1981 Nova Scotia general election

The **1981 Nova Scotia general election** was held on October 6, 1981, to elect members of the 53rd House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.

### Results by party

||Party|Leader||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|align="center"|1978|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|align="center"|% change|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|Progressive Conservative|John Buchanan|align=right|31|align=right|**37**|align=right|+19%|align=right|200,228|align=right|45.8%|Liberal|A.M. "Sandy" Cameron|align=right|17|align=right|**13**|align=right|-23%|align=right|139,604|align=right|33.2%|New Democratic|Alexa McDonough|align=right|4|align=right|**1**|align=right|-75%|align=right|76,289|align=right|18.1%|colspan=2|Independent|align=right|N/A|align=right|**1**|align=right|N/A|align=right||align=right|1.2%|
|colspan="3"|**Total Seats**|align=right|52|align=right|**52**|align=right||align=right|421,123|align=right|100%|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

vote share included in "other".

## Infobox (election)

- **election name**: 1981 Nova Scotia general election
- **country**: Nova Scotia
- **type**: parliamentary
- **party colour**: no
- **party name**: no
- **previous election**: 1978 Nova Scotia general election
- **previous year**: 1978
- **previous mps**: 52nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia
- **election date**: October 6, 1981
- **elected mps**: 53rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia, members
- **next election**: 1984 Nova Scotia general election
- **next year**: 1984
- **seats for election**: 52 seats of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
 27 seats were needed for a majority
- **image1**: <div style="width:115px;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:; font-size:38px;"> **PC**</span></div>
- **leader1**: John Buchanan
- **leader since1**: Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia leadership elections#1971 leadership convention, March 6, 1971
- **leaders seat1**: Halifax Atlantic
- **last election1**: 31
- **seats1**: 37
- **seat change1**: 7
- **popular vote1**: 200,228
- **percentage1**: 45.8%
- **swing1**: 0.0
- **image2**: <div style="width:115px;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:; font-size:38px;"> **Lib**</span></div>
- **leader2**: Sandy Cameron, A.M. "Sandy" Cameron
- **leader since2**: Nova Scotia Liberal Party leadership elections#1980 leadership convention, June 8, 1980
- **leaders seat2**: Guysborough (provincial electoral district), Guysborough
- **last election2**: 17
- **seats2**: 13
- **seat change2**: 4
- **popular vote2**: 139,604
- **percentage2**: 33.2%
- **swing2**: 6.2%
- **image3**:
- **leader3**: Alexa McDonough
- **leader since3**: Nova Scotia New Democratic Party leadership elections#1980 leadership convention, November 16, 1980
- **leaders seat3**: Halifax Chebucto
- **last election3**: 4
- **seats3**: 1
- **seat change3**: 3
- **popular vote3**: 76,289
- **percentage3**: 18.1%
- **swing3**: 3.7%
- **title**: Premier
- **posttitle**: Premier after election
- **before election**: John Buchanan
- **after election**: John Buchanan