Elections Nova Scotia

42nd Provincial General Election in Nova Scotia

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Dorothy Rice, has received an order from the Governor in Council for a Provincial general election(PGE) to be held in Nova Scotia. The CEO has issued the writs of election for the 55 electoral districts in the province and election day will be Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

“Voters in Nova Scotia can count on Elections Nova Scotia to deliver on our mandate by providing a fair and balance election,” says Dorothy Rice, Chief Electoral Officer of Nova Scotia, “We offer a variety of voting options because we want the electoral process to be accessible so all voters can participate in democracy.”

Vote Early Vote Anywhere!

There are 26 early voting days available in Nova Scotia during the 42nd PGE. Before election day, voters in Nova Scotia can cast their ballot early at any voting location in the province, not just in their home electoral district. This allows voters to vote when and where it is convenient for them.

An information postcard has been mailed to every household in the province to help voters understand their voting options. Elections Nova Scotia encourages voters to get to know their voting options and make a plan to cast their ballot in the 42nd PGE.

Notice of Election

A provincial general election will be held in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, to elect members to serve in the House of Assembly.

The following days are pursuant to the Elections Act.

Early Voting Options
Prior to election day, eligible voters can vote early at any early voting location in the province. Voters can also apply to vote remotely using a write-in ballot. Early voting before the close of candidate nominations will be done using the write-in ballot. Early voting after the close of nominations will be done by e-Ballot.

Returning Offices
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm
Closed on Sundays
Open for extended hours on Thursday, November 21 and Friday, November 22, 2024 from 9 am to 8 pm
Open on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 from 8 am to 8 pm

Advance polls
Saturday, November 16 – Saturday, November 23, 2024
Open from 9 am to 6 pm
Closed on Sundays
Open for extended hours on Thursday, November 21 and Friday, November 22, 2024 from 9 am to 8 pm

Election Day Voting
Election day is Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Voting will be open from 8 am to 8 pm on election day.
On election day, eligible voters in Nova Scotia must vote at their assigned voting location or at the returning office in their electoral district.

Click here to find your election day voting location.

Candidate Nominations Close - Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 2pm.

Who Can Vote in the Provincial General Election

To be eligible to vote in the Provincial general election, you must be:

• 18 years of age or older on Tuesday, November 26, 2024
• A Canadian citizen
• Live in Nova Scotia since April 27, 2024 (six months prior to the date the by-election was called)

Election Workers Needed

It takes a lot of people and effort to make an election run smoothly. Elections Nova Scotia needs dedicated workers to facilitate voting during the current Provincial general election. People 18 years and older who would like to work the Provincial general election are asked to please contact the returning office in their electoral district.

Click here and enter your address in the ‘where do I vote’ tool to find the contact information for the returning office in your electoral district. There are also some jobs available for people ages 16 to 18.

Accessibility and Accommodations

Elections Nova Scotia’s new IDEAS (inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility) strategy is focused on helping underserved voters to cast their ballot in the provincial general election. We are working with our IDEAS community partners to offer 5 supportive voting locations for underserved voter communities.

Click here for more information on accessibility and accommodations for voting.

Write-in Ballot

Eligible voters in Nova Scotia can apply to vote remotely using a write-in ballot. Voters can apply for a write-in ballot in person at their returning office, by mail, or have a trusted friend or family member act as the voter’s agent to help them apply. Voters can also arrange to have a write-in ballot team visit them at home. Once a voter has applied to vote by write-in ballot, that is the method of voting they must use. Write-in ballots are conducted every day except Sundays during the hours the returning office is open.

The application deadline for a write-in ballot by mail is Saturday, November 16, 2024 by 6 pm.

The application deadline for a write-in ballot in-person or by agent is Tuesday, November 26, 2024 by 3 pm.

All completed write-in ballots must be returned by 8 pm on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, to be counted. If a voter sends their completed write-in-ballot by mail, they must allow enough time for it to arrive and by election day to be counted.

Click here for a write-in ballot application in English .

Click you for a write-in ballot application in French.

Completed write-in ballot applications can be emailed to: elections@novascotia.ca.

E-Balloting for Early Votes in the Provincial General Election

E-Balloting will be used for early voting in the provincial general election following the close of candidate nominations at 2 pm on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Before the close of candidate nominations, the write-in ballot format will be used for early voting at returning offices.

The e-Balloting system is safe and allows voters to select the candidate of their choice on a tablet behind the voting screen. Once a vote is cast, the e-Ballot system produces a paper ballot for the voter to place in the ballot box.

E-Ballot allows fast and secure counting of early votes when the polls close on election night. This means the results of the provincial general election will be returned quickly and efficiently.

Traditional paper ballots will be used for voting on election day (Tuesday, November 26, 2024). E-Balloting is only being offered during early voting prior to election day.

The Government of Nova Scotia made amendments to the Elections Act in 2021 to provide authority for e-Balloting. Elections Nova Scotia has developed the secure e-Ballot system and is confident in the integrity of this innovative voting method.

Is Internet Voting Available in the Provincial General Election?

E-Ballot is not internet voting. Both are electronic forms of voting, but e-Ballot takes place at a voting location on a secure tablet while internet voting facilitates remote voting using the internet.

Internet voting is not available during the Provincial General Election.

Know Your Electoral District

A provincial general election is a good time to confirm information about your electoral district. Elections Nova Scotia provides a variety of electoral district information on this website. Residents of the Nova Scotia are encouraged to use the following links to connect with information and maps of their district.

Click here and select your electoral district to view a detailed electoral profile, which include census data and past voting information.

Click here to view the electoral district maps.

Who is Running in the Provincial General Election?

Registered Candidates
Individuals who intend to run as a candidate may register with Elections Nova Scotia prior to the writs of election being issued. This allows the candidate to accept contributions and incur expenses. Once the writs of election are issued, potential candidates must complete their official nomination form.

Nominated Candidates
Candidates must complete official nominations forms after the writs of election are issued to have their name added to the ballot in an electoral event. The deadline for candidate nominations for the Provincial general election is Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 2 pm.

Elections Nova Scotia publishes the names of nominated candidates and the names of the official agent for their campaign.

Click here to view the Candidate Chart, for the 42nd Provincial general election.

Candidate and Party Spending Limits for the Provincial General Election?

Please click here for the list of candidate and party spending limits and reimbursements for the Provincial General Election.

These amounts are determined according to the Elections Act (updated to include CPI adjustments).

The third party maximum spending for the PGE is $13,582.

Candidate spending limit may be adjusted upwards if there is an increase in number of electors on the Final List of Electors. The final list will be completed after election day.

Provincial General Election Media Releases

Elections Nova Scotia issues media releases throughout the provincial general election to update voters. Click here to view the list of media releases for the provincial general election.

Election Signage and Third-Party Advertising

During the provincial general election, the Elections Act requires an authorization statement on all signs and advertising, including print, broadcast and online. The statement must be legible and state, “Authorized by the Official Agent for (name of candidate, registered party, individual, organization).”

The placement of election signs are subject to municipal regulations. Each municipality has different rules so please check with your municipal office if you have questions about the placement of election signs. Areas along highways, including some within municipalities, are managed by the Provincial Department of Public Works. Click here to view the provincial policy on the Placement of Election Signs near Provincial Highways, Buildings and Properties. If you have questions about signs along highways call a toll-free number 1-844-696-7737 or email dpw-occ@novascotia.ca.

During the Provincial General Election, third party advertising is also regulated. Third party advertising rules require that the third party identifies itself and it has authorized the advertising. There are limits to how much money can be spent by third parties during the election. According to the Elections Act, a third party is an individual or group that is not a candidate, registered political party, or registered electoral district association. A third-party election advertisement is a message that promotes or opposes a registered political party, the election of a certain candidate, or a candidate’s position on an issue within the election period.

Click here for more information about election advertising.

Campaign Access to Multi-unit Buildings

Elections Nova Scotia would like to remind landlords and administrators of multi-unit buildings and condominiums in Nova Scotia that enumerators and candidates must be given access during a by-election.

It is an offence under the Elections Act to impede a candidate when lawfully campaigning or an enumerator when gathering information for the Register of Electors during an election.

Elections Nova Scotia has a policy on campaign access to multi-unit buildings to help provide clarity and understanding for landlords, tenants, and candidates.

Click here to view the Campaign Access to Multi-unit Buildings Policy.