What to know about the Dauphin riding for Manitoba's 2023 election

• About the riding
• Voting history
• News stories fromDauphin
• Meet the candidates
• More riding profiles fromCBCManitoba

The western Manitoba riding Dauphin was created in 1883, axed in 1886 and then re-established in 1892. Since then, it's been called Dauphin, switched to Dauphin-Roblin starting in 1999 and then changed back to Dauphin in 2008.

The eastern boundary runs along Lake Manitoba and the southernmost point is south of Amaranth. The westernmost area includes Grandview and Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve and it pushes up to the northeast to include Skownan, west of Lake Winnipegosis.

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The riding grew dramatically in the 2018 riding redistribution, expanding its territory by 60 per cent to the north, east and south. The updated riding is bounded to the east by Lake Manitoba. To the north, the riding pushes up to include Skownan, then drops down in the northwest to end just south of the rural municipality of Ethelbert. Its southernmost point is Lone Spruce, but it scoops up north to go around most of Riding Mountain National Park.

The riding includes all of Dauphin, as well as Ste. Rose du Lac, McCreary, Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Winnipegosis, Rorketon and Waterhen. It no longer includes the town of Roblin.

One of the region's main industries is agriculture, which employs about 14 per cent of residents. Around 20 per cent of residents work in health care and social assistance, according toElections Manitoba's riding profile, compiled from the 2021 census.

Its population is 23,075, the riding profile says.

The median age of the riding is older than the overall provincial median, at 41.6 compared to 38.4 provincewide, according to theriding profile. The census found the median household income in the area is $61,200.

More facts about Dauphin:

• Less than five per cent of residents identified as visible minorities, Elections Manitoba's riding profile says.
• Close to 40 per cent of the riding's population identified as Indigenous,according to2021 census data.

Voting history

Before the 2016 election, the riding had voted NDP for 35 years running. The region turned blue in the 2016 provincial general election, whenBrad Michaleskiwon the seat for the PCs. He was re-elected in 2019.

Earlier this year, he announced he would not seek a third term.

• 1958, 1959, 1962 and 1966 elections: Progressive Conservative.
• 1969 and 1973: NDP.
• 1977: Progressive Conservative.
• 1981 to 2007 (nine elections; riding called Dauphin-Roblin in 1999, 2003 and 2007 races): NDP
• 2011: Stan Struthers (NDP).
• 2016, 2019: Brad Michaleski (Progressive Conservative).

Dauphin in the news

• Dauphin class of 2023 valedictorian embraces grief while looking to future with hope
• Dauphin's Countryfest hits the stage again after 2 years of pandemic cancellations
• Dauphin has first mayoral race in 12 years, along with 17 candidates running for council seats
• Grandview hospital to suspend in-patient services for December due to staff shortages
• Dauphin community members turn to each other for support following fatal bus crash

Meet the candidates

As of Sept. 11, the nominated candidates for the 2023 electionare:

• Ron Kostyshyn (NDP).
• GordWood (Progressive Conservative).

Candidates become official when they meet criteria set out in the province's Elections Act, including providing a statement of disclosure, after the election has been called. In Dauphin, candidates are listed as official.

Find more CBC Manitoba riding profileshere.