1908 Ontario general election

Canadian provincial election From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1908 Ontario general election was the 12th general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 8, 1908, to elect the 106 Members of the 12th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").[1]

Quick facts 106 seats in the 12th Legislative Assembly of Ontario 54 seats were needed for a majority, First party ...
1908 Ontario general election
← 1905
June 8, 1908
1911 â†’
106 seats in the 12th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
54 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader James P. Whitney Alexander Grant MacKay
Party Conservative Liberal
Leader since 1896 1907
Leader's seat Dundas Grey North
Last election 69 28
Seats won 86 19
Seat change Increase 17 Decrease 9
Popular vote 246,324 177,719
Percentage 54.68% 39.45%
Swing Increase 1.31 pp Decrease 5.16 pp
Premier before election

James P. Whitney
Conservative

 Premier after election

James P. Whitney
Conservative

Close

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Sir James P. Whitney, was elected for a second term in government, increasing its majority in the Legislature significantly.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Alexander Grant MacKay, continued to lose seats.

Allan Studholme became the province's first Labour MLA as the result of a 1906 Hamilton East by-election. He was re-elected in the 1908 general election and would remain in the legislature until his death in 1919.

The four Toronto districts each elected two members in this election. Each seat was contested separately, with each voter in the district allowed to vote for a candidate in each contest.

Expansion of the Legislative Assembly

The number of electoral districts was increased from 97 to 102, under an Act passed in 1902, returning a total of 106 MLAs.[2] The following electoral changes were made:

Electoral system

The eight Toronto MPPs were elected in two-seat districts, with each seat determined by a separate First-past-the-post voting contest.

The other 94 MPPs were elected through First-past-the-post voting in single-member districts.

Results

[1]

More information Political party, Party leader ...
Elections to the 12th Parliament of Ontario (1908)
Political party Party leader MLAs Votes
Candidates 1905 1908 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Conservative James P. Whitney 105698617Increase246,3248,712Increase54.68%1.31Increase
Liberal Alexander Grant MacKay 9028199Decrease177,71920,876Decrease39.45%5.16Decrease
Labour 8–11Increase7,5557,555Increase1.68%New
Independent Liberal 21–1Decrease1,4703,892Decrease0.33%0.87Decrease
Independent Conservative 6–––7,9777,882Increase1.77%1.75Increase
Socialist 13–––3,1291,856Increase0.69%0.40Increase
Independent 6–––3,0912,991Increase0.69%0.67Increase
Prohibitionist 1–––2,187281Increase0.49%0.06Increase
Liberal-Temperance 1–––1,0171,017Increase0.23%New
Total 23298 106 450,469 100.00%
Voter turnout 457,209 10,006Increase 73.42 0.54Decrease
Registered electors 622,751 18,085Increase
Acclamations █ Conservative6
Close
More information Party, Seats ...
Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
Conservative
86 / 106
54.68%
1.31
 
Liberal
19 / 106
39.45%
-5.16
 
Labour
1 / 106
1.68%
1.68
 
Other
0 / 106
4.19%
2.17
 
Close

Synopsis of results

More information Riding, Winning party ...
Results by riding - 1908 Ontario general election[1]
Riding Winning party Turnout Votes
Name[a 1] 1905 Party Votes Share Margin
#		 Margin
%		 Con Lib Lab I-Con I-Lib Soc Proh L-Tmp Ind Total
 
Addington Con Con acclaimed
Algoma Con Con 2,13460.95%76721.91%80.70%2,1341,367–––––––3,501
Brant North Con Con 1,85054.69%3179.37%89.15%1,8501,533–––––––3,383
Brant South Lib Con 2,81551.83%1993.66%86.91%2,8152,616–––––––5,431
Brockville Lib Con 2,19556.59%51113.17%85.09%2,1951,684–––––––3,879
Bruce Centre Con Con 1,94055.05%35610.10%88.48%1,9401,584–––––––3,524
Bruce North Lib Lib 2,28253.99%3377.97%80.85%1,9452,282–––––––4,227
Bruce South Con Lib 1,77451.39%962.78%86.02%1,6781,774–––––––3,452
Carleton Con Con 1,35262.22%53124.44%51.67%1,352821–––––––2,173
Dufferin Con Con 2,22950.48%420.95%84.37%2,229–––––2,187––4,416
Dundas Con Con 2,26062.67%91425.35%75.78%2,2601,346–––––––3,606
Durham East Con Con acclaimed
Durham West Con Con 1,57551.04%642.07%85.30%1,5751,511–––––––3,086
Elgin East Con Con 2,28956.09%49712.18%86.70%2,2891,792–––––––4,081
Elgin West Con Con 3,34755.00%60910.01%76.88%3,3472,738–––––––6,085
Essex North Con Con 2,98863.63%1,28027.26%51.74%2,9881,708–––––––4,696
Essex South Lib Con 2,61850.76%781.51%83.62%2,6182,540–––––––5,158
Fort William New Con 1,31761.06%47722.11%67.38%1,317840–––––––2,157
Frontenac Con Con 1,57653.05%1816.09%67.46%1,5761,395–––––––2,971
Glengarry Lib Con 2,17053.07%2516.14%77.41%2,1701,919–––––––4,089
Grenville Con Con 1,92350.30%230.60%75.72%1,923––1,900–––––3,823
Grey Centre Con Con 2,25364.54%1,01529.07%62.54%2,2531,238–––––––3,491
Grey North Lib Lib 3,02650.59%711.19%70.93%2,9553,026–––––––5,981
Grey South Con Con 2,18753.04%2516.09%73.16%2,1871,936–––––––4,123
Haldimand Lib Lib 1,97754.81%3479.62%96.22%1,6301,977–––––––3,607
Halton Con Con 2,44953.86%3517.72%86.86%2,4492,098–––––––4,547
Hamilton East Con Lab 2,71740.91%751.13%72.45%2,6421,2582,717–––––246,641
Hamilton West Con Con 3,12163.22%1,55831.56%69.65%3,1211,563––––––2534,937
Hastings East I-Lib Con 2,20161.76%83823.51%75.90%2,2011,363–––––––3,564
Hastings North Con Con 2,22565.42%1,04930.84%64.19%2,225––1,176–––––3,401
Hastings West Con Con 1,88252.41%1734.82%81.15%1,8821,709–––––––3,591
Huron Centre Lib Lib 2,05152.11%1664.22%78.68%1,8852,051–––––––3,936
Huron North Lib Con 2,29251.94%1713.87%93.11%2,2922,121–––––––4,413
Huron South Con Con 2,36554.41%3838.81%89.97%2,3651,982–––––––4,347
Kenora New Con 1,07856.00%23112.00%41.23%1,078847–––––––1,925
Kent East Con Con 2,52450.83%821.65%78.54%2,5242,442–––––––4,966
Kent West Lib Con 3,92652.98%4415.95%83.47%3,9263,485–––––––7,411
Kingston Lib Con 2,21554.48%3939.67%96.27%2,2151,82229––––––4,066
Lambton East Con Lib 2,40452.57%2355.14%93.46%2,1692,404–––––––4,573
Lambton West Con Con 3,84154.45%6288.90%79.98%3,8413,213–––––––7,054
Lanark North Con Con 2,01756.61%47113.22%90.11%2,0171,546–––––––3,563
Lanark South Con Con acclaimed
Leeds Con Con 2,10252.35%1894.71%89.98%2,1021,913–––––––4,015
Lennox Con Con 1,47750.29%170.58%89.40%1,4771,460–––––––2,937
Lincoln Con Con 3,46359.56%1,11219.13%78.67%3,4632,351–––––––5,814
London Con Con 5,08458.00%1,40316.01%78.42%5,0843,681–––––––8,765
Manitoulin Con Con 1,41466.73%70933.46%58.48%1,414705–––––––2,119
Middlesex East Con Con 2,36356.44%53912.87%79.28%2,3631,824–––––––4,187
Middlesex North Con Lib 2,17251.29%1092.57%91.10%2,0632,172–––––––4,235
Middlesex West Lib Lib 1,77560.29%60620.58%82.91%–1,775––1,169––––2,944
Monck Lib Con 1,81650.49%350.97%90.23%1,8161,781–––––––3,597
Muskoka Con Con acclaimed
Nipissing New Con 1,65459.09%50918.19%67.63%1,6541,145–––––––2,799
Norfolk North Lib Con 1,72051.08%732.17%94.01%1,7201,647–––––––3,367
Norfolk South Con Con 1,49052.04%1174.09%92.48%1,4901,373–––––––2,863
Northumberland East Con Con 2,58256.30%57812.60%82.12%2,5822,004–––––––4,586
Northumberland West Lib Lib 1,59153.44%2056.89%92.38%1,3861,591–––––––2,977
Ontario North Con Con 2,23055.62%45111.25%85.39%2,2301,779–––––––4,009
Ontario South Con Con 2,77352.90%3045.80%85.46%2,7732,469–––––––5,242
Ottawa East New Lib 2,79854.54%4669.08%78.11%2,3322,798–––––––5,130
Ottawa West New Con 4,80655.04%88010.08%71.86%4,8063,926–––––––8,732
Oxford North Lib Lib 2,89354.03%4328.07%81.25%2,4612,893–––––––5,354
Oxford South Con Lib 2,67150.42%440.83%88.55%2,6272,671–––––––5,298
Parry Sound Con Con 2,87962.05%1,26327.22%53.88%2,8791,616––––––1454,640
Peel Lib Con 2,85254.78%4989.57%87.79%2,8522,354–––––––5,206
Perth North Con Con 3,68851.87%2663.74%88.65%3,6883,422–––––––7,110
Perth South Con Lib 2,45350.58%561.15%93.18%2,3972,453–––––––4,850
Peterborough East Lib Con 1,97861.14%72122.29%78.99%1,9781,257–––––––3,235
Peterborough West Con Con 2,56154.56%4289.12%76.14%2,5612,133–––––––4,694
Port Arthur New Con 1,24155.16%38016.89%71.64%1,241––861–148–––2,250
Prescott Lib Con 1,94450.09%70.18%66.02%1,9441,937–––––––3,881
Prince Edward Lib Con 2,22151.53%1323.06%86.70%2,221––2,089–––––4,310
Rainy River New Con 94454.95%1709.90%78.65%944774–––––––1,718
Renfrew North Con Lib 2,27452.28%1984.55%86.47%2,0762,274–––––––4,350
Renfrew South Con Con 2,62352.39%2394.77%77.82%2,6232,384–––––––5,007
Russell Lib Lib 2,64258.72%78517.45%59.61%1,8572,642–––––––4,499
Sault Ste. Marie Lib Con 1,40654.69%2419.37%61.43%1,4061,165–––––––2,571
Simcoe Centre Con Con 1,97255.08%36410.17%75.97%1,9721,608–––––––3,580
Simcoe East Lib Lib 3,10551.49%1802.99%75.37%2,9253,105–––––––6,030
Simcoe South Con Con acclaimed
Simcoe West Con Con 1,92165.38%90430.77%61.18%1,921––––––1,017–2,938
Stormont Con Lib 2,32750.09%80.17%70.96%2,3192,327–––––––4,646
Sturgeon Falls New Con 95952.92%1065.85%82.42%959853–––––––1,812
Sudbury New Con 1,49262.69%60425.38%64.29%1,492888–––––––2,380
Timiskaming New Con 1,64955.00%54918.31%48.21%1,6491,100–––249–––2,998
Toronto East - A Con Con 4,39376.51%1,98834.62%48.59%4,393–1,003––346–––5,742
Toronto East – B New Con 2,69543.03%2904.63%53.00%2,695975–––188––2,4056,263
Toronto North - A Con Con 6,78988.44%2,91938.03%53.92%6,789–544––343–––7,676
Toronto North – B New Con 4,50252.40%6327.36%60.40%4,5023,870–––220–––8,592
Toronto South - A Con Con 5,20274.69%3,10344.55%47.61%5,202–1,473––290–––6,965
Toronto South – B New Con 4,94767.67%2,84838.95%49.94%4,9472,099–––265–––7,311
Toronto West - A Con Con 6,19070.58%3,97545.32%47.86%6,1901,87756–301297––498,770
Toronto West – B New Con 4,16047.41%1,94522.17%47.88%4,1602,2153801,870–150–––8,775
Victoria East Con Con acclaimed
Victoria West Con Con 2,06150.50%982.40%94.00%2,0611,963–––57–––4,081
Waterloo North Con Con 3,06349.42%3325.36%76.73%3,0632,731–––404–––6,198
Waterloo South Con Con 2,35363.49%1,00026.98%54.01%2,353–1,353––––––3,706
Welland Con Con 3,72956.57%86613.14%77.32%3,7292,863–––––––6,592
Wellington East Con Con 1,89853.06%2196.12%82.09%1,8981,679–––––––3,577
Wellington South Con Con 2,78752.12%3997.46%78.67%2,7872,388–––172–––5,347
Wellington West Con Lib 1,66550.53%351.06%83.14%1,6301,665–––––––3,295
Wentworth North Lib Con 1,60050.60%1193.76%90.98%1,6001,481–81–––––3,162
Wentworth South Lib Lib 1,58253.72%2197.44%85.19%1,3631,582–––––––2,945
York East Con Con 2,99856.84%72213.69%65.47%2,9982,276–––––––5,274
York North Con Con 2,91854.00%4327.99%92.95%2,9182,486–––––––5,404
York West Con Con 3,24161.80%1,45327.71%54.81%3,2411,788––––––2155,244
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  1. [1]
    order is as given in EO reports
  = 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

Analysis

More information Party in 1st place, Party in 2nd place ...
Party candidates in 2nd place[1][a 1]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
AcclConLibLabI-ConI-LibIndL-TmpProh
Conservative 6694411186
Liberal 18119
Labour 11
Total 61969441111106
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  1. [1]
    excluding Ottawa seats
More information Parties, Accl ...
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[1]
PartiesAccl1st2nd3rd4th5th
█ Conservative 68019
█ Liberal 19692
█ Labour 14111
█ Independent Conservative 42
█ Independent 131
█ Independent Liberal 11
█ Prohibitionist 1
█ Liberal-Temperance 1
█ Socialist 1021
Close
More information Source, Party ...
Resulting composition of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario[1]
SourceParty
Con Lib Lab Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 49756
Acclamations 66
Open seats held 235
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 6612
Open seats gained 9211
Byelection gains held 112
New seatsNew MLAs 99
Previously incumbent in the Legislature 415
Total 86191106
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MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows:

  Conservative
  Liberal
  Labour

Division and reorganization of ridings

The newly created ridings returned the following MLAs:

More information Riding, Party ...
1905 1908
Riding Party Riding Party
Fort William and Lake of the Woods █ Conservative Fort William █ Conservative
Kenora █ Conservative
Port Arthur and Rainy River █ Liberal Port Arthur █ Conservative
Rainy River █ Conservative
Nipissing East █ Conservative Nipissing █ Conservative
Timiskaming █ Conservative
Nipissing West █ Conservative Sudbury █ Conservative
Sturgeon Falls █ Conservative
Ottawa █ Liberal
(2 MLAs)		 Ottawa East █ Liberal
Ottawa West █ Conservative
Toronto East █ Conservative Seat A █ Conservative
Seat B █ Conservative
Toronto North █ Conservative Seat A █ Conservative
Seat B █ Conservative
Toronto South █ Conservative Seat A █ Conservative
Seat B █ Conservative
Toronto West █ Conservative Seat A █ Conservative
Seat B █ Conservative
Huron East █ Liberal Huron North █ Conservative
Huron West █ Liberal Huron Centre █ Liberal
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Seats that changed hands

More information Party, Gain from (loss to) ...
Elections to the 12th Parliament of Ontario – unaltered seats won/lost by party, 1905–1908
Party 1905 Gain from (loss to) 1908
Con Lib I-Lib Lab
Conservative 6214(8)1(1)68
Liberal 238(14)17
Independent-Liberal 1(1)–
Labour –11
Total869(15)14(8)1––(1)86
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Of the unaltered seats, there were 24 that changed allegiance in the election:

See also

Notes and references

Further reading

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