1959 Ontario general election

1959 Ontario general election

←  1955 June 11, 1959 1963  →
98 seats in the 26th Legislative Assembly of Ontario 50 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   LIB Leader Leslie Frost John Wintermeyer Donald C. MacDonald Party Progressive Conservative Liberal Co-operative Commonwealth Leader since April 27, 1949 April 20, 1958 November 21, 1953 Leader's seat Victoria Waterloo North York South Last election 83 11 3 Seats won 71 22 5 Seat change 12 11 2 Percentage 46.3% 36.6% 16.7% Swing 2.2pp 3.3pp 0.2pp
Premier before election Leslie Frost Progressive Conservative Premier after election Leslie Frost Progressive Conservative

The 1959 Ontario general election was held on June 11, 1959, to elect the 98 members of the 26th Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario. ^[1]

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by Leslie Frost, won a sixth consecutive term in office, and maintained its majority in the legislature, although it lost 12 of the 83 seats it had won in the previous election.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by John Wintermeyer, increased its caucus from 11 to 22 members, and continued in the role of official opposition. Liberal-Labour MPP Albert Wren was re-elected and continued to sit with the Liberal caucus. Wren died in 1961 and was succeeded in a by-election by Robert Gibson.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Donald C. MacDonald, won two additional seats, for a total of five.

Campaign

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1959) ^[1]

Candidates	PC	Lib	LL	CCF	Lab-CCF	Lab-Pr	SC	Ind	I-PC	WC	Total
2	17	17									34
3	64	63	1	63	1						192
4	15	15		15		7	4	2	1	1	60
5	2	2		2		2	1		1		10
Total	98	97	1	80	1	9	5	2	2	1	296

Results

^[1]

Elections to the 26th Parliament of Ontario (1959)

Political party		Party leader	MPPs					Votes
			Candidates	1955	Dissol.	1959	±	#	%	± (pp)
	Progressive Conservative	Leslie Frost	98	83		71	12	868,815	46.15%	1.91
	Liberal	John Wintermeyer	97	10		21	11	682,589	36.26%	3.46
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Donald C. MacDonald	80	3		5	2	313,834	16.67%	0.13
	Liberal–Labour		1	1		1		6,559	0.35%	0.06
	Independent-PC		2	1		–	1	2,119	0.11%	0.29
	Labor–Progressive	Bruce Magnuson	9	–	–	–		4,304	0.23%	0.96
	Social Credit	Edgar Shipley Birrell	5	–	–	–		1,740	0.09%	New
	Labour-CCF		1	–	–	–		1,512	0.08%	New
	Independent		2	–	–	–		832	0.04%	0.48
	White Canada		1	–	–	–		268	0.01%	New
	Independent-Liberal			–	–	–		Did not campaign
	Independent-Social Credit			–	–	–		Did not campaign
	Socialist-Labour			–	–	–		Did not campaign
	Vacant
Total			296	98	98	98		1,882,572	100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots								21,272
Registered voters / turnout								3,187,801	59.72%	1.68

Vote and seat summaries

Ternary plots - shift of electoral support (1955-1959)

• 
  1955
• 
  1959

Electoral districts identified by colours of winning parties

Seats and popular vote by party

Party	Seats	Votes	Change (pp)
█  Progressive Conservative	71 / 98	46.15%	-1.91
█  Liberal	21 / 98	36.26%	3.46
█  Co-operative Commonwealth	5 / 98	16.67%	0.13
█ Other	1 / 98	0.92%	-1.68

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1959 Ontario general election ^[1]

Riding	Winning party								Turnout [a 1]	Votes
Name [a 2]	1955		Party		Votes	Share	Margin #	Margin %		PC	Lib/LL	CCF	Lab-Pr	SC	Ind	Oth	Total
Algoma—Manitoulin		PC		PC	8,055	41.20%	1,046	5.35%	62.75%	8,055	7,009	4,488	–	–	–	–	19,552
Brant		Lib		Lib	8,512	47.42%	1,166	6.50%	59.81%	7,346	8,512	2,092	–	–	–	–	17,950
Brantford		Lib		Lib	8,011	45.08%	1,460	8.22%	71.17%	6,551	8,011	3,208	–	–	–	–	17,770
Bruce		Lib		Lib	8,940	61.52%	3,348	23.04%	77.24%	5,592	8,940	–	–	–	–	–	14,532
Carleton		PC		PC	6,410	59.85%	2,662	24.86%	49.24%	6,410	3,748	373	–	179	–	–	10,710
Cochrane North		PC		PC	5,596	45.03%	1,319	10.61%	68.18%	5,596	4,277	2,555	–	–	–	–	12,428
Cochrane South		PC		PC	12,247	48.66%	4,659	18.51%	66.66%	12,247	4,750	7,588	585	–	–	–	25,170
Dufferin—Simcoe		PC		PC	8,390	68.90%	4,603	37.80%	52.70%	8,390	3,787	–	–	–	–	–	12,177
Durham		PC		PC	6,946	50.87%	1,974	14.46%	64.13%	6,946	4,972	1,736	–	–	–	–	13,654
Elgin		PC		PC	9,157	51.60%	1,833	10.33%	62.73%	9,157	7,324	963	–	302	–	–	17,746
Essex North		Lib		Lib	12,412	42.00%	3,584	12.13%	66.91%	8,828	12,412	8,313	–	–	–	–	29,553
Essex South		PC		PC	8,356	50.78%	1,001	6.08%	65.35%	8,356	7,355	743	–	–	–	–	16,454
Fort William		PC		Lib	9,255	42.09%	1,336	6.08%	74.77%	7,919	9,255	4,434	–	–	382	–	21,990
Frontenac—Addington		PC		PC	6,834	56.81%	2,238	18.60%	67.37%	6,834	4,596	600	–	–	–	–	12,030
Glengarry		PC		PC	4,575	50.38%	69	0.76%	70.61%	4,575	4,506	–	–	–	–	–	9,081
Grenville—Dundas		PC		PC	8,462	68.78%	4,621	37.56%	56.00%	8,462	3,841	–	–	–	–	–	12,303
Grey North		PC		PC	8,167	55.03%	3,153	21.25%	70.93%	8,167	5,014	1,659	–	–	–	–	14,840
Grey South		Lib		Lib	6,106	52.43%	565	4.85%	75.01%	5,541	6,106	–	–	–	–	–	11,647
Haldimand—Norfolk		PC		PC	13,007	59.37%	4,104	18.73%	64.25%	13,007	8,903	–	–	–	–	–	21,910
Halton		PC		PC	10,385	43.23%	727	3.03%	50.49%	10,385	9,658	3,977	–	–	–	–	24,020
Hamilton Centre		PC		PC	7,287	39.76%	1,314	7.17%	49.97%	7,287	4,602	5,973	467	–	–	–	18,329
Hamilton East		PC		CCF	7,805	41.61%	1,017	5.42%	54.90%	6,788	3,574	7,805	591	–	–	–	18,758
Hamilton—Wentworth		PC		PC	10,453	56.55%	5,958	32.24%	56.98%	10,453	4,495	3,535	–	–	–	–	18,483
Hastings East		PC		PC	6,141	56.95%	1,904	17.66%	65.66%	6,141	4,237	406	–	–	–	–	10,784
Hastings West		PC		PC	10,384	59.06%	4,209	23.94%	58.32%	10,384	6,175	1,023	–	–	–	–	17,582
Huron		PC		PC	7,759	55.84%	1,624	11.69%	76.34%	7,759	6,135	–	–	–	–	–	13,894
Huron—Bruce		PC		PC	6,683	55.42%	1,308	10.85%	76.53%	6,683	5,375	–	–	–	–	–	12,058
Kenora		LL		LL	6,559	44.98%	47	0.32%	69.75%	6,512	6,559 [a 3]	1,512	–	–	–	–	14,583
Kent East		Lib		Lib	7,352	56.14%	1,608	12.28%	77.45%	5,744	7,352	–	–	–	–	–	13,096
Kent West		PC		PC	9,941	51.15%	446	2.29%	55.95%	9,941	9,495	–	–	–	–	–	19,436
Kingston		PC		PC	10,330	56.53%	3,358	18.37%	63.73%	10,330	6,972	973	–	–	–	–	18,275
Lambton East		PC		PC	6,673	53.69%	917	7.38%	70.91%	6,673	5,756	–	–	–	–	–	12,429
Lambton West		PC		PC	10,861	48.54%	2,094	9.36%	62.60%	10,861	8,767	2,746	–	–	–	–	22,374
Lanark		PC		PC	8,843	62.24%	3,479	24.49%	64.26%	8,843	5,364	–	–	–	–	–	14,207
Leeds		PC		PC	11,318	65.35%	6,010	34.70%	67.15%	11,318	5,308	692	–	–	–	–	17,318
Lincoln		PC		PC	18,089	49.57%	5,998	16.44%	56.06%	18,089	12,091	6,314	–	–	–	–	36,494
London North		PC		PC	9,253	54.97%	3,288	19.53%	54.28%	9,253	5,965	1,615	–	–	–	–	16,833
London South		PC		PC	9,888	50.71%	2,840	14.56%	49.95%	9,888	7,048	2,564	–	–	–	–	19,500
Middlesex North		PC		PC	6,452	62.34%	2,907	28.09%	65.99%	6,452	3,545	353	–	–	–	–	10,350
Middlesex South		PC		PC	9,317	55.98%	3,124	18.77%	59.45%	9,317	6,193	1,132	–	–	–	–	16,642
Muskoka		PC		PC	5,995	56.47%	2,166	20.40%	71.63%	5,995	3,829	793	–	–	–	–	10,617
Niagara Falls		PC		Lib	12,403	52.07%	4,345	18.24%	59.22%	8,058	12,403	3,357	–	–	–	–	23,818
Nickel Belt		PC		PC	8,244	36.86%	453	2.03%	71.16%	8,244	7,791	6,333	–	–	–	–	22,368
Nipissing		PC		Lib	10,390	49.91%	1,870	8.98%	62.87%	8,520	10,390	1,908	–	–	–	–	20,818
Northumberland		PC		PC	10,322	58.28%	3,341	18.87%	79.32%	10,322	6,981	407	–	–	–	–	17,710
Ontario		PC		PC	9,018	59.67%	4,822	31.90%	62.69%	9,018	4,196	1,900	–	–	–	–	15,114
Oshawa		CCF		CCF	10,243	41.98%	1,600	6.56%	56.87%	8,643	5,513	10,243	–	–	–	–	24,399
Ottawa East		PC		PC	7,965	49.27%	313	1.94%	50.87%	7,965	7,652	548	–	–	–	–	16,165
Ottawa South		PC		PC	12,989	51.66%	1,870	7.44%	56.34%	12,989	11,119	1,037	–	–	–	–	25,145
Ottawa West		PC		PC	8,505	51.44%	1,444	8.73%	58.29%	8,505	7,061	969	–	–	–	–	16,535
Oxford		Lib		Lib	11,414	47.39%	216	0.90%	68.65%	11,198	11,414	1,475	–	–	–	–	24,087
Parry Sound		PC		PC	6,540	57.81%	3,044	26.91%	71.19%	6,540	3,496	1,277	–	–	–	–	11,313
Peel		PC		PC	13,278	42.98%	1,203	3.89%	59.45%	13,278	12,075	5,537	–	–	–	–	30,890
Perth		PC		PC	11,791	51.70%	2,458	10.78%	68.36%	11,791	9,333	1,681	–	–	–	–	22,805
Peterborough		PC		PC	13,984	58.17%	6,009	25.00%	58.23%	13,984	7,975	1,834	–	246	–	–	24,039
Port Arthur		PC		PC	10,881	40.88%	2,022	7.60%	70.89%	10,881	8,859	6,874	–	–	–	–	26,614
Prescott		PC		PC	6,587	58.76%	1,964	17.52%	69.19%	6,587	4,623	–	–	–	–	–	11,210
Prince Edward—Lennox		PC		PC	7,249	61.75%	2,758	23.49%	58.08%	7,249	4,491	–	–	–	–	–	11,740
Rainy River		PC		PC	4,896	52.57%	2,283	24.51%	72.26%	4,896	1,804	2,613	–	–	–	–	9,313
Renfrew North		PC		PC	8,448	49.55%	1,118	6.56%	68.64%	8,448	7,330	1,270	–	–	–	–	17,048
Renfrew South		I-PC		PC	8,411	56.96%	2,055	13.92%	79.90%	8,411	6,356	–	–	–	–	–	14,767
Russell		PC		PC	13,940	54.18%	3,445	13.39%	52.82%	13,940	10,495	1,294	–	–	–	–	25,729
Stormont		Lib		Lib	12,109	62.63%	4,884	25.26%	62.87%	7,225	12,109	–	–	–	–	–	19,334
Sault Ste. Marie		PC		PC	8,260	40.10%	1,305	6.33%	59.76%	8,260	6,955	5,386	–	–	–	–	20,601
Simcoe Centre		PC		PC	8,625	52.92%	2,240	13.74%	62.63%	8,625	6,385	1,287	–	–	–	–	16,297
Simcoe East		PC		PC	8,631	57.28%	4,220	28.01%	61.88%	8,631	4,411	1,144	–	–	–	882	15,068
Sudbury		PC		Lib	10,904	44.19%	3,143	12.74%	68.56%	7,761	10,904	6,008	–	–	–	–	24,673
Temiskaming		PC		PC	4,327	41.11%	1,117	10.61%	75.88%	4,327	3,210	2,989	–	–	–	–	10,526
Victoria		PC		PC	11,117	73.98%	8,233	54.79%	65.92%	11,117	2,884	1,026	–	–	–	–	15,027
Waterloo North		Lib		Lib	15,767	43.35%	4,168	11.46%	62.66%	11,599	15,767	9,003	–	–	–	–	36,369
Waterloo South		PC		PC	9,075	42.13%	2,425	11.26%	66.43%	9,075	5,816	6,650	–	–	–	–	21,541
Welland		PC		PC	12,915	47.16%	2,729	9.96%	62.44%	12,915	10,186	4,287	–	–	–	–	27,388
Wellington—Dufferin		PC		PC	7,811	61.17%	2,852	22.33%	69.18%	7,811	4,959	–	–	–	–	–	12,770
Wellington South		Lib		Lib	10,427	50.47%	3,467	16.78%	69.71%	6,960	10,427	3,271	–	–	–	–	20,658
Wentworth		PC		Lib	9,318	37.41%	945	3.79%	58.07%	8,373	9,318	7,219	–	–	–	–	24,910
Wentworth East		CCF		CCF	9,366	51.01%	3,812	20.76%	53.28%	5,554	3,440	9,366	–	–	–	–	18,360
Windsor—Walkerville		PC		Lib	6,340	41.40%	1,024	6.69%	63.05%	5,316	6,340	3,659	–	–	–	–	15,315
Windsor—Sandwich		PC		Lib	8,388	38.23%	1,030	4.69%	55.31%	7,358	8,388	6,197	–	–	–	–	21,943
York Centre		PC		Lib	15,857	36.54%	1,991	4.59%	51.21%	13,866	15,857	13,400	–	–	–	268	43,391
York East		PC		PC	21,827	47.33%	7,545	16.36%	50.17%	21,827	14,282	9,122	–	881	–	–	46,112
York—Humber		PC		PC	11,850	44.02%	3,305	12.28%	52.58%	11,850	8,545	6,522	–	–	–	–	26,917
York North		PC		PC	12,981	47.16%	2,999	10.90%	49.89%	12,981	9,982	4,560	–	–	–	–	27,523
York—Scarborough		PC		PC	18,778	37.26%	1,536	3.05%	50.28%	18,778	17,242	14,380	–	–	–	–	50,400
York South		CCF		CCF	14,478	46.89%	5,303	17.17%	50.06%	9,175	5,531	14,478	456	–	–	1,237	30,877
York West		PC		PC	18,355	44.77%	6,191	15.10%	51.63%	18,355	12,164	10,484	–	–	–	–	41,003
Beaches		PC		PC	7,294	45.90%	2,892	18.20%	57.16%	7,294	4,195	4,402	–	–	–	–	15,891
Bellwoods		PC		PC	6,408	54.96%	3,733	32.02%	57.67%	6,408	2,675	1,867	710	–	–	–	11,660
Bracondale		PC		Lib	4,069	36.59%	391	3.52%	56.40%	3,678	4,069	2,925	–	–	450	–	11,122
Dovercourt		PC		Lib	5,336	34.74%	218	1.42%	54.46%	5,118	5,336	4,434	473	–	–	–	15,361
Eglinton		PC		PC	14,805	57.35%	6,950	26.92%	51.93%	14,805	7,855	3,153	–	–	–	–	25,813
High Park		PC		PC	6,414	37.85%	504	2.97%	57.20%	6,414	5,910	4,229	394	–	–	–	16,947
Parkdale		PC		Lib	9,233	47.05%	2,703	13.77%	56.77%	6,530	9,233	3,862	–	–	–	–	19,625
Riverdale		PC		PC	7,814	51.25%	3,911	25.65%	48.09%	7,814	3,530	3,903	–	–	–	–	15,247
St. Andrew		PC		PC	3,787	42.16%	781	8.70%	53.63%	3,787	3,006	1,655	402	132	–	–	8,982
St. David		PC		PC	5,813	43.70%	1,520	11.43%	51.47%	5,813	4,293	2,971	226	–	–	–	13,303
St. George		PC		PC	7,960	54.31%	3,047	20.79%	49.17%	7,960	4,913	1,783	–	–	–	–	14,656
St. Patrick		PC		PC	5,298	59.21%	2,767	30.92%	51.76%	5,298	2,531	1,119	–	–	–	–	8,948
Woodbine		PC		CCF	7,883	41.87%	267	1.42%	57.44%	7,616	3,330	7,883	–	–	–	–	18,829

1. including spoilt ballots
2. order is as given in EO reports
3. Albert Wren was already a member of the Legislature

  = open seat

  = turnout is above provincial average

  = incumbency arose from byelection gain

  = other incumbents renominated

  = Liberal-Labour candidate

  = Labour-CCF candidate

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place ^[1]

Party in 1st place		Party in 2nd place			Total
		PC	Lib	CCF
	Progressive Conservative		65	6	71
	Liberal	21			21
	Liberal–Labour	1			1
	Co-operative Commonwealth	5			5
Total		27	65	6	98

Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party ^[1]

Parties	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
█  Progressive Conservative	71	27
█  Liberal	21	65	11
█  Co-operative Commonwealth	5	6	69
█  Liberal–Labour	1
█ Labour CCF			1
█  Labor–Progressive				8	1
█  Social Credit				4	1
█  Independent				2
█ Independent PC				2
█ White Canada				1

Resulting composition of the 26th Legislative Assembly ^[1]

Source		Party
		PC	Lib	Lib-Lab	CCF	Total
Seats retained	Incumbents returned	63	10	1	3	77
	Open seats held	7				7
Seats changing hands	Incumbents defeated		8		2	10
	Open seats gained		3			3
	Byelection gains held	1				1
Total		71	21	1	5	98

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 26th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1955–1959

Party		1955	Gain from (loss to)										1959
			PC		Lib		CCF		L-L		I-PC
	Progressive Conservative	83				(11)		(2)			1		71
	Liberal	10	11										21
	Co-operative Commonwealth	3	2										5
	Liberal–Labour	1											1
	Independent-PC	1		(1)									–
Total		98	13	(1)	–	(11)	–	(2)	–	–	1	–	98

There were 14 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

PC to Liberal Bracondale Dovercourt Fort William Niagara Falls Nipissing Parkdale Sudbury Wentworth Windsor—Sandwich Windsor—Walkerville York Centre

PC to CCF Hamilton East Woodbine Independent-PC to PC Renfrew South

See also

• Politics of Ontario
• List of Ontario political parties
• Premier of Ontario
• Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)

References

1. "1959 general election results". Elections Ontario . Retrieved October 10, 2023.