1902 Ontario general election

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1902 Ontario general election
Flag of Ontario.svg
  1898 May 29, 1902 1905  

98 seats in the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
50 seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Honourable GW Ross, Prime Minister for Ontario (HS85-10-12129).jpg James Whitney.jpg
Leader George William Ross James P. Whitney
Party Liberal Conservative
Leader since18991896
Leader's seat Middlesex West Dundas
Last election5142
Seats won5048
Seat changeDecrease2.svg1Increase2.svg6

Premier before election

George William Ross
Liberal

Premier after election

George William Ross
Liberal

The 1902 Ontario general election was the tenth general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on May 29, 1902, to elect the 98 Members of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). [1]

Contents

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Sir George William Ross, formed the government for a ninth consecutive term, although with only a very slim, two-seat majority in the legislature.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Sir James P. Whitney formed the official opposition.

Expansion of the Legislative Assembly

The number of electoral districts was increased from 93 to 97, under an Act passed in 1902. Ottawa in both cases was entitled to elect two members, and thus 98 MLAs would now be elected to the legislature. [2] The following electoral changes were made:

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

Notable candidates

Margaret Haile Margaret Haile.JPG
Margaret Haile

Margaret Haile, a Canadian Socialist League candidate in Toronto North, made history as the first woman ever to run for political office in Canada. [3]

Results

[1]

Elections to the 10th Parliament of Ontario (1902)
Political partyParty leaderMPPsVotes
Candidates 1898 Dissol. 1902±#%± (pp)
Liberal George William Ross 9451501Decrease2.svg206,70947.54%0.25Increase2.svg
Conservative James P. Whitney 9742486Increase2.svg215,88349.65%1.96Increase2.svg
Independent Conservative211Decrease2.svg1,6460.38%0.03Decrease2.svg
Independent 45,1331.18%3.42Decrease2.svg
Prohibitionist63,1260.72%New
Socialist 91,9930.46%New
Socialist Labour 42770.06%New
Labour 1Did not campaign
Vacant
Total216949498434,767100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots4,021
Registered voters / turnout588,57074.55%7.50Decrease2.svg
Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
Liberal
50 / 94
47.54%
0.250.25
 
Conservative
48 / 94
49.65%
1.961.96
 
Other
0 / 94
2.81%
-2.21
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1902 Ontario general election [1]
Riding [a 1] Winning partyTurnoutVotes
Name [a 2] 1898 PartyVotesShareMargin
#
Margin
%
LibConI-ConIndOthTotal
 
Addington ConCon1,71160.14%57720.28%59.37%1,1341,7112,845
Algoma NewCon1,75353.46%2276.92%53.53%1,5261,7533,279
Brant North LibLib1,20553.37%1526.73%78.47%1,2051,0532,258
Brant South LibLib2,72753.32%3406.65%75.97%2,7272,3875,114
Brockville LibLib2,19254.69%3769.38%76.05%2,1921,8164,008
Bruce Centre LibCon1,83650.07%50.14%75.19%1,8311,8363,667
Bruce North LibLib2,47752.86%2685.72%76.85%2,4772,2094,686
Bruce South LibLib1,93250.84%641.68%74.67%1,9321,8683,800
Cardwell ConCon2,00362.63%80825.27%56.50%1,1952,0033,198
Carleton I-ConCon1,97172.57%1,22645.14%54.68%7451,9712,716
Dufferin ConCon2,24271.40%1,34442.80%50.78%2,2428983,140
Dundas ConCon2,47055.68%50411.36%80.83%1,9662,4704,436
Durham East ConCon1,83361.47%68422.94%68.76%1,1491,8332,982
Durham West ConLib1,70651.32%882.65%86.05%1,7061,6183,324
Elgin East ConCon2,17751.32%1122.64%78.74%2,0652,1774,242
Elgin West ConCon3,02750.63%5028.40%77.19%2,5253,0274275,979
Essex North LibCon2,94052.95%3285.91%66.69%2,6122,9405,552
Essex South LibLib2,84754.67%4869.33%72.92%2,8472,3615,208
Fort William and Lake of the Woods NewLib1,48356.95%36213.90%52.78%1,4831,1212,604
Frontenac ConCon1,77450.82%571.63%73.76%1,7171,7743,491
Glengarry ConCon2,12856.42%48412.83%69.14%1,6442,1283,772
Grenville ConCon2,26161.74%86023.48%61.11%1,4012,2613,662
Grey Centre ConConacclaimed
Grey North ConLib2,93050.04%50.09%78.08%2,9302,9255,855
Grey South ConCon2,50354.79%4389.59%73.37%2,0652,5034,568
Haldimand LibLib1,70552.27%1484.54%71.72%1,7051,5573,262
Halton LibLib2,36550.17%160.34%83.90%2,3652,3494,714
Hamilton East ConCon2,57647.85%1432.66%77.75%2,4332,5763755,384
Hamilton West ConCon2,42248.67%1523.05%77.67%2,2702,422891954,976
Hastings East LibLib1,96250.46%360.93%82.69%1,9621,9263,888
Hastings North ConCon2,64353.18%3166.36%69.43%2,3272,6434,970
Hastings West ConCon1,88454.66%3219.31%64.34%1,5631,8843,447
Huron East LibLib2,29955.63%46511.25%78.18%2,2991,8344,133
Huron South ConCon2,49750.54%531.07%83.44%2,4442,4974,941
Huron West LibLib2,45850.21%210.43%80.84%2,4582,4374,895
Kent East LibLib2,46850.81%2765.68%66.62%2,4682,1921974,857
Kent West LibLib3,71451.63%2353.27%76.49%3,7143,4797,193
Kingston LibLib2,04351.72%1363.44%86.38%2,0431,9073,950
Lambton East LibLib2,53051.05%1042.10%81.33%2,5302,4264,956
Lambton West LibCon3,84751.01%1522.02%77.13%3,6953,8477,542
Lanark North LibLib1,81151.13%802.26%81.79%1,8111,7313,542
Lanark South ConCon2,09863.60%89727.19%83.98%1,2012,0983,299
Leeds ConCon2,06257.04%50914.08%65.19%1,5532,0623,615
Lennox LibCon1,56650.05%30.10%77.89%1,5631,5663,129
Lincoln ConCon3,19954.34%69511.81%81.07%2,5043,1991845,887
London LibCon3,44545.06%1311.71%82.15%3,3143,4458877,646
Manitoulin NewCon1,21451.90%33914.49%44.31%8751,2142502,339
Middlesex East ConLib2,46950.03%210.43%80.96%2,4692,448184,935
Middlesex North LibLib2,17352.44%2024.87%79.07%2,1731,9714,144
Middlesex West LibLib2,17258.07%60416.15%73.32%2,1721,5683,740
Monck LibLib1,87655.14%35010.29%78.25%1,8761,5263,402
Muskoka LibLib2,08951.05%862.10%72.15%2,0892,0034,092
Nipissing East NewLib1,21854.57%2049.14%50.26%1,2181,0142,232
Nipissing West NewLib1,18555.69%24211.37%51.26%1,1859432,128
Norfolk North LibCon1,70450.34%230.68%80.13%1,6811,7043,385
Norfolk South LibLib1,72351.11%752.22%83.15%1,7231,6483,371
Northumberland East LibCon2,53852.95%2835.90%78.02%2,2552,5384,793
Northumberland West LibLib1,60653.50%2107.00%82.64%1,6061,3963,002
Ontario North ConCon2,21952.17%1854.35%82.20%2,0342,2194,253
Ontario South ConLib2,63251.29%1322.57%82.99%2,6322,5005,132
Oxford North LibLib2,25450.79%1,12425.33%65.26%2,2541,0541,1304,438
Oxford South LibCon2,04352.21%1734.42%58.76%1,8702,0433,913
Parry Sound LibLib2,49053.40%3176.80%41.45%2,4902,1734,663
Peel LibLib2,29651.38%1232.75%81.64%2,2962,1734,469
Perth North LibCon3,29250.02%20.03%83.90%3,2903,2926,582
Perth South LibLib2,48650.72%711.45%81.35%2,4862,4154,901
Peterborough East LibLib2,06756.00%44312.00%76.07%2,0671,6243,691
Peterborough West LibLib2,84963.25%1,19426.51%79.43%2,8491,6554,504
Port Arthur and Rainy River NewLib1,12466.55%55933.10%46.06%1,1245651,689
Prescott LibLib2,34159.51%74819.01%64.13%2,3411,5933,934
Prince Edward ConLib2,27351.31%1162.62%82.05%2,2732,1574,430
Renfrew North ConLib2,56554.91%4599.83%82.46%2,5652,1064,671
Renfrew South LibLib2,67659.76%87419.52%69.19%2,6761,8024,478
Russell LibLib2,53659.46%80718.92%53.44%2,5361,7294,265
Sault Ste. Marie NewCon1,35953.95%1997.90%51.69%1,1601,3592,519
Simcoe Centre ConLib1,85750.60%441.20%75.49%1,8571,8133,670
Simcoe East ConLib3,36553.56%4477.11%78.41%3,3652,9186,283
Simcoe West ConCon1,73469.89%98739.78%46.15%1,7347472,481
Stormont ConLib2,80753.59%3767.18%75.10%2,8072,4315,238
Toronto East ConCon3,13654.07%92215.90%56.73%2,2143,1364505,800
Toronto North ConCon3,83851.19%2823.76%56.62%3,8383,5561047,498
Toronto South ConCon5,07252.41%7307.54%59.15%4,3425,0722639,677
Toronto West ConCon4,26758.19%1,54521.07%51.24%2,7224,2673447,333
Victoria East ConCon2,39056.81%57313.62%77.02%1,8172,3904,207
Victoria West ConCon2,23451.13%992.27%78.23%2,1352,2344,369
Waterloo North ConCon2,84852.45%2664.90%74.34%2,5822,8485,430
Waterloo South ConCon2,78250.90%981.79%72.48%2,6842,7825,466
Welland LibLib2,85151.00%1122.00%77.12%2,8512,7395,590
Wellington East LibLib2,07156.16%45412.31%70.49%2,0711,6173,688
Wellington South LibCon2,34148.09%2274.66%75.87%2,1142,3414134,868
Wellington West ConCon1,78651.48%1032.97%74.28%1,6831,7863,469
Wentworth North ConLib1,41050.87%481.73%71.32%1,4101,3622,772
Wentworth South LibLib1,52653.66%29910.51%78.83%1,5261,227912,844
York East LibLib1,90554.62%3229.23%67.28%1,9051,5833,488
York North LibLib2,82851.90%2073.80%84.94%2,8282,6215,449
York West LibCon2,80254.04%4198.08%76.55%2,3832,8025,185
  1. excluding Ottawa, a multi-member constituency
  2. 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

[1]

Results for Ottawa (2 seats)
Political partyCandidateVotes %ElectedIncumbent
Conservative Dennis Murphy 5,77027.15Green check.svgY
Conservative Charles Berkeley Powell 5,63326.50Green check.svgYGreen check.svgY
Liberal S. Bingham5,15424.25
Liberal Alexander Lumsden 4,69822.10Red x.svgNGreen check.svgY
Majority [a 1] 4792.25
Turnout11,24771.85
Registered voters15,653
  1. plurality for third winning candidate

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place [1] [a 1]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
AcclLibConI-ConProhInd
Liberal 481150
Conservative 1422146
Total1424812296
  1. excluding Ottawa seats
Candidates ranked 1st to 4th place, by party [1]
PartiesAccl1st2nd3rd4th
  Liberal 504211
  Conservative 146491
 Prohibitionist24
  Independent 22
 Independent Conservative11
  Socialist 81
  Socialist Labour 4
Resulting composition of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario [1]
SourceParty
LibConTotal
Seats retainedIncumbents returned302353
Returned by acclamation11
Open seats held549
Byelection losses reversed112
Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance22
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated6814
Open seats gained235
Byelection gains held22
Incumbent changing allegiance11
Ottawa seatsNew MLA11
Incumbent defeated11
New seatsNew MLA325
Previously incumbent in another riding112
Total504898

MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows:

  Liberal
  Conservative

    Division of ridings

    Voters go to the polls in Ottawa East 1902 Ontario election.jpg
    Voters go to the polls in Ottawa East

    The newly created ridings returned the following MLAs:

    18981902
    RidingPartyRidingParty
    Algoma West   Liberal Fort William and Lake of the Woods   Liberal
    Port Arthur and Rainy River   Liberal
    Algoma East   Liberal Algoma   Conservative
    Manitoulin   Conservative
    Sault Ste. Marie   Conservative
    Nipissing   Liberal Nipissing East   Liberal
    Nipissing West   Liberal

    Seats that changed hands

    Elections to the 8th Parliament of Ontario – unaltered seats won/lost by party, 1898–1902
    Party1898Gain from (loss to)1902
    LibConI-Con
    Liberal 4810(12)46
    Conservative 4212(10)145
    Independent-Conservative1(1)
    Total9112(10)10(13)191

    Of the constituencies that were not altered, there were 23 seats that changed allegiance in the election:

    See also

    Notes and references

    Notes

    1. Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued. Charles Napier Smith (Liberal) was reelected in the subsequent byelection. [4]
    2. Munro died two days after Election Day. Writ for new election issued. Edward Arunah Dunlop (Conservative) was elected in the subsequent byelection. [4]
    3. Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued. McKay was reelected in the subsequent byelection. [5]
    4. Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued. Clark was reelected in the subsequent byelection. [5]
    5. Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued. Archibald Little (Liberal) was elected in the subsequent byelection. [5]
    6. Election determined to have ended in a tie vote, and was thus declared void. Writ for new election issued. John Brown (Liberal) was elected in the subsequent byelection. [5]
    7. Davis resigned in exchange for withdrawal of election petition. Writ for new election issued. He was reelected in the subsequent byelection. [5]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "1902 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
    2. An Act respecting the Representation of the People in the Legislative Assembly , R.S.O. 1897, c. 6 , as amended by An Act to amend the Act respecting the Representation of the People in the Legislative Assembly , S.O. 1902, c. 4
    3. Janice Newton, The feminist challenge to the Canadian Left, 1900-1918.
    4. 1 2 Journals of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Vol. XXXVIII. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1904. pp. 2–4.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 Journals of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Vol. XXXVII. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1903. pp. 41–44, 64.

    Further reading