The 2003 Nova Scotia general election was held on August 5, 2003, to elect members of the 59th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The ruling Progressive Conservative Party, led by Premier John Hamm, was reduced to a minority government.
The election was called by Progressive Conservatives, who decided to hold a rare summer election in the hope of strengthening their hold on the legislature. Running against them were the New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Darrell Dexter, and the Liberal Party, led by Danny Graham.
Hamm's party ran on a policy of fiscal management, tax cuts, and on their record of fulfilling most of their promises. While the NDP agreed in principle to tax cuts, their main cause was the creation of a public auto insurance company. The Liberals were the only party to criticize the tax cuts.
For the most part, the campaign was quiet and uneventful. Hamm received criticism for a great number of spending programs, including a $150 tax rebate cheque sent to Nova Scotians right before the election. The party was also criticized for holding an election in the summer when most people have other concerns. Darrell Dexter's friendly, non-confrontational style, was popular with many voters, and was a marked change from his party's usually strident socialism. Danny Graham, a young leader, was popular, but failed to make much of a mark.
The election was considered a mild failure for the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives, and something of a success for the NDP.
This election is also notable for being one of the last Canadian provincial elections in which British subjects could vote (a tiny number can still vote provincially in Saskatchewan if they were qualified in 1971).
Legend<br> bold denotes party leader<br> â denotes an incumbent who is not running for re-election or was defeated in nomination contest
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Annapolis | |Frank Chipman <br/>2,795<br/>31.42% | |Adrian Nette <br/>1,395<br/>15.68% || |Stephen McNeil <br/>4,522<br/>50.83% | |Harry Wilson <br/>185<br/>2.08% | | | | || |Frank Chipman |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Clare | |Marc Boudreau <br/>1,456<br/>25.26% | |Don Melanson <br/>760<br/>13.19% || |Wayne Gaudet <br/>3,547<br/>61.55% | | | | | | || |Wayne Gaudet |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Digby-Annapolis | |Gordon Balser<br/>2,339<br/>39.98% | |Deborah Trask <br/>755<br/>12.90% || |Harold Theriault <br/>2,666<br/>45.56% | |Gordon D. Reid<br/>91<br/>1.56% | | | | || |Gordon Balser |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Hants West || |Ron Russell<br/>3,871<br/>46.15% | |Sean Bennett <br/>2,200<br/>26.23% | |Randy Matheson <br/>2,118<br/>25.25% | |Connie Brauer<br/>51<br/>0.61% | |Chummy Anthony <br/>148<br/>1.76% | | || |Ron Russell |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Kings North || |Mark Parent <br/>4,063<br/>50.20% | |Jim Morton <br/>2,340<br/>28.91% | |Michael Landry <br/>1,533<br/>18.94% | | | |Ben Friesen <br/>157<br/>1.94% | | || |Mark Parent |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Kings South || |David Morse<br/>3,347<br/>37.65% | |David Mangle <br/>2,794<br/>31.43% | |Maura Ryan <br/>2,682<br/>30.17% | |Victor Harris <br/>67<br/>0.75% | | | | || |David Morse |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Kings West | |Jon Carey <br/>2,929<br/>35.51% | |Greg Hubbert <br/>2,275<br/>27.58% || |Leo Glavine <br/>3,045<br/>36.91% | | | | | | || |Jon Carey
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Argyle || |Chris d'Entremont <br/>2,345<br/>47.99% | |Charles Muise <br/>595<br/>12.18% | |Aldric Benoit d'Entremont<br/>1,946<br/>39.83% | | | | | | || |Neil LeBlanc â |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Chester-St. Margaret's || |John Chataway <br/>3,451<br/>37.30% | |Hinrich Bitter-Suermann <br/>3,412<br/>36.87% | |Mitt Larsen <br/>2,249<br/>24.31% | |Sue Gault <br/>141<br/>1.52% | | | | || |John Chataway |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Lunenburg || |Michael Baker<br/>3,734<br/>46.36% | |Chris Heide <br/>2,625<br/>32.59% | |Jim Davis <br/>1,695<br/>21.05% | | | | | | || |Michael Baker |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Lunenburg West || |Carolyn Bolivar-Getson <br/>3,111<br/>39.68% | |David Ferguson<br/>2,180<br/>27.80% | |John MacDonald <br/>2,550<br/>32.52% | | | | | | || |Don Downe â |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Queens || |Kerry Morash<br/>2,721<br/>44.19% | |Vicki Conrad <br/>2,300<br/>37.35% | |Win Seaton <br/>1,137<br/>18.46% | | | | | | || |Kerry Morash |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Shelburne || |Cecil O'Donnell <br/>3,702<br/>48.59% | |Kendall Stoddard <br/>810<br/>10.63% | |Clifford Huskilson <br/>3,107<br/>40.78% | | | | | | || |Cecil O'Donnell |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Yarmouth || |Richard Hurlburt<br/>4,656<br/>56.48% | |Gillian Rowley <br/>1,142<br/>13.85% | |Phil DeMille <br/>2,446<br/>29.67% | | | | | | || |Richard Hurlburt
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley || |Brooke Taylor <br/>4,695<br/>64.34% | |Kathryn Belzer <br/>1,694<br/>23.22% | |Joan Barnhill <br/>908<br/>12.44% | | | | | | || |Brooke Taylor |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Colchester North || |Bill Langille <br/>3,324<br/>45.12% | |Garfield Forrest <br/>1,860<br/>25.25% | |John Davidson <br/>2,183<br/>29.63% | | | | | | || |Bill Langille |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cumberland North || |Ernie Fage<br/>4,609<br/>61.95% | |Kim Cail <br/>1,105<br/>14.85% | |Marsh G. Fox<br/>1,389<br/>18.67% | | | | | |Jason Blanch <br/>337<br/>4.53% || |Ernie Fage |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cumberland South || |Murray Scott<br/>4,898<br/>71.69% | |Scott McKee <br/>745<br/>10.90% | |Harriet McCready<br/>1,189<br/>17.40% | | | | | | || |Murray Scott |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Hants East | |Mary Lou LeRoy <br/>1,640<br/>19.54% || |John MacDonell <br/>4,783<br/>56.97% | |Larry Matthews <br/>1,866<br/>22.23% | |Ken Smith <br/>106<br/>1.26% | | | | || |John MacDonell |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Truro-Bible Hill || |Jamie Muir<br/>3,862<br/>47.11% | |Jim Harpell <br/>2,314<br/>28.23% | |Jeff Yuill <br/>2,021<br/>24.66% | | | | | | || |Jamie Muir
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Halifax Chebucto | |Sandy Phillips <br/>1,983<br/>23.72% || |Howard Epstein <br/>3,682<br/>44.04% | |Kenzie MacKinnon <br/>2,592<br/>31.00% | |Scott Higgins <br/>103<br/>1.23% | | | | || |Howard Epstein |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Halifax Citadel | |Jane Purves<br/>2,466<br/>30.27% | |Peter Delefes <br/>2,542<br/>31.20% || |Danny Graham <br/>3,042<br/>37.34% | |James A. C. Marchoine<br/>38<br/>0.47% | |Michael R. Patriquen <br/>59<br/>0.72% | | || |Jane Purves |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Halifax Clayton Park | |Mary Ann McGrath <br/>3,034<br/>34.37% | |Roberta Morrison<br/>2,312<br/>26.19% || |Diana Whalen <br/>3,329<br/>37.71% | | | | | |Greg Lavern <br/>152<br/>1.72% || |Mary Ann McGrath |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Halifax Fairview | |Bruce MacCharles <br/>1,684<br/>22.45% || |Graham Steele <br/>3,439<br/>45.85% | |Susan Hayes <br/>2,284<br/>30.45% | |David F. Boyd<br/>94<br/>1.25% | | | | || |Graham Steele |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Halifax Needham | |Linda Carvery <br/>1,377<br/>18.66% || |Maureen MacDonald <br/>3,709<br/>50.26% | |Mike Rogers <br/>2,178<br/>29.51% | |Blair Baxter <br/>116<br/>1.57% | | | | || |Maureen MacDonald
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Bedford || |Peter G. Christie<br/>4,114<br/>43.87% | |Bob Watson <br/>2,055<br/>21.92% | |Richard Zurawski <br/>3,208<br/>34.21% | | | | | | || |Peter G. Christie |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Halifax Atlantic | |Linda Mosher <br/>2,996<br/>33.68% || |Michele Raymond<br/>3,327<br/>37.40% | |Ian MacKinnon <br/>2,382<br/>26.78% | |Gerald Rodgers <br/>191<br/>2.15% | | | | || |Robert Chisholm â |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Hammonds Plains Upper Sackville || |Barry Barnet<br/>3,322<br/>41.14% | |Brenda Haley <br/>2,229<br/>27.60% | |Pam Streeter <br/>2,419<br/>29.96% | | | |Melanie Patriquen <br/>105<br/>1.30% | | || |Barry Barnet |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Sackville-Cobequid | |John Giannakos <br/>2,426<br/>28.37% || |Dave Wilson <br/>3,881<br/>45.39% | |Bob Harvey <br/>2,147<br/>25.11% | | | |Michael D. Patriquen <br/>97<br/>1.13% | | || |John Holm â |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Timberlea-Prospect | |Barry Fraser <br/>1,535<br/>18.25% || |Bill Estabrooks<br/>5,049<br/>60.01% | |Bruce Holland <br/>1,829<br/>21.74% | | | | | | || |Bill Estabrooks |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank || |Gary Hines <br/>3,141<br/>37.67% | |Percy Paris <br/>2,778<br/>33.31% | |David E. Merrigan<br/>2,240<br/>26.86% | |Heather Sawers <br/>94<br/>1.13% | |Alex Neron <br/>86<br/>1.03% | | || |Gary Hines
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cole Harbour | |Brian Thomas <br/>2,387<br/>26.55% || |Darrell Dexter <br/>4,977<br/>55.37% | |Peter Foy <br/>1,523<br/>16.94% | |Jessica Gould <br/>102<br/>1.13% | | | | || |Darrell Dexter |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage | |Henry McInroy <br/>1,641<br/>24.02% || |Kevin Deveaux<br/>3,997<br/>58.50% | |Brian Churchill <br/>1,121<br/>16.41% | |Kallee A. McPherson<br/>74<br/>1.08% | | | | || |Kevin Deveaux |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Dartmouth East | |Terry Degen <br/>3,107<br/>34.80% || |Joan Massey <br/>3,272<br/>36.65% | |Debra Barlow <br/>2,321<br/>26.00% | |Scott Anderson <br/>98<br/>1.10% | |Hugo St-Onge <br/>101<br/>1.13% | |Sebastien Theriault <br/>28<br/>0.31% || |Jim Smith â |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Dartmouth North | |Jane MacKay <br/>1,900<br/>26.54% || |Jerry Pye <br/>3,799<br/>53.06% | |Rosemary Godin <br/>1,300<br/>18.16% | |Pat Gould <br/>86<br/>1.20% | |Marc-Andre Roy<br/>75<br/>1.05% | | || |Jerry Pye |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Dartmouth South-Portland Valley | |Tim Olive<br/>2,813<br/>31.70% || |Marilyn More<br/>3,844<br/>43.31% | |Collin A. MacEachern<br/>2,218<br/>24.99% | | | | | | || |Tim Olive |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Eastern Shore || |Bill Dooks<br/>3,073<br/>45.02% | |Sid Prest <br/>2,427<br/>35.56% | |Randy Carter <br/>1,326<br/>19.43% | | | | | | || |Bill Dooks |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Preston | |David Hendsbee <br/>1,361<br/>32.77% | |Douglas Sparks<br/>1,331<br/>32.05% || |Keith Colwell <br/>1,411<br/>33.98% | | | |Marc-Boris St-Maurice<br/>50<br/>1.20% | | || |David Hendsbee
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Antigonish || |Angus MacIsaac<br/>4,256<br/>41.64% | |Terry O'Toole <br/>1,755<br/>17.17% | |David Allister Cameron<br/>3,650<br/>35.71% | | | |Gene Purdy <br/>560<br/>5.48% | | || |Angus MacIsaac |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Guysborough-Sheet Harbour || |Ron Chisholm<br/>2,587<br/>37.99% | |Jim Boudreau <br/>2,023<br/>29.71% | |Gordon MacDonald <br/>2,199<br/>32.30% | | | | | | || |Ron Chisholm |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Pictou Centre || |John Hamm <br/>4,262<br/>54.70% | |Alexander MacIsaac <br/>1,571<br/>20.16% | |Tim Daley <br/>1,789<br/>22.96% | | | |Darryl Gallivan <br/>170<br/>2.18% | | || |John Hamm |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Pictou East || |Jim DeWolfe<br/>3,295<br/>44.15% | |Bob Matheson <br/>1,929<br/>25.85% | |John Fraser <br/>2,239<br/>30.00% | | | | | | || |Jim DeWolfe |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Pictou West | |Paul Veniot <br/>2,530<br/>32.68% || |Charlie Parker <br/>3,410<br/>44.05% | |Ed MacMaster <br/>1,639<br/>21.17% | | | | | |Doug Corbett <br/>163<br/>2.11% || |Muriel Baillie âÂÂ
|- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cape Breton Centre | |Rita Tighe-MacLeod<br/>373<br/>4.81% || |Frank Corbett <br/>3,929<br/>50.64% | |Basil McGillivray <br/>3,456<br/>44.55% | | | | | | || |Frank Corbett |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cape Breton North || |Cecil Clarke<br/>3,754<br/>43.46% | |Cecil Snow <br/>1,714<br/>19.84% | |Mike White <br/>3,169<br/>36.69% | | | | | | || |Cecil Clarke |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cape Breton Nova | |Todd Marsman <br/>684<br/>9.85% || |Gordie Gosse <br/>3,168<br/>45.61% | |Mel Crowe <br/>3,094<br/>44.54% | | | | | | || |Paul MacEwan â |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cape Breton South | |John Morrison <br/>1,677<br/>17.27% | |Mike MacSween <br/>2,759<br/>28.41% || |Manning MacDonald<br/>5,275<br/>54.32% | | | | | | || |Manning MacDonald |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Cape Breton West | |Ivan Doncaster <br/>2,221<br/>25.51% | |Douglas MacKinlay <br/>1,868<br/>21.46% || |Russell MacKinnon <br/>4,616<br/>53.03% | | | | | | || |Russell MacKinnon |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Glace Bay | |Mark Bettens <br/>1,351<br/>16.65% | |Vince Hall <br/>2,342<br/>28.87% || |Dave Wilson<br/>4,420<br/>54.48% | | | | | | || |Dave Wilson |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Inverness || |Rodney MacDonald<br/>5,398<br/>51.19% | |Tim Murphy <br/>1,277<br/>12.11% | |Debbie Gillis <br/>3,871<br/>36.71% | | | | | | || |Rodney MacDonald |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Richmond | |Richie Cotton <br/>1,850<br/>31.18% | |Clair Rankin <br/>1,036<br/>17.46% || |Michel Samson <br/>3,047<br/>51.36% | | | | | | || |Michel Samson |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Victoria-The Lakes | |Keith Bain <br/>2,036<br/>32.48% | |Nancy MacKeigan <br/>934<br/>14.90% || |Gerald Sampson <br/>2,284<br/>36.44% | | | | | |Brian Boudreau<br/>750<br/>11.97%<br/>Stemer MacLeod<br/>264<br/>4.21% || |Brian Boudreau