Peterborough East was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1925. It was located in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867 which divided the County of Peterborough into two ridings.
The East Riding consisted of the Townships of Asphodel, Belmont and Methuen, Douro, Dummer, Galway, Harvey, Minden, Stanhope and Dysart, Otonabee, and Snowden, and the Village of Ashburnham, and any other surveyed Townships lying to the north.
In 1882, it was defined to consist of the townships of Asphodel, Belmont, Methuen, Douro, Dummer, Burleigh, Anstruther, Chandos, Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre, Clyde, Nightingale, Livingstone, Lawrence, Cavendish, Glamorgan, Cardiff, Monmouth, Otonabee and Harvey, and the villages of Ashburnham, Lakefield and Norwood.
In 1903, it was redefined to consist of the townships of Anstruther, Asphodel, Belmont, Burleigh, Chandos, Douro, Dummer, Methuen and Otonabee, and the villages of Havelock, Lakefield and Norwood. In 1914, it was redefined of the townships of Anstruther, Asphodel, Belmont, Burleigh, Chandos, Douro, Dummer, Methuen and Otonabee, and the villages of Havelock, Lakefield and Norwood.
The electoral district was abolished in 1924 when it was redistributed between Hastings—Peterborough and Peterborough West ridings.