Colchester North (provincial electoral district)

Colchester North
Nova Scotia electoral district
Provincial electoral district
Legislature	Nova Scotia House of Assembly
MLA	Tom Taggart; Progressive Conservative
;
District created	1978
First contested	1978
Last contested	2024
Demographics
Population (2011)	18,238
Electors	13,879
Area (km²)	2,249
Pop. density (per km²)	8.1
Census division	Colchester County

Colchester North is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. It was created in 1978 when the former district of Colchester was redistributed.

The Member of the Legislative Assembly is Tom Taggart of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, who replaced Karen Casey who had held the seat from 2006 to 2021 as both a Conservative and then a Liberal.

The riding includes the northern half of Colchester County. Communities include Debert, Great Village, and Tatamagouche.^[1]

Geography

The land area of Colchester North is 2,249 km² (868 sq mi).^[2]

Members of the Legislative Assembly

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

Colchester North
Legislature	Years	Member		Party
Riding created from Colchester
52nd	1978–1981		Bill Campbell	Progressive Conservative
53rd	1981–1984		Ed Lorraine	Liberal
54th	1984–1988		Jack Coupar	Progressive Conservative
55th	1988–1993		Ed Lorraine	Liberal
56th	1993–1998
57th	1998–1999
58th	1999–2003		Bill Langille	Progressive Conservative
59th	2003–2005		Bill Langille
60th	2006–2009		Karen Casey
61st	2009–2011
61st	2011–2013			Liberal
62nd	2013–2017
63rd	2017–2021
64th	2021–2024		Tom Taggart	Progressive Conservative
65th	2024–present		Tom Taggart	Progressive Conservative

Election results

2024

2024 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom Taggart	4,282	67.79	14.61
	New Democratic	Christina McCarron	1,062	16.81	5.47
	Liberal	Dustin Rekunyk	828	13.11	-18.74
	Green	Jillian Foster	145	2.30	-0.70
Total			6,317	–
Source:Elections Nova Scotia^[3]

2021

2021 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Tom Taggart	4,477	53.18	+12.14	$44,631.58
	Liberal	Merlyn Smith	2,681	31.84	-14.65	$91,526.85
	New Democratic	Sean Foley	955	11.34	-1.13	$36,616.11
	Green	Ivan Drouin	252	2.99		$1,794.39
	Atlantica	Stephan Sante	54	0.64		$200.00
Total valid votes/expense limit			8,419	99.67	+0.19	$86,863.25
Total rejected ballots			28	0.33	-0.19
Turnout			8,447	56.67	+2.10
Eligible voters			14,906
	Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing		+13.40
Source: Elections Nova Scotia^[4]^[5]

2017

2017 provincial election redistributed results^[6]
Party		Vote	%
	Liberal	3,654	46.49
	Progressive Conservative	3,225	41.04
	New Democratic	980	12.47

2017 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Karen Casey	3,654	46.49	-14.50
	Progressive Conservative	Rebecca Taylor	3,225	41.04	+14.68
	New Democratic	James Finnie	980	12.47	-0.17
Total valid votes			7,859	99.48
Total rejected ballots			41	0.52	-0.05
Turnout			7,900	54.57	-4.51
Eligible voters			14,476
	Liberal hold		Swing		-14.59
Source: Elections Nova Scotia^[7]^[8]

2013

2013 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Karen Casey	5,003	61.00%	44.52%
	Progressive Conservative	John K. MacDonald	2,162	26.36%	-23.89%
	New Democratic	Jim Wyatt	1,037	12.64%	-18.50%
Total valid votes			8,202	99.43
Total rejected ballots			47	0.57
Turnout			8,249	59.09
Eligible voters			13,961
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2013). 39th Provincial General Election, October 8, 2013: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2026.

2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Karen Casey	3,811	50.25%	-1.29%
	New Democratic	Arthur Hartlen	2,362	31.14%	11.17%
	Liberal	Lorenda Ebbett	1,250	16.48%	-9.68%
	Green	Judy Davis	161	2.12%	-0.20%
Total			7,584	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2006

2006 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Karen Casey	3,899	51.54%	6.42%
	Liberal	Bob Taylor	1,979	26.16%	-3.47%
	New Democratic	Rob Assels	1,511	19.97%	-5.27%
	Green	Judy Davis	176	2.33%	–
Total			7,565	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2003

2003 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Langille	3,324	45.12%	0.81%
	Liberal	John Davidson	2,183	29.63%	2.60%
	New Democratic	Garfield Forrest	1,860	25.25%	-3.41%
Total			7,367	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1999

1999 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Langille	3,728	44.31%	14.54%
	New Democratic	Ralph Martin	2,411	28.66%	-2.44%
	Liberal	John Davidson	2,274	27.03%	-12.10%
Total			8,413	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (1999). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-Fifth General Election (Report). Elections Nova Scotia.

1998

1998 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ed Lorraine	3,301	39.13%	-15.14%
	New Democratic	Janet Maybee	2,623	31.10%	20.40%
	Progressive Conservative	Andy Williamson	2,511	29.77%	-5.26%
Total			8,435	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1993

1993 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ed Lorraine	5,123	54.27%	7.64%
	Progressive Conservative	Tom Taggart	3,306	35.02%	-9.82%
	New Democratic	Patsy Forrest	1,010	10.70%	2.18%
Total			9,439	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (1993). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-Third General Election (PDF) (Report). Queen's Printer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2018.

1988

1988 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ed Lorraine	4,260	46.63%	1.95%
	Progressive Conservative	Jack Coupar	4,097	44.85%	-1.80%
	New Democratic	Penny Marchbank	778	8.52%	-0.16%
Total			9,135	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (1988). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-Second General Election (PDF) (Report). Queen's Printer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2018.

1984

1984 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Jack Coupar	3,796	46.65%	4.25%
	Liberal	Ed Lorraine	3,636	44.68%	2.13%
	New Democratic	Allan M. Marchbank	706	8.68%	-6.38%
Total			8,138	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (1984). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirty-First General Election (PDF) (Report). Queen's Printer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2017.

1981

1981 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Ed Lorraine	3,182	42.55%	-0.75%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Campbell	3,171	42.40%	-6.97%
	New Democratic	Allan M. Marchbank	1,126	15.06%	7.72%
Total			7,479	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (1981). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Thirtieth General Election (PDF) (Report). Queen's Printer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2017.

1978

1978 Nova Scotia general election
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Bill Campbell	3,447	49.37%	–
	Liberal	Floyd Tucker	3,023	43.30%	–
	New Democratic	Peter Robben	512	7.33%	–
Total			6,982	–
Source(s) Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (1978). Returns of the General Election for the House of Assembly, Twenty-Ninth General Election (PDF) (Report). Queen's Printer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2018.

References

^ Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.
^ "Find Your Electoral District for the 41st Provincial General Election". enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca. Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
^ Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2025). 42nd Provincial General Election, November 26, 2024: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
^ Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2022). 41st Provincial General Election, August 17, 2021: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
^ Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2022). 41st Provincial General Election, August 17, 2021: Volume 3 – Financial Information & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
^ "Transposition of Votes from the 2017 Provincial General Election to 2019 Electoral District Boundaries" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 12 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
^ Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2017). 40th Provincial General Election, May 30, 2017: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
^ Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2018). 40th Provincial General Election, May 30, 2017: Volume 3 – Financial Information & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

External links

[1] Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Colchester North" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

[2] "Find Your Electoral District for the 41st Provincial General Election". enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca. Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 22 July 2021.

[3] Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2025). 42nd Provincial General Election, November 26, 2024: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

[4] Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2022). 41st Provincial General Election, August 17, 2021: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

[5] Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2022). 41st Provincial General Election, August 17, 2021: Volume 3 – Financial Information & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

[6] "Transposition of Votes from the 2017 Provincial General Election to 2019 Electoral District Boundaries" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. 12 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.

[7] Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2017). 40th Provincial General Election, May 30, 2017: Volume 1 – Statement of Votes & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.

[8] Nova Scotia, Chief Electoral Officer (2018). 40th Provincial General Election, May 30, 2017: Volume 3 – Financial Information & Statistics (PDF) (Report). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 1 February 2026.

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