
The Progressive Conservatives continue to hold the riding of Argyle-Barrington.
Colton LeBlanc is MLA-elect after winning Tuesday night’s by-election with 3,850 votes.
He won by 1,935 votes over Charlene LeBlanc of the Liberals.
The 27 year-old paramedic says he knows health-care is top of mind for a majority of Nova Scotians.
“People are concerned with lack of access to primary care. There are concerns the relationship with health-care workers and teachers as well has been broken with the McNeil government. That local decision-making has been taken away; that’s something we want to look at and advocate for.”
Robin Smith of the NDP finished with 213 votes while Adam Randall of the Green Party had 202 votes.
The Argyle-Barrington riding was created in 2012 and has been held by the PC’s since then.
49% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the riding, according to Elections Nova Scotia.
That equals 6,180 votes cast out of a possible 12,630, with 23 votes rejected.
LeBlanc says it’s a great feeling to be elected.
“It’s exciting, it’s overwhelming and it’s a very humbling and rewarding experience right now.”
LeBlanc celebrated the evening at the West Pubnico Golf and Country Club with a couple hundred close friends, family members and party officials.
He is expected to be sworn-in as the new MLA before the fall sitting of the legislature opens September 26.
LeBlanc was one of three PC candidates elected Tuesday night. Brian Cormer was victorious in Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg and Murray Ryan won in Northside-Westmount.