Brandon West

Brandon West is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Contents

Historical riding

The original riding of Brandon West existed from 1886 to 1888, after the City of Brandon was divided into two electoral divisions. It was eliminated in 1888, when the city became a single division again.

List of provincial representatives

Name Party Took Office Left Office
John Kirchhoffer Cons 1886 1888

Current riding

The modern riding of Brandon West was created in 1968, when the City of Brandon was again divided into two electoral districts. It was formally brought into being in the provincial election of 1969.

The riding is surrounded by Brandon East to the east and by Minnedosa in all other directions. The City of Brandon itself is located in the southwestern region of the province.

The riding's population in 1996 was 19,808. As of 1999, the average family income was $56,860, and the unemployment rate was 6.30%. The service sector accounts for 16% of industry in the riding, followed by health and social services at 15%.

Brandon West includes the more economically advantaged section of Brandon, and usually elected Progressive Conservative members from 1969 to 1999. It was sometimes said that Brandon West voters elected Tories and Brandon East voters elected New Democrats to ensure that the city would have a member on the government side regardless of the provincial outcome.

Scott Smith of the New Democratic Party won the seat in 1999, and retained it with over 60% of the vote in 2003. However, he lost the seat to Progressive Conservative candidate Rick Borotsik by just 56 votes.

List of provincial representatives

Name Party Took Office Left Office
Edward McGill PC 1969 1981
Henry Carroll NDP 1981 1982
Independent 1982 1986
James McCrae PC 1986 1999
Scott Smith NDP 1999 2007
Rick Borotsik PC 2007 2011

Electoral results

2011 Manitoba provincial election : Brandon West edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures
     Progressive Conservative Reg Helwer 4,219 48.66
     New Democrat Jim Murray 4,073 46.98
     Liberal George Buri 378 4.36
Total valid votes
Rejected and declined ballots
Turnout
Electors on the lists
2007 Manitoba provincial election : Brandon West edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures
     Progressive Conservative Rick Borotsik 4,730 48.04 +13.11 $29,059.52
     New Democrat Scott Smith 4,674 47.48 -13.54 $27,506.06
     Liberal M.J. Willard 398 4.04 -0.01 $6,098.53
     Communist Lisa Gallagher 43 0.44
Total valid votes 9,845 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 39
Turnout 9,884 66.80 +6.37
Electors on the lists 14,796

[1]

2003 Manitoba provincial election : Brandon West edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures
     New Democrat Scott Smith 5,210 61.02 +11.76 $20,721.62
     Progressive Conservative Reg Atkinson 2,982 34.93 -10.79 $15,828.88
     Liberal Candace Sigurdson 346 4.05 -0.04 $2,086.52
Total valid votes 8,538 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 28
Turnout 8,566 60.43 -12.70
Electors on the lists 14,174

[2]

1999 Manitoba provincial election : Brandon West edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures
     New Democrat Scott Smith 4,898 49.26 $17,671.00
     Progressive Conservative James McCrae 4,546 45.72 $29,994.07
     Liberal Lisa Roy 407 4.09 $600.00
     Communist Lisa Gallagher 92 0.93 $0.00
Total valid votes 9,943 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 75
Turnout 10,018 73.13
Electors on the lists 13,698
1995 Manitoba provincial election : Brandon West edit
Party Candidate Votes % +/- Expenditures
     Progressive Conservative James McCrae 4,471 49.40
     New Democrat 2,790 30.83
     Liberal 1,789 19.78
Total valid votes 9,050 100.00
Rejected and declined ballots 33
Turnout 9,083 67.75
Electors on the lists 13,407

[3]

References