1905 Ontario general election
1905 Ontario general election
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.
Campaign
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. 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. By 1905, this had led to widespread disgust, and one Tory candidate, P.D. Ross in Ottawa , declared upon his nomination that every honest man should be a Conservative.
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. Most cities, other than Ottawa and Kingston, voted Conservative.
Results
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
21
237,612
53.37%
5.83
Liberal
George William Ross
95
50
28
22
198,595
44.61%
5.04
Independent Liberal
3
–
1
1
5,362
1.20%
New
Independent Conservative
1
–
–
–
95
0.02%
0.36
Independent
2
–
–
–
100
0.02%
1.16
Prohibitionist
2
–
–
–
1,906
0.43%
0.29
Socialist
7
–
–
–
1,273
0.29%
0.17
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%
1.87
Seats and popular vote by party
Party
Seats
Votes
Change (pp)
Conservative
5.83
5.83
Liberal
-5.04
Other
-0.79
Synopsis of results
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
^ excluding Ottawa, a multi-member constituency
^ order is as given in EO reports
^ the incumbent Alfred Évanturel received 2,092 votes
^ George Kerr was the winning candidate
^ 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
^ plurality for second winning candidate
Analysis
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
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
Party designations are as follows:
Liberal
Conservative
Independent Liberal
Northern Ontario
Ottawa Valley
Saint Lawrence Valley
Central Ontario
Georgian Bay
Wentworth/Halton/Niagara
Midwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Peel/York/Ontario
Toronto
Seats that changed hands
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:
Liberal to Conservative
Liberal to Independent-Liberal
Conservative to Liberal
See also
Notes and references
Notes
^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued. Pense was reelected in the subsequent byelection.[ 8]
References
Further reading