1919 Ontario general election
← 1914 October 20, 1919 1923 →
111 seats in the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
56 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Ernest C. Drury Hartley Dewart
Party United Farmers Liberal
Leader since October 1919[a] June 26, 1919
Leader's seat - Toronto Southwest
Last election pre-creation 24
Seats won 44 27
Seat change Increase44 Increase3
Percentage 21.0% 25.5%
Swing Increase21.0pp Decrease12.4pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader William Hearst Walter Rollo
Party Conservative Labour
Leader since 1914 -
Leader's seat Sault Ste. Marie (lost re-election) Hamilton West
Last election 84 1
Seats won 25 11
Seat change Decrease59 Increase10
Percentage 34.1% 9.1%
Swing Decrease19.8pp Increase7.8pp
Premier before election

William Hearst
Conservative

Premier after election

Ernest C. Drury
United Farmers

The 1919 Ontario general election, held on October 20, 1919, elected 111 Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). The United Farmers of Ontario captured the most seats but only a minority of the legislature. They joined with 11 Labour MPPs and three others to form a coalition government, ending the 14-year rule of Ontario's Conservatives.[1] This is one of the few examples of coalition government in Canadian history.

Premier William Howard Hearst had aimed to win a fifth consecutive term for the Conservatives, but instead the party became the first in Ontario history to fall from first to third place.[2] As newspaperman John Willison later remarked, "There could not have been a worse time for a general election."[2]

Campaign

The parties tended to have a targeted approach in fielding their candidates:

Candidate contests in the ridings
Candidates nominated Ridings Party
Con Lib UFO Lab Ind Farm-Lab Ind-Con Soc Farm-Lib Soldier Sold-Lab Ind-Lib Totals
Acclamation 4 4 4
2 48 44 15 31 2 2 1 1 96
3 50 46 44 32 14 8 3 1 1 1 150
4 8 8 6 2 4 4 2 2 2 1 1 32
5 –
6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Total 111 103 66 66 21 14 5 3 3 2 2 2 1 288

It was the first in which women could vote and run for office.[b] Election day was also held on the same day as the scheduled referendum on prohibition.[2]

Conservatives

Hearst alienated the business community with his progressive policies; he had a rift with Adam Beck (London) over the direction of the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission; and his promotion of prohibition alienated the urban "wets".[2]

Only the Conservatives attempted to field a full slate—and were helped by having four candidates being declared elected by acclamation[5]—but about two dozen incumbents decided to step aside in favour of the local farmer candidates.[6]

Seventeen Conservative MLAs either retired from the Legislature, or had failed to be renominated.[7] Arthur Pratt (Norfolk South) opted to campaign as an Independent-Conservative, claiming earlier in the year that at least 27 MLAs privately opposed Hearst's prohibition policy.[6]

Beck also decided to stand as an Independent, saying, "I do not object to the Government having a control of the Hydro enterprise, but I object to its becoming a Government department; only as an Independent can I look after the interests of Hydro-Electric Power for the people of the Province in the most efficient manner."[6]

Liberals

The Liberals split between those still loyal to former leader Newton Rowell and his successor William Proudfoot (Huron Centre), and those who supported the new leader, Hartley Dewart.[2] John Campbell Elliott (Middlesex West) (who had come in 3rd in the 1919 leadership contest), joined by five others, decided to drop out of the race.[8]

They tried to avoid direct contests with UFO candidates,[2] fielding candidates in only 66 ridings as opposed to the 90 named in the 1914 election. In many respects, however, they underestimated the discontent that was simmering among rural Ontarians, and Dewart focused his attention unnecessarily against the Conservative campaign manager George Howard Ferguson.[9]

Proudfoot opted to campaign as an Independent.[10]

United Farmers

The UFO focused on rural areas. Its leader, R.H. Halbert, did not campaign, as he had been elected to the House of Commons of Canada in an earlier by-election.[8] It had only two incumbent MPPs, Beniah Bowman and John Wesley Widdifield, who had entered the legislature by winning by-elections in Manitoulin and Ontario North.

Labour

The labour political movement was fragmented between the Independent Labour Party, the Ontario section of the Canadian Labour Party, and the Ontario Labour Educational Association and its newspaper The Industrial Banner.[11] The ILP was the effective organization on the campaign trail that year, and it promoted joint action with the UFO.[12]

Media in the campaign

Media support in the campaign was mixed. The Globe and The Toronto Star, at that time both Liberal in outlook, were hostile against Dewart because of his stand on temperance issues.[13] The Toronto World, generally a Conservative backer, pursued a simmering scandal from 1916[14][15] concerning International Nickel and alleged provincial support of wartime shipments of the metal to Germany via the cargo submarine Deutschland.[16][8] The Farmer's Sun, recently acquired by the UFO, was an enthusiastic promoter of farmer policies.[11]

Electoral system

Of the 111 seats, 103 were from single-member constituencies elected through first-past-the-post voting. The remaining eight came from four dual-member ridings in Toronto, each of which had parallel contests voting separately for seat A and seat B under the same FPTP rules.

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1919 Ontario general election
Riding Region 1914 Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		UFO Lab F-Lab F-Lib Soldier Lib Con Ind I-Con I-Lib S-Lab Soc Total
 
Addington EAS Con Con acclaimed
Algoma‡ NOR Con Lib 2,272 35.48% 39 0.61% 75.21% 1,898 – – – – 2,272 2,233 – – – – – 6,403
Brant MWO Lib UFO 3,597 44.21 % 1,024 12.59% 79.52% 3,597 – – – – 1,966 2,573 – – – – – 8,136
Brant South MWO Lib Lab 6,408 46.55% 2,377 17.27% 82.90% – 6,408 – – – 4,031 3,326 – – – – – 13,765
Brockville EAS Con Lib 4,866 56.47% 1,115 12.94% 81.26% – – – – – 4,866 3,751 – – – – – 8,617
Bruce North MWO Lib UFO 3,689 54.08% 557 8.17% 80.47% 3,689 – – – – 3,132 – – – – – – 6,821
Bruce South MWO Con Lib 2,727 41.88% 797 12.24% 83.97% 1,930 – – – – 2,727 1,855 – – – – – 6,512
Bruce West MWO Lib Lib 3,094 39.75% 101 1.30% 84.06% 2,993 – – – – 3,094 1,696 – – – – – 7,783
Carleton EAS Con UFO 4,877 56.24% 1,082 12.48% 70.04% 4,877 – – – – – 3,795 – – – – – 8,672
Cochrane NOR Lib Lib 2,951 49.24% 1,120 18.69% 62.23% – 1,211 – – – 2,951 1,831 – – – – – 5,993
Dufferin MWO Con UFO 4,117 53.50% 538 7.00% 80.72% 4,117 – – – – – 3,579 – – – – – 7,696
Dundas EAS Con UFO 4,792 59.45% 1,524 18.90% 79.05% 4,792 – – – – – 3,268 – – – – – 8,060
Durham East CEN Con UFO 1,111 57.89% 303 15.78% 25.53% 1,111 – – – – – 808 – – – – – 1,919
Durham West CEN Con Lib 3,346 56.20% 738 12.40% 81.53% – – – – – 3,346 2,608 – – – – – 5,954
Elgin East SWO Con UFO 4,937 59.47% 1,572 18.94% 80.21% 4,937 – – – – – 3,365 – – – – – 8,302
Elgin West SWO Con UFO 7,542 57.11% 1,879 14.22% 74.67% 7,542 – – – – – 5,663 – – – – – 13,205
Essex North SWO Lib UFO 6,486 71.09% 3,848 42.18% 75.06% 6,486 – – – – – 2,638 – – – – – 9,124
Essex South SWO Lib UFO 3,558 41.30% 130 1.51% 81.13% 3,558 – – – – 3,428 – 1,629 – – – – 8,615
Fort William NOR Con Lab 3,745 51.48% 1,513 20.80% 65.99% – 3,745 – – – 2,232 1,298 – – – – – 7,275
Frontenac EAS Con Con 3,016 47.32% 509 7.99% 77.45% 2,507 – – – – – 3,016 850 – – – – 6,373
Glengarry EAS Lib UFO 4,554 62.10% 1,775 24.20% 66.84% 4,554 – – – – 2,779 – – – – – – 7,333
Grenville* EAS Con Con 4,125 50.50% 81 1.00% 81.69% 4,044 – – – – – 4,125 – – – – – 8,169
Grey Centre MWO Con UFO 4,363 52.87% 474 5.74% 83.76% 4,363 – – – – – 3,889 – – – – – 8,252
Grey North* MWO Con F-Lib 5,659 55.92% 1,198 11.84% 79.73% – – – 5,659 – – 4,461 – – – – – 10,120
Grey South MWO Con UFO 5,252 54.99% 953 9.98% 78.14% 5,252 – – – – – 4,299 – – – – – 9,551
Haldimand MWO Con UFO 6,056 59.83% 1,990 19.66% 85.32% 6,056 – – – – – 4,066 – – – – – 10,122
Halton HAM Con UFO 4,456 40.33% 1,054 9.54% 79.06% 4,456 – – – – 3,190 3,402 – – – – – 11,048
Hamilton East HAM Lab Lab 16,012 60.24% 7,588 28.55% 71.90% – 16,012 – – 2,146 – – – – – 8,424 – 26,582
Hamilton West HAM Con Lab 8,722 60.25% 4,643 32.07% 72.94% – 8,722 – – – 1,675 4,079 – – – – – 14,476
Hastings East EAS Con UFO 3,641 51.22% 174 2.44% 80.76% 3,641 – – – – – 3,467 – – – – – 7,108
Hastings North EAS Con Con acclaimed
Hastings West EAS Con Con 5,072 52.19% 425 4.38% 79.54% – – – – – 4,647 5,072 – – – – – 9,719
Huron Centre MWO Lib Lab 3,193 38.65% 163 1.97% 81.37% 2,039 3,193 – – – – – 3,030 – – – – 8,262
Huron North MWO Con Con 2,897 37.61% 341 4.43% 85.18% 2,249 – – – – 2,556 2,897 – – – – – 7,702
Huron South MWO Con UFO 3,298 41.91% 774 9.84% 84.22% 3,298 – – – – 2,047 2,524 – – – – – 7,869
Kenora NOR Con Lab 1,870 49.47% 975 25.79% 73.99% – 1,870 – – – 405 610 895 – – – – 3,780
Kent East SWO Lib UFO 5,374 55.28% 1,026 10.56% 84.57% 5,374 – – – – – 4,348 – – – – – 9,722
Kent West SWO Con Lib 8,098 48.03% 2,919 17.31% 82.89% 5,179 – – – – 8,098 3,583 – – – – – 16,860
Kingston EAS Con Con acclaimed
Lambton East SWO Con UFO 4,575 53.09% 2,414 28.01% 85.86% 4,575 – – – – 1,882 2,161 – – – – – 8,618
Lambton West SWO Con UFO 6,081 40.42% 1,299 8.64% 80.56% 6,081 4,782 – – – – 4,180 – – – – – 15,043
Lanark North EAS Con UFO 2,881 40.85% 83 1.18% 81.33% 2,881 – – – – 1,373 2,798 – – – – – 7,052
Lanark South EAS Con UFO 3,872 48.18% 803 9.99% 76.05% 3,872 1,096 – – – – 3,069 – – – – – 8,037
Leeds EAS Con Con 4,351 54.59% 731 9.18% 78.03% – – – – – 3,620 4,351 – – – – – 7,971
Lennox EAS Con Con 2,329 39.98% 314 5.39% 81.71% 1,482 – – – – 2,015 2,329 – – – – – 5,826
Lincoln HAM Lib Lib 3,242 39.39% 507 6.16% 80.22% 2,735 – – – – 3,242 2,253 – – – – – 8,230
London SWO Con Lab 13,008 53.94% 1,901 7.88% 78.32% – 13,008 – – – – – 11,107 – – – – 24,115
Manitoulin NOR Con UFO 2,428 60.20% 823 20.40% 74.05% 2,428 – – – – – 1,605 – – – – – 4,033
Middlesex East SWO Con UFO 5,463 52.61% 2,963 28.53% 80.53% 5,463 – – – – 2,500 2,421 – – – – – 10,384
Middlesex North SWO Lib UFO 3,857 50.41% 1,696 22.18% 84.48% 3,857 – – – – 1,627 2,161 – – – – – 7,645
Middlesex West SWO Lib UFO 4,394 75.59% 2,975 51.18% 81.35% 4,394 – – – – – 1,419 – – – – – 5,813
Muskoka CEN Con Con 3,054 46.22% 290 4.39% 67.05% – – – – – 2,764 3,054 789 – – – – 6,607
Niagara Falls HAM Con Lab 4,057 38.37% 368 3.48% 76.25% – 4,057 – – – 3,689 2,826 – – – – – 10,572
Nipissing NOR Con Lib 3,122 42.44% 934 12.70% 71.52% – 2,188 – – – 3,122 2,046 – – – – – 7,356
Norfolk North MWO Lib UFO 4,522 63.09% 1,877 26.18% 79.98% 4,522 – – – – – 2,645 – – – – – 7,167
Norfolk South MWO Con UFO 3,280 62.67% 1,326 25.34% 79.50% 3,280 – – – – – – – 1,954 – – – 5,234
Northumberland East CEN Con UFO 4,521 50.49% 87 0.98% 78.31% 4,521 – – – – – 4,434 – – – – – 8,955
Northumberland West CEN Lib Lib 3,401 55.32% 654 10.64% 81.20% – – – – – 3,401 2,747 – – – – – 6,148
Ontario North CEN Con UFO 4,162 54.12% 633 8.24% 84.13% 4,162 – – – – – 3,529 – – – – – 7,691
Ontario South CEN Con Lib 7,843 63.97% 3,425 27.94% 75.93% – – – – – 7,843 4,418 – – – – – 12,261
Ottawa East OTT Lib Lib 7,309 63.57% 4,431 38.54% 62.40% – 2,878 – – – 7,309 1,311 – – – – – 11,498
Ottawa West OTT Lib Con 8,953 34.36% 1,097 4.21% 69.56% – 7,856 – – – 6,526 8,953 2,723 – – – – 26,058
Oxford North MWO Lib Lib 5,369 47.61% 2,313 20.51% 80.76% – – 2,852 – – 5,369 3,056 – – – – – 11,277
Oxford South MWO Con UFO 4,452 39.84% 617 5.52% 83.74% 4,452 – – – – 2,888 3,835 – – – – – 11,175
Parkdale TOR Con Con 11,091 68.95% 6,096 37.90% 67.61% – – – – – – 11,091 4,995 – – – – 16,086
Parry Sound CEN Con Lib 4,618 54.49% 761 8.98% 67.01% – – – – – 4,618 3,857 – – – – – 8,475
Peel CEN Con Con 4,562 40.25% 105 0.93% 83.63% 2,315 – – – – 4,457 4,562 – – – – – 11,334
Perth North MWO Con Lib 6,095 41.63% 1,641 11.21% 80.08% 4,454 – – – – 6,095 4,092 – – – – – 14,641
Perth South MWO Con UFO 5,847 64.20% 2,586 28.40% — 5,847 – – – – – 3,261 – – – – – 9,108
Peterborough East CEN Con UFO 3,623 58.18% 1,019 16.36% 73.91% 3,623 – – – – – 2,604 – – – – – 6,227
Peterborough West CEN Lib Lab 4,732 41.49% 685 6.01% 76.19% – 4,732 – – – 4,047 2,625 – – – – – 11,404
Port Arthur NOR Con Con 2,578 41.33% 483 7.74% 70.97% – – – – – 2,095 2,578 1,564 – – – – 6,237
Prescott EAS I-Lib Lib 3,929 47.43% 1,298 15.67% 71.03% 2,631 – – – – 3,929 1,724 – – – – – 8,284
Prince Edward EAS Lib Lib 4,557 55.78% 945 11.56% 82.46% – – – – – 4,557 3,612 – – – – – 8,169
Rainy River NOR Con Con 1,420 40.00% 352 9.92% 68.44% 1,062 – – – – 1,068 1,420 – – – – – 3,550
Renfrew North EAS Con UFO 3,979 41.10% 230 2.38% 82.45% 3,979 – – – – 1,954 3,749 – – – – – 9,682
Renfrew South EAS Con UFO 5,426 51.53% 322 3.06% 72.51% 5,426 – – – – – 5,104 – – – – – 10,530
Riverdale TOR Con Soldier 7,472 38.84% 1,599 8.31% — – 5,873 – – 7,472 – 5,706 – – – – 189 19,240
Russell EAS Lib Lib 6,121 49.98% 1,174 9.59% 70.80% 4,947 – – – – 6,121 – 1,180 – – – – 12,248
St. Catharines HAM Con Lab 6,313 48.67% 1,891 14.58% 77.71% – 6,313 – – – 2,235 4,422 – – – – – 12,970
Sault Ste. Marie NOR Con Lab 4,444 59.11% 1,370 18.22% 75.23% – 4,444 – – – – 3,074 – – – – – 7,518
Simcoe Centre CEN Con UFO 5,234 57.89% 1,426 15.78% 77.00% 5,234 – – – – – 3,808 – – – – – 9,042
Simcoe East CEN Con UFO 5,063 40.78% 483 3.89% 73.05% 5,063 – – – – – 4,580 2,773 – – – – 12,416
Simcoe South CEN Con UFO 2,927 53.68% 401 7.36% 79.99% 2,927 – – – – – 2,526 – – – – – 5,453
Simcoe West CEN Con Con 4,491 55.46% 885 10.92% 74.57% 3,606 – – – – – 4,491 – – – – – 8,097
Stormont EAS Con Lib 4,284 43.01% 1,338 13.43% 70.19% 2,946 – – – – 4,284 2,731 – – – – – 9,961
Sturgeon Falls NOR Lib Lib 2,690 62.02% 1,798 41.46% 71.69% 755 – – – – 2,690 892 – – – – – 4,337
Sudbury NOR Con Con 3,551 40.59% 142 1.62% 67.63% – – – 1,789 – 3,409 3,551 – – – – – 8,749
Timiskaming NOR Con Con 3,092 35.84% 77 0.89% 70.81% – – 3,015 – – 2,520 3,092 – – – – – 8,627
Toronto NE - A TOR Con Con acclaimed
Toronto NE - B TOR Con Con 13,495 44.59% 5,323 17.59% 56.95% – 2,910 – – – 5,685 13,495 – 8,172 – – – 30,262
Toronto NW - A TOR Con Con 18,797 53.93% 2,741 7.86% — – – – – – 16,056 18,797 – – – – – 34,853
Toronto NW - B TOR Con Lib 18,522 50.80% 585 1.60% — – – – – – 18,522 17,937 – – – – – 36,459
Toronto SE - A TOR Con Lib 10,037 38.43% 4,585 17.55% — – – – – – 10,037 5,452 1,063 – – – – 26,119
Toronto SE - B TOR Con Lib 10,508 66.92% 5,313 33.84% — – – – – – 10,508 5,195 – – – – – 15,703
Toronto SW - A TOR Con Lib 16,555 63.86% 7,186 27.72% 54.34% – – – – – 16,555 9,369 – – – – – 25,924
Toronto SW - B TOR Con Lib 12,428 46.88% 4,800 18.10% 55.57% – 6,457 – – – 12,428 7,628 – – – – – 26,513
Victoria North CEN Con UFO 3,348 57.94% 918 15.88% 69.02% 3,348 – – – – – 2,430 – – – – – 5,778
Victoria South CEN Con UFO 2,452 68.97% 1,349 37.94% 82.03% 2,452 – – – – – 1,103 – – – – – 3,555
Waterloo North MWO Con I-Lib 5,354 34.62% 2,141 13.85% 74.15% 2,211 3,213 – – – 2,974 1,487 – – 5,354 – 225 15,464
Waterloo South MWO Con F-Lab 8,074 55.49% 4,238 29.12% 78.62% – – 8,074 – – 3,836 2,641 – – – – – 14,551
Welland HAM Con Lib 5,183 49.03% 1,743 16.49% 95.96% 1,949 – – – – 5,183 3,440 – – – – – 10,572
Wellington East MWO Lib UFO 3,279 45.08% 908 12.48% 82.86% 3,279 – – – – 1,623 2,371 – – – – – 7,273
Wellington South* MWO L-Tmp Con 4,362 36.70% 120 1.01% — – – 3,060 – – 4,242 4,362 – – – – 223 11,887
Wellington West MWO Con UFO 3,379 54.60% 569 9.20% — 3,379 – – – – – 2,810 – – – – – 6,189
Wentworth North HAM Con UFO 4,634 72.21% 2,851 44.42% 76.21% 4,634 – – – – – 1,783 – – – – – 6,417
Wentworth South HAM Con UFO 2,642 34.62% 311 4.07% 74.29% 2,642 – – – – 1,995 2,331 – – – 664 – 7,632
Windsor SWO Lib Lib 10,874 63.59% 4,649 27.18% 72.11% – – – – – 10,874 6,225 – – – – – 17,099
York East CEN Con Con 8,962 36.85% 1,672 6.87% 68.47% 7,290 – – – – 6,926 8,962 1,144 – – – – 24,322
York North CEN Con Con 4,139 38.10% 286 2.63% 83.24% 2,869 – – – – 3,853 4,139 – – – – – 10,861
York West CEN Con Con 10,436 37.54% 2,113 7.61% 67.24% – – 8,323 – – – 10,436 4,935 4,087 – – – 27,781

(* - on recount; ‡ - recount requested but subsequently abandoned)

  = incumbent re-elected under the same party banner
  = returned by acclamation
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = incumbent switched allegiance for 1919 nomination
  = other incumbents renominated
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots

Post-election pendulum

The robustness of the margins of victory for each party can be summarized in electoral pendulums. These are not necessarily a measure of the volatility of the respective riding results. The following tables show the margins over the various 2nd-place contenders, for which one-half of the value represents the swing needed to overturn the result. Actual seat turnovers to the opposition parties in the 1919 election are noted for reference.

  = seats that opposition parties gained in the election
Post-election pendulum - 1919 Ontario general election
Coalition (58 seats)
Margins 5% or less
Northumberland East   Con 0.98
Lanark North   Con 1.18
Essex South   Lib 1.51
Huron Centre   Ind 1.97
Renfrew North   Con 2.38
Hastings East   Con 2.44
Renfrew South   Con 3.06
Niagara Falls   Lib 3.48
Simcoe East   Con 3.89
Wentworth South   Con 4.07
Margins 5%–10%
Oxford South   Con 5.52
Grey Centre   Con 5.74
Peterborough West   Lib 6.01
Dufferin   Con 7.00
Simcoe South   Con 7.36
London   Ind 7.88
Bruce North   Lib 8.17
Ontario North   Con 8.24
Riverdale   Lab 8.31
Lambton West   Lab 8.64
Wellington West   Con 9.20
Halton   Con 9.54
Huron South   Con 9.84
Grey South   Con 9.98
Lanark South   Con 9.99
Margins 10%–20%
Kent East   Con 10.56
Grey North   Con 11.84
Carleton   Con 12.48
Wellington East   Con 12.48
Brant   Con 12.59
Elgin West   Con 14.22
St. Catharines   Con 14.58
Durham East   Con 15.78
Simcoe Centre   Con 15.78
Victoria North   Con 15.88
Peterborough East   Con 16.36
Brant South   Lib 17.27
Sault Ste. Marie   Con 18.22
Dundas   Con 18.90
Elgin East   Con 18.94
Haldimand   Con 19.66
Margins > 20%
Manitoulin   Con 20.40
Fort William   Lib 20.80
Middlesex North   Con 22.18
Glengarry   Lib 24.20
Norfolk South   I-Con 25.34
Kenora   Ind 25.79
Norfolk North   Con 26.18
Lambton East   Con 28.01
Perth South   Con 28.40
Middlesex East   Lib 28.53
Hamilton East   S-Lab 28.55
Waterloo South   Lib 29.12
Hamilton West   Con 32.07
Victoria South   Con 37.94
Essex North   Con 42.18
Wentworth North   Con 44.42
Middlesex West   Con 51.18
Liberal (27 seats)
Margins 5% or less
Algoma   Con 0.61
Bruce West   UFO 1.30
Toronto NW - B   Con 1.60
Margins 5%–10%
Lincoln   UFO 6.16
Parry Sound   Con 8.98
Russell   UFO 9.59
Margins 10%–20%
Northumberland West   Con 10.64
Perth North   UFO 11.21
Prince Edward   Con 11.56
Bruce South   UFO 12.24
Durham West   Con 12.40
Nipissing   Lab 12.70
Brockville   Con 12.94
Stormont   UFO 13.43
Prescott   UFO 15.67
Welland   Con 16.49
Kent West   UFO 17.31
Toronto SE - A   Con 17.55
Toronto SW - B   Con 18.10
Cochrane   Con 18.69
Margins > 20%
Oxford North   Con 20.51
Windsor   Con 27.18
Toronto SW - A   Con 27.72
Ontario South   Con 27.94
Toronto SE - B   Con 33.84
Ottawa East   Lab 38.54
Sturgeon Falls   Con 41.46
Conservative (25 seats)
Acclaimed
Addington
Hastings North
Kingston
Toronto NE - A
Margins 5% or less
Timiskaming   F-Lab 0.89
Peel   Lib 0.93
Grenville   UFO 1.00
Wellington South   Lib 1.01
Sudbury   Lib 1.62
York North   Lib 2.63
Ottawa West   Lab 4.21
Hastings West   Lib 4.38
Muskoka   Lib 4.39
Huron North   Lib 4.43
Margins 5%–10%
Lennox   Lib 5.39
York East   UFO 6.87
York West   F-Lab 7.61
Port Arthur   Lib 7.74
Toronto NW - A   Lib 7.86
Frontenac   UFO 7.99
Leeds   Lib 9.18
Rainy River   Lib 9.92
Margins 10%–20%
Simcoe West   UFO 10.92
Toronto NE - B   I-Con 17.59
Margins > 20%
Parkdale   Ind 37.90
Independent-Liberal (1 seat)
Waterloo North   Lab 13.85

Impact

The result was highly skewed as a result of the way the ridings were drawn up. The Ottawa Journal noted, "The arrangement of electoral districts in Ontario (and throughout Canada) is such that a farmer’s vote has practically twice the effect of the vote of any person resident in cities or large towns. Ottawa, for instance, with 110,000 population elects two members to the Ontario Legislature; Carleton County on one side with 20,000 people elects one member; Russell County on the other side has a population of 40,000 and elects one member."[17]

The UFO emerged from the vote with the largest bloc of seats, joining the eleven Labour MLAs to form a coalition government. Liberal-UFO MLA David James Taylor of Grey North, "Soldier" MLA Joseph McNamara of Riverdale and Labour-UFO MLA Karl Homuth of Waterloo South were also members of the governing caucus giving Drury's coalition 58 seats in total, a slight majority.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Hartley Dewart, increased the size of its caucus by a small number, despite turning over more than half the seats held. The Conservative Party lost ground to all other parties, despite receiving the most votes.

The election had several sweeping results:[7]

  • only about two dozen MPPs from the previous Legislative Assembly were re-elected;
  • notably, Conservative William Hearst was defeated by a Labour candidate;
  • Beck and Proudfoot were also defeated by Labour candidates, despite the decision of the Conservatives and Liberals not to contest the seats;
  • three clergymen were elected;
  • eighteen returned soldiers were elected; and
  • all anti-Prohibition candidates were defeated.

Upon hearing the news of the Conservative defeat, Hearst noted:

I will not make any prophecy as to what will take place. I thought the Government was going to sweep the country, and I was not alone in that, for a great many Liberals who were supporting me thought so, too. The Temperance Act no doubt had a great deal to do with my defeat, but I did what I felt was right, and if I had it to do over again, I would do the same thing.[18]

Three days after the election, James J. Morrison, Secretary of the UFO, reported on the way he had addressed the need to form a working majority in the chamber. He released the following statement:

The members-elect of the United Farmers of Ontario, after due consideration of the matter, have decided that it would be unwise for them to enter into alliance with either of the old Parties as parties. They are prepared to assume the fullest share of responsibility and form a Government in co-operation with such members of other parties as are in sympathy with their platform and principles and are free to give support thereto. In the formation of a Cabinet full consideration will be given to the various interests of the Province.[19]

Ernest C. Drury agreed to lead the new government as Premier of Ontario,[19][20] and a UFO-Labour coalition cabinet was formed.[21] Although he was Vice-President of the UFO,[8] Drury had not been a candidate in the election[8] and had to run in a by-election to enter the legislature following his appointment to the office of Premier.

Results overview

Elections to the 15th Parliament of Ontario (1919)[1]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1914 Dissol. 1919 ± # % ± (pp)
  UFO-Labour Coalition
█ United Farmers – 66 – 2 44 44Increase 248,274 20.97% New
█ Labour Walter Rollo 21 1 1 11 10Increase 107,588 9.09% 7.75Increase
█ Farmer–Labour 5 – – 1 1Increase 27,841 2.35% New
█ Farmer-Liberal 2 – – 1 1Increase 7,448 0.63% New
█ Soldier 2 – – 1 1Increase 9,618 0.81% New
Coalition Total 58 400,679 33.85%
Liberal Hartley Dewart 66 24 27 27 3Increase 301,995 25.51% 12.41Decrease
Conservative William Hearst 103 84 79 25 59Decrease 403,655 34.09% 19.78Decrease
Independent Liberal 1 1 1 1 Steady 5,354 0.45% 0.01Decrease
  Liberal-Temperance – 1 1 – 1Decrease Did not campaign
Independent 14 – – – – 48,244 4.07% 3.08Increase
Independent Conservative 3 – – – – 14,213 1.20% 0.81Increase
Soldier–Labour 2 – – – – 9,088 0.77% New
Socialist 3 – – – – 637 0.05% 0.87Decrease
Total 288 111 111 111 1,183,955 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 50,810
Registered voters / turnout 1,443,746 85.53% 21.10Increase
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
Coalition
58 / 111
33.85%
 32.51 32.51
 
Liberal
27 / 111
25.51%
 -12.41
 
Conservative
25 / 111
34.09%
 -19.75
 
Temperance factions
0 / 111
0.00%
 -3.97
 
Other
1 / 111
6.55%
 3.62 3.62
 

Results by riding

Italicized names indicate members returned by acclamation. Two-tone colour boxes indicate ridings that turned over from the 1914 election, eg,

   (UFO in 1919 and Conservative in 1914)

Analysis

Party rankings (1st to 5th place)
Party Acc 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
  █ United Farmers 44 12 9 1
█ Labour 11 6 3 1
█ Farmer–Labour 1 2 2
█ Farmer-Liberal 1 1
█ Soldier 1 1
  █ Liberal 27 21 17 1
█ Conservative 4 21 59 18 1
█ Independent-Liberal 1
█ Independent 4 8 2
█ Independent-Conservative 2 1
█ Soldier–Labour 1 1
█ Socialist 2
Totals 4 107 107 59 9 1
Party candidates in 2nd place
Party UFO Lab F-Lab Lib Con Ind Ind-Con S-Lab
  █ United Farmers 1 4 38 1
█ Labour 4 3 3 1
█ Farmer–Labour 1
█ Farmer-Liberal 1
█ Soldier 1
  █ Liberal 8 2 17
█ Conservative 4 1 2 12 1 1
█ Independent-Liberal 1
Totals 12 6 2 21 59 4 2 1
Principal races, according to 1st and 2nd-place results
Parties Seats
█ United Farmers █ Conservative 42
█ Liberal █ Conservative 29
█ Liberal █ United Farmers 12
█ Labour █ Liberal 6
█ Labour █ Conservative 4
█ Labour █ Independent 3
█ Conservative █ Farmer–Labour 2
█ Conservative █ Independent 1
█ Conservative █ Independent-Conservative 1
█ Farmer–Labour █ Liberal 1
█ Farmer-Liberal █ Conservative 1
█ Independent-Liberal █ Labour 1
█ Labour █ Soldier–Labour 1
█ Soldier █ Labour 1
█ United Farmers █ Independent-Conservative 1
█ United Farmers █ Labour 1
Total 107

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 15th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1914–1919
Party 1914 Gain from (loss to) 1919
UFO Lab F-Lab F-Lib Sol Lib Con I-Lib L-Tmp
  █ United Farmers – 10 34 44
█ Labour 1 3 7 11
█ Farmer–Labour – 1 1
█ Farmer-Liberal – 1 1
█ Soldier – 1 1
Liberal 24 (10) (3) 16 (1) 1 27
Conservative 84 (34) (7) (1) (1) (1) 1 (16) (1) 1 25
Independent-Liberal 1 (1) 1 1
  Liberal-Temperance 1 (1) –
Total 111 – (44) – (10) – (1) – (1) – (1) 14 (17) 61 (2) 1 (1) 1 – 111

There were 77 seats that changed allegiance in the election:

(* - open seats, # - byelection gains held, ^ - change of affiliation)

(Riding names in italics did not have Liberal candidates. Riding names in bold did not have Conservative candidates.)

Resulting composition of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Source Party
UFO Lab F-Lab F-Lib Soldier Lib Con Ind-Lib Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 1 8 14 23
Open seats held 1 4 5
Byelection loss reversed 1 1
Acclamation 4 4
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 23 9 1 10 2 1 46
Open seats gained 19 1 1 1 5 27
Byelection gain held 2 2 4
Change in affiliation 1 1
Total 44 11 1 1 1 27 25 1 111

Notable groups of candidates

Soldier candidates in the 1919 Ontario general election[1][22][23]
Party Riding Candidate Military rank Votes Placed
  Conservative Kingston Arthur Edward Ross* Brigadier-General Acclaimed
Leeds Andrew Wellington Gray Major 4,351 1st
Parkdale William Herbert Price* Colonel 11,091 1st
Peel Thomas Laird Kennedy Colonel 4,562 1st
Port Arthur Donald McDonald Hogarth* Brigadier-General 2,578 1st
Timiskaming Thomas Magladery* Captain 3,092 1st
Toronto Northeast - B Joseph Thompson Captain 13,495 1st
Wellington South Caleb Henry Buckland† Captain 4,362 1st
  Liberal Algoma Kenneth Spencer Stover Lieutenant 2,272 1st
Cochrane Malcolm Lang* Major 2,951 1st
Hastings West Edward O'Flynn Lieutenant-Colonel 4,647 2nd
Middlesex East Bart Robson Lieutenant-Colonel 2,500 2nd
Sudbury Robert Arthur Lieutenant-Colonel 3,409 2nd
Toronto Northwest - B Henry Sloane Cooper Lieutenant-Colonel 18,522 1st
Toronto Southwest - B John Carman Ramsden Captain 12,428 1st
Windsor James Craig Tolmie † Major 10,874 1st
  Soldier Hamilton East Maurice Fitzgerald Captain 2,146 3rd
Riverdale Joseph McNamara Sergeant-Major 7,472 1st
  Soldier-Labour Hamilton East Samuel Landers Lieutenant 8,424 2nd
Wentworth South Samuel Wilkinson 664 3rd
  United Farmers Grey Centre Dougall Carmichael Lieutenant-Colonel 4,363 1st
York East George Little Captain 7,290 2nd
  Independent Kenora Harold Arthur Clement Machin *‡ Lieutenant-Colonel 895 2nd
  Independent Conservative Norfolk South Arthur Clarence Pratt *‡ Colonel 1,954 2nd
Toronto Northeast - B Kelly Evans ‡ Lieutenant-Colonel 8,172 2nd

(* - incumbent; † - chaplain; ‡ - Anti-Prohibition)

Women candidates in the 1919 Ontario general election[1][24]
Riding Candidate Votes Placed
Ottawa West █ Independent Justenia Sears 2,723 4th
Toronto Northeast - B █ Liberal Henrietta Bundy 5,685 3rd
Candidates returned by acclamation[25]
Party Riding Candidate
  Conservative Addington William David Black
Hastings North John Robert Cooke
Kingston Arthur Edward Ross
Toronto Northeast - A Henry John Cody

Cooke was the only acclaimed candidate who had not previously been an incumbent.[25]

See also

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^ named only after election
  2. ^ Under Acts passed in 1917 and 1919 respectively.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "1919 General Election". Elections Ontario. Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bradburn, Jamie (May 3, 2018). "The year the UFOs came to power in Ontario". tvo.org.
  3. ^ The Ontario Franchise Act, 1917, S.O. 1917, c. 5, s. 4
  4. ^ The Women's Assembly Qualification Act, 1919, S.O. 1919, c. 8
  5. ^ Hopkins 1920, pp. 650–651.
  6. ^ a b c Hopkins 1920, p. 651.
  7. ^ a b Hopkins 1920, p. 661.
  8. ^ a b c d e Hopkins 1920, p. 655.
  9. ^ Strange, Carolyn (2005). "Dewart, Herbert Hartley". In Cook, Ramsay; Bélanger, Réal (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XV (1921–1930) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  10. ^ Hopkins 1920, pp. 654–655.
  11. ^ a b Hopkins 1920, p. 657.
  12. ^ Hopkins 1920, p. 658.
  13. ^ Hopkins 1920, p. 652.
  14. ^ Hopkins, J. Castell (1917). The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1916. Toronto: The Annual Review Publishing Co. Ltd. pp. 532–540.
  15. ^ "An Old Bone Gnawed Dry". Toronto World. October 15, 1919. p. 6.
  16. ^ Miller, Scott (2019). "Devil Copper: War and the Canadian Nickel Industry, 1883–1970" (PDF). Canadian Military Journal. 20 (1): 31–39. at 34
  17. ^ Hopkins 1920, p. 665.
  18. ^ Hopkins 1920, pp. 665–666.
  19. ^ a b Hopkins 1920, p. 667.
  20. ^ "Simcoe County Farmer is the Unanimous Choice as Ontario's Next Premier". Toronto World. October 30, 1919. p. 1.
  21. ^ Hopkins 1920, pp. 668–669.
  22. ^ Hopkins 1920, pp. 660–661.
  23. ^ "No Party has Majority in the new Legislature". The Daily British Whig. Kingston. October 21, 1919. p. 1.
  24. ^ Scollie 2012, pp. 2, 9–13.
  25. ^ a b "Many Factions Going to Polls". The Daily British Whig. Kingston. October 14, 1919. p. 1.

Further reading

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