Jump to content

1905 Ontario general election

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1905 Ontario general election
← 1902 January 25, 1905 1908 →
98 seats in the 11th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
50 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader James P. Whitney George William Ross
Party Conservative Liberal
Leader since 1896 1899
Leader's seat Dundas Middlesex West
Last election 48 50
Seats won 69 28
Seat change Increase 21 Decrease 22
Popular vote 237,612 198,595
Percentage 53.37% 44.61%
Swing Increase 5.83 pp Decrease 5.04 pp
Premier before election

George William Ross
Liberal

Premier after election

James P. Whitney
Conservative

The 1905 Ontario general election was the 11th general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on January 25, 1905, to elect the 98 Members of the 11th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").[1]

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Sir James P. Whitney, defeated the Ontario Liberal Party, led by Sir George William Ross, bringing to an end the control of the government that the Liberal Party had exercised power for the previous 34 years.

Background

[edit]

The Liberal Party had been in power in Ontario for the last 34 years. 24 of these were under Oliver Mowat, who was seen as a popular, moderate leader.[2] The Liberals had been able to stay dominant elections due to Mowat's willingness to compromise and his support from farmers.[2] In 1896, Mowat resigned the position of premier to join the cabinet of Wilfred Laurier. He was replaced by Arthur Hardy, who resigned 3 years later due to poor health, and was replaced by George William Ross, the former Minister of Education.[2]

The Liberals had declined significantly since the retirement of Mowat, losing the popular voting and having a small majority in the 1902 election. Demographic factors had hurt the party. Industrial cities that typically voted Conservative were growing while farmers - a core constituency of the Liberals - were on decline.[2] The dominant Liberal government was also strongly criticised for corruption. In one case, Francis Clergue, a supporter of the Liberal government, was accused of bringing over Americans in Michigan and handing out drinks to get them to vote for Liberals in Sault Ste. Marie.[2] Ross did not have Mowat's reputation of being seen as an "honest Christian man" and so found it harder to defend against the allegations.[2]

Prohibition was also an issue after the British Privy Council declared that provinces had the right to restrict alcohol.[2] Unlike Mowat, Ross was a much more hesitant supporter of Prohibition, believing it would be unpopular.[2] Instead, Ross held a referendum on Prohibition in 1902, in which the motion failed despite "Yes" winning a majority of the vote, due to a 2/3rds majority being needed for it to pass. This angered pro-Prohibition Liberals and divided the party that already held a small majority.[2] Division in the party lead to Ross calling an election in 1905.

Campaign

[edit]

The main focus of the campaign was on the Conservatives attacking the Liberal "machine" which had dominated elections in the Province, especially between 1898 and 1904, and was involved in numerous instances of bribery and other corrupt practices.[3] This was further highlighted by the fact that no Liberals were prosecuted for this, while Conservatives were involved in fewer such matters but faced numerous convictions.[4] By 1905, this had led to widespread disgust,[5] and one Tory candidate, P.D. Ross in Ottawa, declared upon his nomination that every honest man should be a Conservative.[6] The Globe, a newspaper founded by Liberal George Brown, endorsed the Conservatives.[2]

The ensuing Conservative victory was overwhelming. Six constituencies returned Tory members for the first time ever since Confederation, plus eight others which had only done so once before.[7] Most cities, other than Ottawa and Kingston, voted Conservative.[8]

Electoral system

[edit]

Ottawa had two seats, and plurality block voting was used. Elsewhere the first-past-the-post election system was used.

Results

[edit]
Elections to the 11th Parliament of Ontario (1905)[1]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1902 Dissol. 1905 ± # % ± (pp)
Conservative James P. Whitney 98 48 69 21Increase 237,612 53.37% 5.83Increase
Liberal George William Ross 95 50 28 22Decrease 198,595 44.61% 5.04Decrease
Independent Liberal 3 – 1 1Increase 5,362 1.20% New
Independent Conservative 1 – – – 95 0.02% 0.36Decrease
Independent 2 – – – 100 0.02% 1.16Decrease
Prohibitionist 2 – – – 1,906 0.43% 0.29Decrease
Socialist 7 – – – 1,273 0.29% 0.17Decrease
Temperance 2 – – – 250 0.06% New
Socialist Labour – – – – Did not campaign
Vacant
Total 210 98 98 98 445,193 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 3,254
Registered voters / turnout 616,996 72.68% 1.87Decrease
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
Conservative
69 / 98
53.37%
 5.83 5.83
 
Liberal
28 / 98
44.61%
 -5.04
 
Other
1 / 94
2.02%
 -0.79
 

Synopsis of results

[edit]
Results by riding - 1905 Ontario general election[1]
Riding[a 1] Winning party Turnout Votes
Name[a 2] 1902 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		Con Lib I-Lib I-Con Ind Oth Total
 
Addington Con Con 1,384 64.58% 625 29.16% 49.56% 1,384 759 – – – – 2,143
Algoma Con Con 2,064 55.22% 390 10.43% 57.46% 2,064 1,674 – – – – 3,738
Brant North Lib Con 1,242 51.34% 65 2.69% 83.58% 1,242 1,177 – – – – 2,419
Brant South Lib Lib 3,091 51.26% 152 2.52% 86.28% 2,939 3,091 – – – – 6,030
Brockville Lib Lib 2,201 52.00% 169 3.99% 80.74% 2,032 2,201 – – – – 4,233
Bruce Centre Con Con 1,982 53.47% 257 6.93% 80.79% 1,982 1,725 – – – – 3,707
Bruce North Lib Lib 2,162 50.94% 80 1.89% 71.83% 2,082 2,162 – – – – 4,244
Bruce South Lib Con 1,890 50.97% 72 1.94% 78.65% 1,890 1,818 – – – – 3,708
Cardwell Con Con 1,902 65.25% 889 30.50% 54.23% 1,902 1,013 – – – – 2,915
Carleton Con Con 1,617 78.69% 1,179 57.37% 42.74% 1,617 438 – – – – 2,055
Dufferin Con Con 2,027 53.88% 292 7.76% 65.39% 2,027 – – – – 1,735 3,762
Dundas Con Con 2,293 57.87% 624 15.75% 75.63% 2,293 1,669 – – – – 3,962
Durham East Con Con 1,665 65.60% 792 31.21% 60.41% 1,665 873 – – – – 2,538
Durham West Lib Con 1,690 52.02% 131 4.03% 88.82% 1,690 1,559 – – – – 3,249
Elgin East Con Con 2,249 51.42% 124 2.83% 85.65% 2,249 2,125 – – – – 4,374
Elgin West Con Con 3,129 53.02% 536 9.08% 79.02% 3,129 2,593 – – – 180 5,902
Essex North Con Con 3,385 57.04% 836 14.09% 68.70% 3,385 2,549 – – – – 5,934
Essex South Lib Lib 2,828 51.26% 139 2.52% 76.39% 2,689 2,828 – – – – 5,517
Fort William and Lake of the Woods Lib Con 1,536 55.57% 308 11.14% 45.06% 1,536 1,228 – – – – 2,764
Frontenac Con Con 1,616 55.46% 318 10.91% 62.29% 1,616 1,298 – – – – 2,914
Glengarry Con Lib 2,214 53.17% 264 6.34% 74.28% 1,950 2,214 – – – – 4,164
Grenville Con Con 2,010 57.89% 548 15.78% 62.92% 2,010 – 1,462 – – – 3,472
Grey Centre Con Con 2,160 70.11% 1,239 40.21% 50.62% 2,160 921 – – – – 3,081
Grey North Lib Lib 3,268 52.16% 271 4.33% 77.42% 2,997 3,268 – – – – 6,265
Grey South Con Con 2,372 54.73% 410 9.46% 71.57% 2,372 1,962 – – – – 4,334
Haldimand Lib Lib 2,019 57.50% 527 15.01% 86.11% 1,492 2,019 – – – – 3,511
Halton Lib Con 2,522 55.62% 510 11.25% 82.70% 2,522 2,012 – – – – 4,534
Hamilton East Con Con 3,273 54.48% 538 8.95% 79.39% 3,273 2,735 – – – – 6,008
Hamilton West Con Con 3,089 53.68% 424 7.37% 80.78% 3,089 2,665 – – – – 5,754
Hastings East Lib I-Lib 2,125 53.42% 272 6.84% 86.32% 1,853 – 2,125 – – – 3,978
Hastings North Con Con 2,327 74.51% 1,531 49.02% 44.02% 2,327 796 – – – – 3,123
Hastings West Con Con 2,018 57.46% 524 14.92% 68.93% 2,018 1,494 – – – – 3,512
Huron East Lib Lib 2,212 51.66% 142 3.32% 86.22% 2,070 2,212 – – – – 4,282
Huron South Con Con 2,688 54.14% 411 8.28% 88.60% 2,688 2,277 – – – – 4,965
Huron West Lib Lib 2,435 50.02% 2 0.04% 83.44% 2,433 2,435 – – – – 4,868
Kent East Lib Con 2,714 50.52% 56 1.04% 76.12% 2,714 2,658 – – – – 5,372
Kent West Lib Lib 4,073 51.05% 167 2.09% 83.46% 3,906 4,073 – – – – 7,979
Kingston Lib Lib 2,238 50.22% 20 0.45% 91.13% 2,218 2,238 – – – – 4,456
Lambton East Lib Con 2,587 51.94% 193 3.87% 85.17% 2,587 2,394 – – – – 4,981
Lambton West Con Con 4,201 54.01% 624 8.02% 80.75% 4,201 3,577 – – – – 7,778
Lanark North Lib Con 1,810 57.59% 477 15.18% 75.61% 1,810 1,333 – – – – 3,143
Lanark South Con Con 1,565 69.90% 891 39.79% 39.61% 1,565 674 – – – – 2,239
Leeds Con Con 1,983 64.89% 910 29.78% 55.59% 1,983 1,073 – – – – 3,056
Lennox Con Con 1,597 51.09% 68 2.18% 81.95% 1,597 1,529 – – – – 3,126
Lincoln Con Con 3,287 56.58% 765 13.17% 78.68% 3,287 2,522 – – – – 5,809
London Con Con 4,783 52.27% 566 6.19% 86.19% 4,783 4,217 – – – 150 9,150
Manitoulin Con Con 1,277 56.43% 448 19.80% 42.66% 1,277 829 – – – 157 2,263
Middlesex East Lib Con 2,463 51.46% 140 2.93% 85.15% 2,463 2,323 – – – – 4,786
Middlesex North Lib Con 2,069 50.69% 56 1.37% 84.68% 2,069 2,013 – – – – 4,082
Middlesex West Lib Lib 2,043 51.42% 113 2.84% 84.00% 1,930 2,043 – – – – 3,973
Monck Lib Lib 1,766 51.11% 77 2.23% 82.77% 1,689 1,766 – – – – 3,455
Muskoka Lib Con 2,122 63.46% 900 26.91% 59.12% 2,122 1,222 – – – – 3,344
Nipissing East Lib Con 1,524 49.48% 63 2.05% 58.63% 1,524 1,461 – 95 – – 3,080
Nipissing West Lib Con 1,533 58.62% 451 17.25% 44.50% 1,533 1,082 – – – – 2,615
Norfolk North Con Lib 1,969 55.36% 381 10.71% 88.14% 1,588 1,969 – – – – 3,557
Norfolk South Lib Con 1,711 50.19% 13 0.38% 91.67% 1,711 1,698 – – – – 3,409
Northumberland East Con Con 2,644 59.47% 842 18.94% 75.38% 2,644 1,802 – – – – 4,446
Northumberland West Lib Lib 1,510 54.91% 270 9.82% 81.64% 1,240 1,510 – – – – 2,750
Ontario North Con Con 2,258 52.10% 182 4.20% 85.32% 2,258 2,076 – – – – 4,334
Ontario South Lib Con 2,720 51.05% 112 2.10% 87.48% 2,720 2,608 – – – – 5,328
Oxford North Lib Lib 2,885 54.82% 507 9.63% 75.82% 2,378 2,885 – – – – 5,263
Oxford South Con Con 2,713 52.04% 213 4.09% 82.73% 2,713 2,500 – – – – 5,213
Parry Sound Lib Con 2,243 52.37% 374 8.73% 43.75% 2,243 1,869 – – – 171 4,283
Peel Lib Lib 2,269 50.36% 32 0.71% 86.86% 2,237 2,269 – – – – 4,506
Perth North Con Con 3,712 52.21% 314 4.42% 88.18% 3,712 3,398 – – – – 7,110
Perth South Lib Con 2,555 50.58% 59 1.17% 87.11% 2,555 2,496 – – – – 5,051
Peterborough East Lib Lib 1,371 52.25% 118 4.50% 64.81% 1,253 1,371 – – – – 2,624
Peterborough West Lib Con 2,967 62.33% 1,174 24.66% 73.55% 2,967 1,793 – – – – 4,760
Port Arthur and Rainy River Lib Lib 1,285 50.27% 14 0.55% 53.77% 1,271 1,285 – – – – 2,556
Prescott Lib Lib 2,093 50.01% 1 0.02% 67.64% – 4,185[a 3] – – – – 4,185
Prince Edward Lib Lib 2,270 50.06% 5 0.11% 85.84% 2,265 2,270 – – – – 4,535
Renfrew North Lib Con 2,791 67.48% 1,446 34.96% 73.03% 2,791 1,345 – – – – 4,136
Renfrew South Lib Con 2,457 54.55% 410 9.10% 70.65% 2,457 2,047 – – – – 4,504
Russell Lib Lib 2,557 59.55% 820 19.10% 54.87% 1,737 2,557 – – – – 4,294
Sault Ste. Marie Con Lib 1,396 52.05% 110 4.10% 55.73% 1,286 1,396 – – – – 2,682
Simcoe Centre Lib Con 2,201 57.26% 558 14.52% 79.10% 2,201 1,643 – – – – 3,844
Simcoe East Lib Lib 3,284 51.92% 243 3.84% 77.68% 3,041 3,284 – – – – 6,325
Simcoe West Con Con 2,129 59.60% 686 19.20% 65.33% 2,129 1,443 – – – – 3,572
Stormont Lib Con 2,679 49.93% 37 0.69% 79.90% 2,723[a 4] 2,642 – – – – 5,365
Toronto East Con Con 3,573 72.08% 2,373 47.87% 55.23% 3,573 1,200 – – – 184 4,957
Toronto North Con Con 5,189 57.00% 1,485 16.31% 70.74% 5,189 3,704 – – – 211 9,104
Toronto South Con Con 5,380 68.48% 3,072 39.10% 57.89% 5,380 2,308 – – – 168 7,856
Toronto West Con Con 4,998 70.26% 3,223 45.31% 53.88% 4,998 – 1,775 – 28 313 7,114
Victoria East Con Con 2,128 67.02% 1,081 34.05% 58.99% 2,128 1,047 – – – – 3,175
Victoria West Con Con 2,211 51.61% 138 3.22% 78.33% 2,211 2,073 – – – – 4,284
Waterloo North Con Con 3,021 52.51% 361 6.27% 74.87% 3,021 2,660 – – 72 – 5,753
Waterloo South Con Con 2,862 54.19% 443 8.39% 73.89% 2,862 2,419 – – – – 5,281
Welland Lib Con 3,328 52.29% 291 4.57% 79.15% 3,328 3,037 – – – – 6,365
Wellington East Lib Con 1,910 52.36% 172 4.71% 74.39% 1,910 1,738 – – – – 3,648
Wellington South Con Con 2,640 51.18% 282 5.47% 80.29% 2,640 2,358 – – – 160 5,158
Wellington West Con Con 1,863 53.20% 224 6.40% 79.89% 1,863 1,639 – – – – 3,502
Wentworth North Lib Lib 1,612 50.44% 28 0.88% 80.53% 1,584 1,612 – – – – 3,196
Wentworth South Lib Lib 1,490 54.01% 221 8.01% 78.50% 1,269 1,490 – – – – 2,759
York East Lib Con 2,228 55.33% 429 10.65% 73.50% 2,228 1,799 – – – – 4,027
York North Lib Con 2,827 52.49% 268 4.98% 87.60% 2,827 2,559 – – – – 5,386
York West[a 5] Con Con 3,276 64.07% 1,439 28.14% 61.08% 3,276 1,837 – – – – 5,113
  1. ^ excluding Ottawa, a multi-member constituency
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  3. ^ the incumbent Alfred Évanturel received 2,092 votes
  4. ^ George Kerr was the winning candidate
  5. ^ EO error re party affiliations corrected
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = incumbency arose from prior election result being overturned by the court
  = other incumbents renominated
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = multiple candidates
Results for Ottawa (2 seats)[1]
Political party Candidate Votes % Elected Incumbent
Liberal Donald Joseph McDougal 6,053 26.06 Green tickY
Liberal George Samuel May 5,904 25.42 Green tickY
Conservative Dennis Murphy 5,675 24.43 Red XN Green tickY
Conservative P.D. Ross 5,596 24.09
Majority[a 1] 229 0.99
Turnout 11,726 74.01
Registered voters 15,844
  1. ^ plurality for second winning candidate

Analysis

[edit]
Party candidates in 2nd place[1][a 1]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
Con Lib I-Lib Proh
Conservative 66 2 1 69
Liberal 25 1 26
Independent Liberal 1 1
Total 26 67 2 1 96
  1. ^ excluding Ottawa seats
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[1]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
█ Conservative 69 26 2 1
█ Liberal 27 68
█ Independent Liberal 1 2
█ Prohibitionist 1 1
█ Socialist 7
█ Temperance 1 1
█ Independent 1 1
█ Independent Conservative 1
Resulting composition of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario[1]
Source Party
Con Lib I-Lib Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 37 18 55
Open seats held 5 5 10
Byelection losses reversed 2 2
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 16 1 17
Open seats gained 8 1 1 10
Byelection gains held 1 1 2
Ottawa seats New MLA 1 1
Incumbent defeated 1 1
Total 69 28 1 98

MLAs elected by region and riding

[edit]

Party designations are as follows:

  Liberal
  Conservative
  Independent Liberal

Seats that changed hands

[edit]
Elections to the 11th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1902–1905
Party 1902 Gain from (loss to) 1905
Con Lib I-Lib
Conservative 48 26 (5) 69
Liberal 50 5 (26) (1) 28
Independent-Liberal – 1 1
Total 98 6 (26) 26 (5) – (1) 98

There were 32 seats that changed allegiance in the election:

See also

[edit]

Notes and references

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued. Pense was reelected in the subsequent byelection.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g "1905 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Randall, White (1985). Ontario, 1610-1985: A Political and Economic History. Dundurn Press. ISBN 0-919670-99-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ Hopkins 1906, pp. 204–206.
  4. ^ Hopkins 1906, p. 206.
  5. ^ Hopkins 1906, p. 208.
  6. ^ Hopkins 1906, p. 209.
  7. ^ Hopkins 1906, pp. 215–216.
  8. ^ Hopkins 1906, p. 216.
  9. ^ Journals of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Vol. XL. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1906. pp. 11–13.

Further reading

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1905_Ontario_general_election&oldid=1282472255"