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A Conservative candidate with two criminal convictions has quit the race in the riding of Halifax.

Rosamond Luke was hand-picked by the Tories just two days ago.

A Conservative party source confirmed the former candidate has a criminal record, but Ms. Luke could not be reached for comment.

Earlier in the day, Ms. Luke said she dropped out of the campaign because co-workers persuaded her she was needed at a non-profit agency that helps immigrant women.

The CBC says Ms. Luke was convicted of uttering threats and received 18 months probation in July of 2006.

As well, the CBC said she was convicted of breaching an undertaking in June, 2007 and was fined $50 and given an additional nine months probation.

Ms. Luke was one of four Nova Scotia candidates appointed by the Conservatives last week. At the time, party officials admitted they faced challenges finding candidates to run in the province's 11 ridings.

The Tories currently hold two seats in Nova Scotia, the Liberals six, the NDP two and there one is an Independent.

Jeff MacLeod, a political science professor at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, said the last-minute appointments show the party wasn't ready for an election call.

“To me it's a lack of preparedness,” he said.

The riding is an NDP stronghold, held by former NDP leader Alexa McDonough for the past 11 years.

Still, Prof. MacLeod said Ms. McDonough's decision to step down should have made the riding more appealing to the other parties.

“It's puzzling,” he said. “I think this is a riding that other parties would think they have a chance at and yet they don't seem to be pulling out all the stops.”

A Tory spokesman denied that the late appointments or Ms. Luke's resignation signalled any disorganization or disinterest in Nova Scotia.

“One candidate has been asked by her employer to stay on and help in a non-profit organization,” Dan Dugas said in an interview. “I don't see it having an application outside of that one riding and that one candidate.”

Meanwhile, the Liberals issued a statement Tuesday confirming they will acclaim Catherine Meade, a lawyer with the Dartmouth firm of Boyne Clarke, at a nomination meeting in Halifax on Wednesday night.

Ms. Meade said her pending acclamation was not a sign of lack of interest by other potential candidates. Rather, she insisted that fellow party members simply united around her.

“When people heard we had a strong candidate they were fine to leave things as they were,” she said.

On Monday, the New Democrats chose legal aid worker Megan Leslie, who won the nod for the Halifax riding after two ballots at a traditional nomination meeting.

The 35-year-old was a surprise victor. She defeated Alexis MacDonald, who gained a high profile during previous election campaigns against Defence Minister Peter MacKay in the Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova.

The riding of Halifax was taken handily by Ms. McDonough in the 2006 election, when she won by an 8,000-vote plurality, with the Liberals placing second and the Conservatives third.