The governing Progressive Conservatives will maintain the riding of Pictou West.

Marco MacLeod is the protected winner in a byelection held on Tuesday.

MacLeod jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. He is ahead by almost 2,000 votes with 26 of 29 polls reporting.

He runs a small lumber mill in his hometown.

The byelection was needed after long-time PC MLA Karla MacFarlane resigned in the riding.

The unofficial results are being updated on the Elections Nova Scotia website.

More to come