1994 New England general election

The 1994 New England general election was held on October 12, 1994 to elect 124 members to the 34th Legislative Assembly of New England. The Conservative Party, led by Susan Collins, won 51.64% of the popular vote and 71 seats, defeating incumbent Democratic Premier Patrick Leahy. The governing Democratic/Progressive coalition was reduced from a combined total of 85 seats to 53 seats, with the Democratic Party of New England becoming the Official Opposition with 27 seats. The Democratic Party had either won every provincial election or been involved in the government of New England in 34 years—making it the longest-serving party in government in the province's history.

A formal coalition of the Democratic and Progressive parties had been in government since the 1990 election. The government introduced a series of additional taxes to balance the budget, including an increase in the sales tax and the introduction of a provincial income tax, which made it extremely unpopular. Despite holding a comfortable majority of 85 seats, the coalition was often dysfunctional and had, on multiple occasions, almost collapsed.

After multiple local news reports revealed allegations in early September 1994 that coalition whips, tasked with ensuring the Democratic/Progressive government remained united, had been engaged in bullying, intimidation, and in one circumstance bribery, Progressive leader and Deputy Premier Edward Markey announced his party's withdrawal from the coalition government, and support for new elections. On September 22, Leahy called for new elections to be held as his government no longer enjoyed a majority of seats in the assembly.

Pre-Campaign
As the Official Opposition, the Conservative Party of New England had continuously attempted to undermine or otherwise cause the downfall of the Democratic/Progressive coalition government. Immediately after the first news report of unethical behavior by coalition whips broke—by local news station WTNH—party leader and MLA Susan Collins called for an immediate inquiry. MLAs in the Reform Party began preparations for a vote-of-no-confidence, and the government itself was unsure if many of their members would rebel and sink the government.

Democratic
The Democratic Party of New England was not prepared for early elections. Although the government had been rocked with scandal and unpopularity, party leadership did not expect the Progressive Party to exit the coalition or otherwise support new elections. During the campaign, the party mainly attempted to focus on the successes of the national Democratic Party rather than campaign on new or more local policies. Party leader Patrick Leahy rarely campaigned, instead spending most of his time as caretaker Premier—solidifying an already blossoming impression that the party was headed for certain defeat.

Progressive
The Progressive Party of New England sought for the campaign to distance itself from the Leahy government, and focused on championing investments into New England's healthcare and welfare programs. Questions about the party's continued involvement in the coalition government, however, continued.

Conservative
The Conservative Party of New England, led by firebrand Susan Collins, attempted to capitalize on the fall of the coalition government. It was expected that the opposition Conservatives would gain in the election, simply due to antigovernmental votes, but the party insisted on running on a positive campaign. Party leader Susan Collins was marketed as a leader who could restore stability and economic confidence to New England, and had polled as the highest approved of party leader in New England. An emphasis was also made by the party to target right-leaning Reform voters, with promises to repeal the provincial income tax in its entirety.

Other Parties
The Reform Party of New England was the only other party with elected MLAs, and was widely expected to gain seats alongside the Opposition Conservatives. Newly elected Party Leader Paul Cellucci personal unpopularity and gaffes throughout the campaign, alongside general momentum for the Conservatives, threw this assertion into doubt. The campaign of the Nationals mirrored their national counterparts, with anti-monarchy and anti-globalization being a center of the campaign. The Greens campaigned on closing multiple "dirty" power plants across the province, and protecting the environment.