkhouse |
| Lunenburg West | | Maurice DeLory 2,791 36.54% | | Mel Pickings 3,907 51.15% | | G.M. Dean 941 12.32% | | | Maurice DeLory |
| Queens | | Keith Wyer 2,440 33.85% | | John Leefe 3,800 52.72% | | A.J. d'Entremont 968 13.43% | | | John Wickwire† |
| Shelburne | | Harold Huskilson 3,932 45.06% | | A. Etheren Goreham 3,682 42.20% | | Jane A. Strange 1,112 12.74% | | | Harold Huskilson |
| Yarmouth | | Fraser Mooney 7,568 29.25% | | Dorothy M. Crosby 4,389 16.96% | | Hartley Wickens 1,268 4.90% | | | Fraser Mooney |
| Yarmouth | | Hugh Tinkham 7,339 28.36% | | Harold H. Hanf 4,122 15.93% | | Charles Paddock 1,190 4.60% | | | Hugh Tinkham |

### Fundy-Northeast

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Colchester North | | Floyd Tucker 3,023 43.30% | | Bill Campbell 3,447 49.37% | | Peter Robben 512 7.33% | | | Floyd Tucker Colchester |
| Colchester South | | Ed Lorraine 2,187 38.11% | | R. Colin Stewart 3,230 56.28% | | Chester Rice 322 5.61% | | | Melinda MacLean† Colchester |
| Cumberland Centre | | Guy Brown 2,515 53.75% | | Russell Fisher 1,354 28.94% | | Dennis R. Calder 810 17.31% | | | Guy Brown |
| Cumberland East | | Norman J. Mansour 3,234 34.15% | | Roger Stuart Bacon 4,955 52.33% | | Francis Soontiens 1,280 13.52% | | | Roger Stuart Bacon |
| Cumberland West | | Duncan Lake 2,292 43.72% | | D. L. George Henley 2,633 50.23% | | John S. Edgecombe 317 6.05% | | | D. L. George Henley |
| Hants East | | Jack Hawkins 3,294 42.15% | | G. Patrick Hunt 4,035 51.63% | | Clair White 486 6.22% | | | Jack Hawkins |
| Truro—Bible Hill | | Peter Wilson 3,160 37.04% | | Ron Giffin 4,713 55.24% | | Tom Barron 589 6.90% | | Bob Kirk 70 0.82% | New riding |

### Central Halifax

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Halifax Bedford Basin | | Wilfred Moore 4,081 35.08% | | Joel Matheson 6,325 54.36% | | Tom Orman 1,229 10.56% | | | New riding |
| Halifax Chebucto | | Walter Fitzgerald 3,998 44.28% | | Margaret Stanbury 3,733 41.34% | | Donald F. Mielke 1,298 14.38% | | | Walter Fitzgerald |
| Halifax Citadel | | Ronald Wallace 3,525 37.82% | | Art Donahoe 3,780 40.56% | | Michael Bradfield 2,015 21.62% | | | Ronald Wallace |
| Halifax Cornwallis | | George M. Mitchell 3,104 31.77% | | Terry Donahoe 4,446 45.51% | | Michael Coyle 2,220 22.72% | | | George M. Mitchell |
| Halifax Needham | | Gerald Regan 3,553 43.38% | | Pat Curran 3,416 41.70% | | James Miller 1,222 14.92% | | | Gerald Regan |

### Suburban Halifax

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley | | Jim MacLean 2,743 32.65% | | Ken Streatch 4,951 58.93% | | Gerald B. Hoganson 708 8.43% | | | New riding |
| Halifax Atlantic | | Jerry F. Blom 2,303 22.28% | | John Buchanan 6,628 64.13% | | Susan Holtz 1,274 12.33% | | Art Canning 131 1.27% | John Buchanan |
| Halifax-St. Margaret's | | Terry Tingley 3,149 32.45% | | Jerry Lawrence 5,277 54.38% | | Garry Richard Craig 1,278 13.17% | | | Leonard L. Pace† |
| Sackville | | George Doucet 3,554 34.47% | | Malcolm A. MacKay 5,247 50.89% | | Doug MacDonald 990 9.60% | | Evan Morgan 519 5.03% | George Doucet Halifax Cobequid |

### Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Cole Harbour | | Peter Sawler 2,782 35.59% | | David Nantes 4,278 54.73% | | Daniel laFitte 757 9.68% | | | New riding |
| Dartmouth East | | Barbara Hart 3,488 36.27% | | Richard L. Weldon 5,098 53.02% | | Gabriel Des Rochers 1,030 10.71% | | | New riding |
| Dartmouth North | | Glen M. Bagnell 2,927 33.94% | | Laird Stirling 4,561 52.89% | | Nick Rolls 1,135 13.16% | | | Glen M. Bagnell |
| Dartmouth South | | Norman Crawford 2,365 25.38% | | Roland J. Thornhill 5,530 59.35% | | Mike Marshall 1,423 15.27% | | | Roland J. Thornhill |
| Halifax Eastern Shore | | Alexander Garnet Brown 3,911 40.07% | | Tom McInnis 5,298 54.28% | | Daniel Matheson 552 5.66% | | | Alexander Garnet Brown |

### Central Nova

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Antigonish | | Bill Gillis 4,689 49.82% | | Bill McNeil 3,713 39.45% | | John Arthur Murphy 1,010 10.73% | | | Bill Gillis |
| Guysborough | | A.M. "Sandy" Cameron 3,306 47.87% | | Jim Johnson 3,293 47.68% | | Kevin Patrick Keeping 307 4.45% | | | A.M. "Sandy" Cameron |
| Pictou Centre | | Erskine Cumming 2,313 20.00% | | Jack MacIsaac 6,056 52.36% | | Austin Sutton 3,068 26.52% | | Jim Beck 130 1.12% | Jack MacIsaac |
| Pictou East | | W.G. Bill Munro 2,364 32.30% | | Donald Cameron 4,315 58.96% | | Bill Mitton 639 8.73% | | | Donald Cameron |
| Pictou West | | Dan Reid 2,735 40.61% | | Donald P. McInnes 2,888 42.89% | | John McDonald 1,047 15.55% | | Lloyd H. MacLellan 64 0.95% | Dan Reid |

### Cape Breton

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | Liberal | Liberal | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Independent | Independent | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Cape Breton Centre | | Francis MacLean 2,993 36.96% | | Peter MacKinnon 1,510 18.65% | | Buddy MacEachern 3,594 44.39% | | | Buddy MacEachern |
| Cape Breton East | | Vincent Kachafanas 3,109 27.21% | | Frank Edwards 3,182 27.85% | | Jeremy Akerman 5,135 44.94% | | | Jeremy Akerman |
| Cape Breton North | | Barry LeBlanc 2,782 28.17% | | Tom MacKeough 3,215 32.56% | | Len J. Arsenault 3,878 39.27% | | | Tom MacKeough |
| Cape Breton Nova | | Earle Tubrett 2,867 34.60% | | Percy Gaum 1,502 18.12% | | Paul MacEwan 3,918 47.28% | | | Paul MacEwan |
| Cape Breton South | | Vince MacLean 7,041 59.84% | | Donald C. MacNeil 2,761 23.46% | | Sandy MacNeil 1,965 16.70% | | | Vince MacLean |
| Cape Breton—The Lakes | | Ossie Fraser 3,473 46.26% | | Jim MacDonald 2,642 35.19% | | Irene LeBlanc 1,393 18.55% | | | New riding |
| Cape Breton West | | David Muise 3,664 36.80% | | "Big" Donnie MacLeod 3,081 30.95% | | Frank Boone 3,211 32.25% | | | Ossie Fraser |
| Inverness | | William MacEachern 6,270 27.10% | | Bernie MacLean 5,412 23.39% | | Archie A. Chisholm 644 2.78% | | | William MacEachern |
| Inverness | | John Archie MacKenzie 5,632 24.34% | | Bill MacIsaac 4,614 19.94% | | Joyce Campbell 563 2.43% | | | John Archie MacKenzie |
| Richmond | | Gaston LeBlanc 3,287 49.39% | | Eva Landry 2,446 36.75% | | Bruce Wright 922 13.85% | | | Gaston LeBlanc |
| Victoria | | Peter John Nicholson 2,199 48.29% | | Catherine MacNeil Jankowski 1,992 43.74% | | Steve Lake 363 7.97% | | | Vacant |