Bedford (provincial electoral district)
 Nova Scotia electoral district | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Defunct provincial electoral district | |
| Legislature | Nova Scotia House of Assembly |
| District created | 1978 |
| District abolished | 2021 |
| Last contested | 2017 |
| Demographics | |
| Population (2011) | 27,783 |
| Electors | 19,154 |
| Area (km²) | 32.00 |
| Census division | Halifax Regional Municipality |
Bedford was a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elected one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. The electoral district was created in 1978 as Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley from the redistribution of Halifax Cobequid. The name was changed to Bedford-Fall River in 1993 and the district lost the Musquodoboit Valley area to Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.[1]
In 2003, the district was renamed Bedford. It lost the Fall River and Waverley areas and gained one third of Halifax Bedford Basin, as well as an area along the Hammonds Plains Road. It comprises most of Bedford and all of the community southeast of the Bicentennial Highway.[1]
The district is notable for the electoral loss of Liberal leader Francis MacKenzie, in the 2006 election. MacKenzie attempted to win the seat in 2006 for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. The party polled less than 24% across the province. He lost by more than 800 votes to Len Goucher.
On September 30, 2008, the name of the Bedford district was officially changed to Bedford-Birch Cove. With the 2012 electoral boundary changes, the area of Kearney Lake and Birch Cove moved to Clayton Park West and name of the district officially changed back to Bedford.[2]
In the 2021 Nova Scotia general election, the riding was abolished into Bedford South and Bedford Basin.
Members of the Legislative Assembly
This riding has elected the following members of the Legislative Assembly:
| Bedford | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislature | Years | Member | Party | |
| Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley District created from Halifax Cobequid (1956–1978) |
||||
| 52nd | 1978–1981 | Ken Streatch | Progressive Conservative | |
| 53rd | 1981–1984 | |||
| 54th | 1984–1988 | |||
| 55th | 1988–1993 | |||
| 56th | 1993–1998 | Francene Cosman | Liberal | |
| 57th | 1998–1999 | |||
| 58th | 1999–2003 | Peter G. Christie | Progressive Conservative | |
| District renamed Bedford | ||||
| 59th | 2003–2006 | Peter G. Christie | Progressive Conservative | |
| 60th | 2006–2009 | Len Goucher | ||
| District renamed Bedford-Birch Cove | ||||
| 61st | 2009–2013 | Kelly Regan | Liberal | |
| District renamed Bedford | ||||
| 62nd | 2013–2017 | Kelly Regan | Liberal | |
| 63rd | 2017–2021 | |||
| District dissolved into Bedford South (2021–Present) and Bedford Basin (2021–Present) | ||||
Election results
2017
| 2017 Nova Scotia general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Kelly Regan | 5,831 | 52.69 | -7.97 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Valerie White | 3,388 | 30.62 | +10.41 | ||||
| New Democratic | Blake Wright | 1,362 | 12.31 | -4.66 | ||||
| Green | Michealle Hanshaw | 485 | 4.38 | +2.22 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 11,066 | 100 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 44 | 0.40 | ||||||
| Turnout | 11,110 | 51.85 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 21,429 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -9.19 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Nova Scotia[3][4] | ||||||||
2013
| 2013 Nova Scotia general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Kelly Regan | 6,081 | 60.66% | +16.18 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Joan Christie | 2,026 | 20.21% | -0.54 | ||||
| New Democratic | Mike Poworoznyk | 1,701 | 16.97% | -15.53 | ||||
| Green | Ian Charles | 217 | 2.16% | -0.11 | ||||
| Total | 10,025 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford" (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 April 10, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2026. | ||||||||
2009
| 2009 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Birch Cove | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Kelly Regan | 4,861 | 44.48% | 10.56% | ||||
| New Democratic | Brian Mosher | 3,552 | 32.50% | 11.66% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Len Goucher | 2,268 | 20.75% | -21.47% | ||||
| Green | Neil Green | 248 | 2.27% | -0.75% | ||||
| Total | 10,929 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Birch Cove" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. | ||||||||
2006
| 2006 Nova Scotia general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Len Goucher | 4,090 | 42.66% | -1.21% | ||||
| Liberal | Francis MacKenzie | 3,286 | 34.28% | 0.06% | ||||
| New Democratic | John Buckland | 2,019 | 21.06% | -0.86% | ||||
| Green | Mary McLaughlan | 192 | 2.00% | – | ||||
| Total | 9,587 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. | ||||||||
2003
| 2003 Nova Scotia general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Peter G. Christie | 4,114 | 43.87% | -13.41% | ||||
| Liberal | Richard Zurawski | 3,208 | 34.21% | 15.05% | ||||
| New Democratic | Bob Watson | 2,055 | 21.92% | -1.64% | ||||
| Total | 9,377 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. | ||||||||
1999
| 1999 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Fall River | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Peter G. Christie | 6,566 | 57.28% | 22.49% | ||||
| New Democratic | Jane Earle | 2,700 | 23.55% | -4.07% | ||||
| Liberal | Gerry St. Armand | 2,197 | 19.17% | -18.42% | ||||
| Total | 11,463 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Fall River" (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: Bedford-Fall River | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Francene Cosman | 4,205 | 37.58% | -6.61% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Peter G. Christie | 3,892 | 34.79% | -5.78% | ||||
| New Democratic | Marvin Silver | 3,091 | 27.63% | 12.39% | ||||
| Total | 11,188 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Fall River" (PDF). nslegislature.ca. | ||||||||
1993
| 1993 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Fall River | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Francene Cosman | 4,794 | 44.19% | 10.08% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Peter J. Kelly | 4,401 | 40.57% | -10.92% | ||||
| New Democratic | Ryan Kidney | 1,653 | 15.24% | 0.85% | ||||
| Total | 10,848 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Fall River" (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 June 18, 2018. | ||||||||
1988
| 1988 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Ken Streatch | 5,740 | 51.49% | -8.48% | ||||
| Liberal | Geoff Regan | 3,803 | 34.12% | 12.86% | ||||
| New Democratic | Susan Coldwell | 1,604 | 14.39% | -3.39% | ||||
| Total | 11,147 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley" (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 July 7, 2018. | ||||||||
1984
| 1984 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Ken Streatch | 4,953 | 59.98% | 2.36% | ||||
| Liberal | John M. Dillon | 1,755 | 21.25% | -5.00% | ||||
| New Democratic | Susan Coldwell | 1,468 | 17.78% | 1.66% | ||||
| Labour | Alfred Nieforth | 82 | 0.99% | – | ||||
| Total | 8,258 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley" (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 July 31, 2017. | ||||||||
1981
| 1981 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Ken Streatch | 4,929 | 57.62% | -1.30% | ||||
| Liberal | Dwight Isenor | 2,246 | 26.26% | -6.39% | ||||
| New Democratic | Bruce Carroll | 1,379 | 16.12% | 7.69% | ||||
| Total | 8,554 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley" (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 July 31, 2017. | ||||||||
1978
| 1978 Nova Scotia general election: Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Ken Streatch | 4,951 | 58.93% | – | ||||
| Liberal | Jim MacLean | 2,743 | 32.65% | – | ||||
| New Democratic | Gerald B. Hoganson | 708 | 8.43% | – | ||||
| Total | 8,402 | – | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford-Musquodoboit Valley" (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 June 18, 2018. | ||||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b Nova Scotia Legislature (2024). "Electoral History for Bedford" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.
- ^ MacNeil, Teresa (2012). Electoral Boundaries Commission: Toward Fair and Effective Representation (PDF). Nova Scotia, Electoral Boundaries Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2013.
- ^ 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 December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 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 February 1, 2026.
- Elections Nova Scotia, Complete Results and Statistics (August 5, 2003). Retrieved Dec 14, 2007
- Elections Nova Scotia, Complete Results and Statistics (June 13, 2006). Retrieved Dec 14, 2007
External links