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1948 Quebec general election
← 1944 July 28, 1948 1952 →
92 seats in the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Quebec
47 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
UdÉ
Leader Maurice Duplessis Adélard Godbout P. Ernest Grégoire
Party Union Nationale Liberal Union des électeurs
Leader since June 20, 1936 June 11, 1936 June 11, 1936
Leader's seat Trois-Rivières L'Islet (defeated)
Last election 48 seats, 38.02% 37 seats, 39.35% New
Seats won 82 8 0
Seat change Increase 34 Decrease 29 Steady
Popular vote 775,747 547,478 123,508
Percentage 51.24% 36.17% 9.25%
Swing Increase 13.22% Decrease 3.18% New
Premier before election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

Premier after election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

This article is part of
a series about
Maurice Duplessis
Pre-premiership politics (1923-1935)

Politics

Economy

Legacy and cultural references

The 1948 Quebec general election was held on July 28, 1948, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Adélard Godbout.

This was the third time (and the second in a row) that Duplessis led his party to a general election victory.

It was Godbout's third (and final) loss to Duplessis in a general election, and the second in a row. He had won one victory against Duplessis years earlier in the 1939 election. In this election, the Liberals fared particularly poorly, reduced to only 8 seats, although their share of the popular vote was around 36%.

Adjustment of representation

The Legislative Assembly was expanded from 91 to 92 members, as a consequence of Charlevoix—Saguenay no longer returning a joint member, separate members being elected from Charlevoix and Saguenay.[1]

Campaign

The Union des électeurs fielded candidates in all 92 ridings, with 71 becoming, at minimum, three-way contests between them, the UN and the Liberals:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1948)[2]
Candidates UN Lib UdE CCF Ind I-UN Lab-Pr I-Lib Lab I-CCF Total
3 70 71 71 1 213
4 13 13 13 3 6 3 1 52
5 4 4 4 1 3 3 1 20
6 2 2 2 1 3 1 1 12
7 2 2 2 1 3 2 1 1 14
Total 91 92 92 6 16 3 1 8 1 1 311

Results

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1948)[2]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1944 1948 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Union Nationale Maurice Duplessis 91 48 82 34Increase 775,747 270,086Increase 51.25 13.22Increase
Liberal Adélard Godbout 92 37 8 29Decrease 547,478 24,162Increase 36.16 3.19Decrease
Union des électeurs P. Ernest Grégoire 92 – – – 140,050 123,508Increase 9.25 8.01Increase
Co-operative Commonwealth   7 1 – 1Decrease 9,016 24,970Decrease 0.60 1.96Decrease
Bloc populaire   – 4 – 4Decrease did not campaign
  Other candidates
█ Independent[a 1][a 2] – 11 – 2 2Increase 23,956 11,190Increase 1.58 0.62Increase
█ Independent-Nationalist[a 1] – – 1 – 1Decrease did not campaign
█ Independent-Unionist – 8 – – – 8,649 1,874Increase 0.57 0.06Increase
█ Labor–Progressive – 1 – – – 4,899 2,974Decrease 0.32 0.27Decrease
█ Independent-Liberal – 7 – – – 2,968 7,868Decrease 0.20 0.45Decrease
█ Labour – 1 – – – 1,098 7,257Decrease 0.07 0.56Decrease
█ Independent-CCF – 1 – – – 110 2,905Decrease – 0.23Decrease
█ Candidat du peuple – did not campaign
█ Independent-Bloc –
Total 311 91 92 1,513,971 100%
Rejected ballots 17,928 2,376Increase
Voter turnout 1,531,899 186,388Increase 75.22 3.24Increase
Registered electors 2,036,576 167,180Increase
  1. ^ a b René Chaloult was reelected as an Independent in Québec-Comté, the only riding in which the UN did not field a candidate
  2. ^ Frank Hanley was elected in Montréal–Sainte-Anne
Popular vote
UN
 
 51.24%
PLQ
 
 36.17%
UdÉ
 
 9.25%
Others
 
 3.34%
Seats summary
UN
 
 89.13%
PLQ
 
 8.70%
Others
 
 2.17%

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1948 Quebec general election[2][3]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name 1944 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		UN Lib UdE CCF Ind I-UN Lab-Pr I-Lib Lab I-CCF Total
 
Abitibi-Est Lib UN 8,373 42.23% 2,233 11.26% 81.88% 8,373 5,313 6,140 – – – – – – – 19,826
Abitibi-Ouest UN UN 5,669 50.90% 2,497 22.42% 87.56% 5,669 2,196 3,172 – – 100 – – – – 11,137
Argenteuil Lib UN 5,488 48.47% 433 3.82% 82.88% 5,488 5,055 779 – – – – – – – 11,322
Arthabaska Lib UN 8,368 54.83% 3,222 21.11% 88.03% 8,368 5,146 1,749 – – – – – – – 15,263
Bagot Lib UN 5,220 59.53% 1,925 21.95% 88.78% 5,220 3,295 254 – – – – – – – 8,769
Beauce BP UN 12,571 58.94% 8,012 37.57% 88.57% 12,571 4,559 4,197 – – – – – – – 21,327
Beauharnois BP UN 9,929 63.35% 5,923 37.79% 82.02% 9,929 4,006 1,738 – – – – – – – 15,673
Bellechasse Lib UN 5,027 48.48% 781 7.53% 83.49% 5,027 4,246 1,096 – – – – – – – 10,369
Berthier Lib UN 5,952 51.49% 410 3.55% 89.11% 5,952 5,542 66 – – – – – – – 11,560
Bonaventure UN UN 8,384 50.99% 715 4.35% 84.86% 8,384 7,669 137 – – 252 – – – – 16,442
Brome UN UN 3,977 60.09% 1,484 22.42% 83.39% 3,977 2,493 148 – – – – – – – 6,618
Chambly Lib UN 12,197 52.04% 3,499 14.93% 73.78% 12,197 8,698 869 – 661 1,014 – – – – 23,439
Champlain UN UN 11,465 68.52% 7,332 43.82% 86.46% 11,465 4,133 1,135 – – – – – – – 16,733
Charlevoix New UN 6,078 54.45% 2,014 18.04% 84.80% 6,078 4,064 961 – – 59 – – – – 11,162
Châteauguay Lib UN 4,277 54.46% 803 10.23% 83.82% 4,277 3,474 102 – – – – – – – 7,853
Chicoutimi UN UN 23,602 57.82% 13,806 33.82% 85.69% 23,602 7,424 9,796 – – – – – – – 40,822
Compton Lib UN 5,593 53.21% 1,987 18.90% 82.05% 5,593 3,606 1,312 – – – – – – – 10,511
Deux-Montagnes UN UN 5,638 62.64% 2,431 27.01% 83.52% 5,638 3,207 155 – – – – – – – 9,000
Dorchester UN UN 9,345 61.53% 4,504 29.65% 87.45% 9,345 4,841 1,002 – – – – – – – 15,188
Drummond UN UN 10,016 55.09% 5,289 29.09% 79.24% 10,016 4,727 3,438 – – – – – – – 18,181
Frontenac UN UN 6,948 56.30% 3,898 31.59% 88.13% 6,948 3,050 2,343 – – – – – – – 12,341
Gaspé-Nord UN Lib 3,572 44.95% 213 2.68% 91.81% 3,359 3,572 97 – 918 – – – – – 7,946
Gaspé-Sud UN UN 8,002 60.98% 3,034 23.12% 83.12% 8,002 4,968 152 – – – – – – – 13,122
Gatineau Lib UN 6,649 52.34% 1,104 8.69% 78.56% 6,649 5,545 510 – – – – – – – 12,704
Hull UN UN 12,036 65.60% 6,499 35.42% 78.23% 12,036 5,537 774 – – – – – – – 18,347
Huntingdon Lib UN 3,453 56.54% 879 14.39% 83.64% 3,453 2,574 80 – – – – – – – 6,107
Iberville UN UN 3,369 59.55% 1,344 23.76% 86.71% 3,369 2,025 228 – 35 – – – – – 5,657
Îles-de-la-Madeleine UN UN 2,442 58.14% 723 17.21% 91.59% 2,442 1,719 39 – – – – – – – 4,200
Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 14,524 49.59% 4,074 13.91% 66.06% 10,450 14,524 1,088 – – 3,225 – – – – 29,287
Joliette UN UN 10,482 64.99% 5,030 31.19% 86.46% 10,482 5,452 195 – – – – – – – 16,129
Kamouraska Lib UN 5,519 49.89% 454 4.10% 83.56% 5,519 5,065 479 – – – – – – – 11,063
L'Assomption UN UN 5,971 62.32% 2,729 28.48% 84.56% 5,971 3,242 233 – – – – 135 – – 9,581
L'Islet Lib UN 4,374 45.04% 40 0.41% 85.92% 4,374 4,334 1,004 – – – – – – – 9,712
Labelle UN UN 6,694 64.07% 4,127 39.50% 86.60% 6,694 2,567 1,187 – – – – – – – 10,448
Lac-Saint-Jean Lib UN 6,277 55.12% 1,661 14.59% 93.33% 6,277 4,616 494 – – – – – – – 11,387
Laval Lib UN 29,043 63.36% 15,582 33.99% 67.94% 29,043 13,461 3,033 – – – – 300 – – 45,837
Laviolette UN UN 8,612 54.05% 4,466 28.03% 79.84% 8,612 4,146 3,176 – – – – – – – 15,934
Lévis UN UN 10,322 52.41% 4,512 22.91% 85.06% 10,322 5,810 3,561 – – – – – – – 19,693
Lotbinière Lib UN 5,900 49.22% 668 5.57% 89.78% 5,900 5,232 854 – – – – – – – 11,986
Maisonneuve UN UN 18,493 52.70% 5,128 14.61% 66.51% 18,493 13,365 2,744 486 – – – – – – 35,088
Maskinongé UN UN 5,184 55.68% 1,124 12.07% 91.60% 5,184 4,060 67 – – – – – – – 9,311
Matane UN UN 9,405 57.40% 3,069 18.73% 87.73% 9,405 6,336 643 – – – – – – – 16,384
Matapédia UN UN 6,039 47.00% 776 6.04% 87.62% 6,039 5,263 1,547 – – – – – – – 12,849
Mégantic UN UN 9,787 51.04% 3,110 16.22% 89.39% 9,787 6,677 2,710 – – – – – – – 19,174
Missisquoi Lib UN 5,899 53.75% 1,086 9.90% 82.83% 5,899 4,813 263 – – – – – – – 10,975
Montcalm UN UN 4,645 59.04% 1,466 18.63% 86.12% 4,645 3,179 43 – – – – – – – 7,867
Montmagny Lib UN 5,284 49.81% 702 6.62% 85.41% 5,284 4,582 742 – – – – – – – 10,608
Montmorency Lib UN 4,018 43.88% 245 2.68% 87.87% 4,018 3,773 1,365 – – – – – – – 9,156
Montréal–Jeanne-Mance Lib UN 21,456 55.28% 6,491 16.72% 62.55% 21,456 14,965 1,424 970 – – – – – – 38,815
Montréal-Laurier BP UN 17,234 58.65% 7,176 24.42% 65.40% 17,234 10,058 1,236 – – – – 855 – – 29,383
Montréal-Mercier Lib UN 17,844 57.71% 6,444 20.84% 60.23% 17,844 11,400 1,347 – – – – 331 – – 30,922
Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 18,834 76.13% 13,237 53.50% 53.01% 5,597 18,834 309 – – – – – – – 24,740
Montréal-Outremont Lib Lib 15,115 70.29% 9,137 42.49% 49.32% 5,978 15,115 412 – – – – – – – 21,505
Montréal–Saint-Henri UN UN 17,754 53.83% 6,340 19.22% 68.85% 17,754 11,414 1,625 1,779 – 166 – 246 – – 32,984
Montréal–Saint-Jacques UN UN 12,328 60.56% 6,404 31.46% 61.71% 12,328 5,924 1,008 – – – – – 1,098 – 20,358
Montréal–Saint-Louis Lib Lib 11,032 38.37% 646 2.25% 49.83% 10,386 11,032 845 1,593 – – 4,899 – – – 28,755
Montréal–Sainte-Anne Lib Ind 8,216 42.10% 1,771 9.07% 56.27% 2,632 6,445 556 366 8,398 1,120 – – – – 19,517
Montréal–Sainte-Marie UN UN 16,108 55.48% 7,793 26.84% 61.51% 16,108 8,315 1,639 – 1,873 – – 1,101 – – 29,036
Montréal-Verdun Lib Lib 12,639 52.74% 6,017 25.11% 57.26% 6,622 12,639 1,052 3,544 – – – – – 110 23,967
Napierville-Laprairie UN UN 7,080 65.01% 3,389 31.12% 87.67% 7,080 3,691 119 – – – – – – – 10,890
Nicolet UN UN 6,810 49.72% 207 1.51% 83.88% 6,810 6,603 285 – – – – – – – 13,698
Papineau UN UN 10,129 61.93% 6,149 37.59% 82.86% 10,129 3,980 2,247 – – – – – – – 16,356
Pontiac Lib UN 4,723 56.03% 1,346 15.97% 76.61% 4,723 3,377 329 – – – – – – – 8,429
Portneuf UN UN 10,506 55.55% 5,224 27.62% 85.44% 10,506 5,282 3,123 – – – – – – – 18,911
Québec-Centre Lib UN 8,174 47.66% 404 2.36% 73.52% 8,174 7,770 1,208 – – – – – – – 17,152
Québec-Comté Nat Ind 11,807 49.49% 4,261 17.86% 81.97% – 7,546 4,503 – 11,807 – – – – – 23,856
Québec-Est Lib UN 14,998 54.17% 6,004 21.68% 80.48% 14,998 8,994 3,696 – – – – – – – 27,688
Québec-Ouest Lib UN 7,034 50.35% 844 6.04% 74.43% 7,034 6,190 747 – – – – – – – 13,971
Richelieu Lib UN 6,647 47.86% 377 2.71% 84.48% 6,647 6,270 970 – – – – – – – 13,887
Richmond UN UN 7,135 50.00% 2,784 19.51% 84.70% 7,135 4,351 2,783 – – – – – – – 14,269
Rimouski UN UN 7,819 44.81% 1,439 8.25% 85.62% 7,819 6,380 3,252 – – – – – – – 17,451
Rivière-du-Loup Lib UN 9,391 56.90% 2,582 15.64% 89.63% 9,391 6,809 305 – – – – – – – 16,505
Roberval UN UN 9,695 55.02% 3,782 21.46% 89.83% 9,695 5,913 2,013 – – – – – – – 17,621
Rouville UN UN 4,946 54.78% 992 10.99% 88.04% 4,946 3,954 129 – – – – – – – 9,029
Rouyn-Noranda CCF UN 5,245 41.73% 1,183 9.41% 81.09% 5,245 3,263 4,062 – – – – – – – 12,570
Saguenay New UN 4,726 41.11% 2,207 19.20% 75.15% 4,726 2,519 1,274 – 264 2,713 – – – – 11,496
Saint-Hyacinthe UN UN 7,973 49.20% 1,206 7.44% 79.41% 7,973 6,767 1,465 – – – – – – – 16,205
Saint-Jean UN UN 7,535 65.27% 3,948 34.20% 82.78% 7,535 3,587 423 – – – – – – – 11,545
Saint-Maurice UN UN 11,830 53.40% 5,491 24.79% 84.98% 11,830 3,983 6,339 – – – – – – – 22,152
Saint-Sauveur Lib UN 10,149 46.48% 3,261 14.93% 83.66% 10,149 6,888 4,799 – – – – – – – 21,836
Shefford UN UN 9,375 52.28% 2,578 14.38% 83.20% 9,375 6,797 1,760 – – – – – – – 17,932
Sherbrooke UN UN 13,818 57.26% 8,307 34.42% 77.15% 13,818 5,511 4,525 278 – – – – – – 24,132
Stanstead BP UN 6,869 53.57% 2,597 20.25% 71.41% 6,869 4,272 1,681 – – – – – – – 12,822
Témiscamingue UN UN 3,374 43.95% 858 11.18% 86.54% 3,374 2,516 1,787 – – – – – – – 7,677
Témiscouata UN UN 4,779 45.24% 894 8.46% 87.41% 4,779 3,885 1,900 – – – – – – – 10,564
Terrebonne UN UN 16,805 59.94% 7,911 28.22% 83.33% 16,805 8,894 2,337 – – – – – – – 28,036
Trois-Rivières UN UN 16,097 76.91% 12,261 58.58% 81.12% 16,097 3,836 997 – – – – – – – 20,930
Vaudreuil-Soulanges Lib UN 6,272 55.29% 1,359 11.98% 82.22% 6,272 4,913 158 – – – – – – – 11,343
Verchères Lib Lib 3,796 49.97% 346 4.55% 86.48% 3,450 3,796 351 – – – – – – – 7,597
Westmount–Saint-Georges Lib Lib 13,947 75.87% 9,879 53.74% 47.94% 4,068 13,947 367 – – – – – – – 18,382
Wolfe UN UN 4,205 52.44% 905 11.29% 91.53% 4,205 3,300 513 – – – – – – – 8,018
Yamaska UN UN 4,326 62.24% 1,954 28.11% 83.33% 4,326 2,372 253 – – – – – – – 6,951
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place[2]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
UN Lib UDE Ind-UN
Union Nationale 76 5 1 82
Liberal 8 8
Independent 2 2
Total 8 78 5 1 92
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[2]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
█ Union Nationale 82 8 1 91
█ Liberal 8 78 6 92
█ Independent 2 1 1 3 7
█ Union des électeurs 5 77 8 2 92
█ Independent UN 1 3 3 7
█ Co-operative Commonwealth 2 4 6
█ Labor–Progressive 1 1
█ Labour 1 1
█ Independent Liberal 5 2 7
█ Independent-CCF 1 1
Resulting composition of the 23rd Quebec Legislative Assembly[3]
Source Party
UN Lib Ind Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 45 5 50
Incumbent changed allegiance 1 1
Open seats held 1 2 3
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 25 1 1 27
Open seats gained 5 5
Byelection gains held 4 4
New ridings Incumbent returned in new seat 1 1
New MPP elected 1 1
Total 82 8 2 92

See also

References

  1. ^ An Act to amend the Legislature Act and the Territorial Division Act, S.Q. 1945, c. 12, s. 1
  2. ^ a b c d e Drouilly, Pierre (December 4, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1948". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  3. ^ a b "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
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