In a night of hair-raising races, five ridings stand out in the Nova Scotia election for just how close the final results were.
137 votes in Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank and Guysborough-Eastern Shore-Tracadie made the difference between a Liberal minority and majority.
The two districts are among five ridings where less than 100 votes separate the winner and the runner up.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia election: A by-the-numbers breakdown of the results
Cape Breton-Richmond
In the biggest upset of the night, long-time Liberal MLA Michel Samson was ousted by newcomer Alana Paon.
The Progressive Conservative beat Samson with just 20 votes — the slimmest margin of the night.
Samson held several cabinet positions under Premier Stephen McNeil, including energy and trade. He had been the Liberal MLA for the area since 1998.
The riding also had one of the highest voter turnouts with 69.9 per cent — compared to 53.55 per cent provincially.
Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank
Liberal incumbent Bill Horne eked out a win over Progressive Conservative challenger Dan McNaughton.
Horne and McNaughton were neck-and-neck in the polls through out the night but Horne ultimately secured victory with 66 votes.
He was first elected in 2013.
READ MORE: Candidate’s historic bid to become first Mi’kmaq in Nova Scotia legislature falls short
Guysborough-Eastern Shore-Tracadie
After weathering controversy in the weeks leading up to the election, Liberal MLA Lloyd Hines pulled off a win with 71 votes.
The riding flip-flopped between Hines and Tory candidate Rob Wolf throughout the night.
Chester-St. Margaret’s
Liberal Hugh MacKay picked up the only new riding for his party in Chester-St. Margaret’s.
NDP incumbent Denise Peterson-Rafuse appeared to have won the riding for a third time but the advance polls swung it back in MacKay’s favour.
MacKay won the seat with 90 votes.
READ MORE: Live Nova Scotia election coverage: Global News projects Liberal majority government
Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage
The 2017 election may have turned Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage into a swing riding.
It was an NDP stronghold until Liberal Joyce Treen won the riding in 2013. But Treen was defeated on Tuesday night by Progressive Conservative candidate Barbara Adams.
Adams won the riding by 97 votes.
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