Clare (electoral district)

Clare
Nova Scotia electoral district
Provincial electoral district
LegislatureNova Scotia House of Assembly
MLA
 
 		 
Ryan Robicheau
Progressive Conservative
District created1949, 2019
District abolished2013
Last contested2024
Demographics
Population (2021)7,687
Electors (2024)7,206
Area (km²)830
Pop. density (per km²)9.3
Census division(s)Digby County
Census subdivision(s)Municipality of the District of Clare

Clare is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada which existed between 1949-2013 and since 2021. Prior to 1949, Clare was part of Digby district. It elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. The electoral district includes most of the Municipality of the District of Clare, an Acadian area occupying the southwestern half of Digby County. For four consecutive elections from 1988 to 1999, the district had the highest voter turnout in the province.[1][2][3][4]

The electoral district was abolished following the 2012 electoral boundary review and was largely replaced by the new electoral district of Clare-Digby. It was re-created out of Clare-Digby following the 2019 Electoral Boundary Review after a court challenge that also re-instated the province's two other protected Acadians ridings of Argyle and Richmond, and the Black riding of Preston.[5]

Geography

The land area of Clare is 830 km2 (320 sq mi).[6]

Members of the Legislative Assembly

The electoral district was represented by the following members of the Legislative Assembly:

Clare
Legislature Years Member Party
Riding created from Digby
44th 1949–1953     Desire Comeau Progressive Conservative
45th 1953–1956     Pierre Belliveau Liberal
46th 1956–1960
47th 1960–1963
48th 1963–1967     Hector J. Pothier Progressive Conservative
49th 1967–1970     Benoit Comeau Liberal
50th 1970–1974
51st 1974–1978
52nd 1978–1981
53rd 1981–1984 Chester Melanson
54th 1984–1988     Guy LeBlanc Progressive Conservative
55th 1988–1993
56th 1993–1998     Wayne Gaudet Liberal
57th 1998–1999
58th 1999–2003
59th 2003–2006
60th 2006–2009
61st 2009–2013
Riding dissolved into Clare-Digby
Riding recreated from Clare-Digby
64th 2021–2024     Ronnie LeBlanc Liberal
65th 2024–present     Ryan Robicheau Progressive Conservative

Election results

2024

2024 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ryan Robicheau 2,805 59.71 +16.29
Liberal Ronnie LeBlanc 1,790 38.10 -11.79
New Democratic Dre Taylor 103 2.19 -1.10
Total valid votes 4,698 99.22
Total rejected ballots 51 1.07 +0.22
Turnout 4,735 65.71 -1.48
Eligible voters 7,206
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +14.00

2021

2021 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Ronnie LeBlanc 2,322 49.89 -1.34 $37,791.91
Progressive Conservative Carl Deveau 2,021 43.43 +13.12 $13,595.33
Green Claire McDonald 158 3.39 $200.00
New Democratic Cameron Pye 153 3.29 -15.17 $10,832.43
Total valid votes/expense limit 4,654 99.15 – $44,268.32
Total rejected ballots 40 0.85
Turnout 4,694 67.19
Eligible voters 6,986
Liberal notional hold Swing -7.23
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[7]

2017 (transposed)

2017 provincial election redistributed results[8]
Party Vote %
  Liberal 2,059 51.23
  Progressive Conservative 1,218 30.31
  New Democratic 742 18.46

2009

2009 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wayne Gaudet 3,392 64.68% 16.16%
New Democratic Paul Comeau 1,326 25.29% 3.32%
Progressive Conservative Jimmy Doucet 459 8.75% -19.33%
Green Diane Doucet-Bean 67 1.28% -0.14%
Total 5,244 –
Total rejected ballots 53
Turnout 5,297 76.71
Eligible voters 6,905
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2006

2006 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wayne Gaudet 2,803 48.53% -13.02%
Progressive Conservative Abraham LeBlanc 1,622 28.08% 2.82%
New Democratic Paul Comeau 1,269 21.97% 8.78%
Green Diane Doucet-Bean 82 1.42% –
Total 5,776 –
Total rejected ballots 50
Turnout 5,826 82.45
Eligible voters 7,066
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

2003

2003 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wayne Gaudet 3,547 61.55% 17.78%
Progressive Conservative Marc Boudreau 1,456 25.26% -12.84%
New Democratic Don Melanson 760 13.19% -4.25%
Total 5,763 –
Total rejected ballots 70
Turnout 5,833 89.68
Eligible voters 6,504
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1999

1999 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wayne Gaudet 2,705 43.76% -3.52%
Progressive Conservative Paul Comeau 2,355 38.10% -3.22%
New Democratic Don Melanson 1,078 17.44% 6.04%
Nova Scotia Party Anne Marie Boyer 43 0.70% –
Total 6,181 –
Total rejected ballots 66
Turnout 6,247 87.43
Eligible voters 7,145
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1998

1998 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wayne Gaudet 2,950 47.28% -4.71%
Progressive Conservative Guy LeBlanc 2,578 41.32% -1.55%
New Democratic Vanessa Paddock 711 11.40% 6.26%
Total 6,239 –
Total rejected ballots 109
Turnout 6,348 88.00
Eligible voters 7,214
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1993

1993 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wayne Gaudet 3,461 51.99% 10.23%
Progressive Conservative Guy LeBlanc 2,854 42.87% -11.15%
New Democratic Christian Collin 342 5.14% 0.92%
Total 6,657 –
Total rejected ballots 83
Turnout 6,740 91.44
Eligible voters 7,371
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1988

1988 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Guy LeBlanc 3,587 54.02% 3.69%
Liberal Nadine Boudreau 2,773 41.76% -3.53%
New Democratic Jan Slakov-Crombie 280 4.22% -0.16%
Total 6,640 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1984

1984 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Guy LeBlanc 3,094 50.33% 12.33%
Liberal Chester Melanson 2,784 45.29% 6.33%
New Democratic Alain Chabot 269 4.38% -18.66%
Total 6,147 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1981

1981 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Chester Melanson 2,228 38.96% -17.51%
Progressive Conservative Guy LeBlanc 2,173 38.00% 1.87%
New Democratic Paul Dennis Comeau 1,317 23.03% 15.64%
Total 5,718 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1978

1978 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Benoit Comeau 2,963 56.47% -4.60%
Progressive Conservative Gerald J. B. Comeau 1,896 36.13% 11.00%
New Democratic Sylvio Gagnon 388 7.39% -6.39%
Total 5,247 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1974

1974 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Benoit Comeau 2,959 61.07% 1.40%
Progressive Conservative Vincent L. Doucet 1,218 25.14% -15.19%
New Democratic Jean L. Belliveau 668 13.79% –
Total 4,845 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1970

1970 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Benoit Comeau 2,712 59.67% 3.24%
Progressive Conservative Paul J. Comeau 1,833 40.33% -3.24%
Total 4,545 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1967

1967 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Benoit Comeau 2,384 56.43% 9.04%
Progressive Conservative Hector J. Pothier 1,841 43.57% -9.04%
Total 4,225 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1963

1963 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Hector J. Pothier 2,154 52.61% 4.74%
Liberal Joseph C. LeBlanc 1,940 47.39% -4.74%
Total 4,094 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1960

1960 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Pierre E. Belliveau 2,215 52.13% -0.47%
Progressive Conservative Kenneth Weaver 2,034 47.87% 0.47%
Total 4,249 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1956

1956 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Pierre E. Belliveau 2,046 52.60% -5.87%
Progressive Conservative J. Fred Gaudet 1,844 47.40% 5.87%
Total 3,890 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1953

1953 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Pierre E. Belliveau 2,307 58.46% 8.92%
Progressive Conservative Desire J. Comeau 1,639 41.54% –
Total 3,946 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

1949

1949 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Conservative Desire J. Comeau 2,116 50.45% –
Liberal Benoit Comeau 2,078 49.55% –
Total 4,194 –
Source(s)
Source: Nova Scotia Legislature (2021). "Electoral History for Clare" (PDF). nslegislature.ca.

References

  1. ^ Recapitulation 1988 Election Elections Nova Scotia
  2. ^ Recapitulation 1993 Election Elections Nova Scotia
  3. ^ Recapitulation 1998 Election Elections Nova Scotia
  4. ^ Recapitulation 1999 Election Elections Nova Scotia
  5. ^ Doucette, Keith. "Province to restore four protected ridings for Acadians, African Nova Scotians". CTV. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Find Your Electoral District for the 41st Provincial General Election". enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca. Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results" (PDF). Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ Transposition of Votes from the 2017 Provincial General Election to 2019 Electoral District Boundaries