1978 Saskatchewan general election

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1978 Saskatchewan general election
Flag of Saskatchewan.svg
  1975 October 18, 1978 (1978-10-18) 1982  

61 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
32 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Allan-Blakeney-2009.jpeg
PC
LIB
Leader Allan Blakeney Richard Collver Ted Malone
Party New Democratic Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since July 4, 1970 March 18, 1973 December 11, 1976
Leader's seat Regina Elphinstone Nipawin Regina Lakeview (lost re-election)
Last election39715
Seats before391111
Seats won44170
Seat changeIncrease2.svg5Increase2.svg6Decrease2.svg11
Popular vote228,791181,04565,498
Percentage48.12%38.08%13.78%
SwingIncrease2.svg8.05pp Increase2.svg10.46ppDecrease2.svg17.89pp

Premier before election

Allan Blakeney
New Democratic

Premier after election

Allan Blakeney
New Democratic

The 1978 Saskatchewan general election was held on October 18, 1978, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

Contents

The New Democratic government of Premier Allan Blakeney was returned for a third consecutive term with an increased majority in the legislature, and a larger share of the popular vote.

The Progressive Conservative Party of Richard Collver continued to increase its share of the popular vote in this election. They were the only other party to win seats and became the official opposition to the Blakeney government.

Fierce political infighting in the Liberal Party after the resignation of leader David Steuart led to electoral disaster in 1978. The Liberals had lost two of the 15 seats they won in 1975 to by-elections and two more Grits crossed the floor to the Tories prior to the 1978 election. Under the disputed leadership of Ted Malone, the Liberals lost all of the 11 seats they still held in the legislature and more than half the votes it had won in the 1975 election.

Results

PartyParty Leader# of
candidates
SeatsPopular Vote
1975 Dissol. Elected% Change#%% Change
  New Democratic Allan Blakeney 61393944+12.8%228,79148.12%+8.05%
  Progressive Conservative Richard Collver 6171117+54.5%181,04538.08%+10.46%
  Liberal Ted Malone 611511-100%65,49813.78%-17.89%
 Independent2810.02%-0.62%
Total185616161475,415100% 
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Percentages

Popular vote
New Democratic
48.12%
PC
38.08%
Liberal
13.78%
Others
0.02%
Seats summary
New Democratic
72.13%
PC
27.87%

Ranking

Party SeatsSecondThirdFourth
  New Democratic 441700
  Progressive Conservative 174130
  Liberal 03580
 Independents0002

Riding results

Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.

Northwest Saskatchewan

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Athabasca   Frederick John Thompson
2,340
Frank Petit
1,180
Henry Coupland
498
 Frederick John Thompson
Cut Knife-Lloydminster   Bob Long
3,828
Bob Kent
3,213
Bill Taylor
259
  Miro Kwasnica**
Meadow Lake Gord McNeill
2,789
  George McLeod
3,016
Colin Campbell
537
 Gordon James McNeill
Redberry   Dennis Banda
3,325
John Gerich
2,916
Peter Bomok
491
 Dennis George Banda
Rosthern Howard Lucas
3,162
  Ralph Katzman
4,708
Bill Patrick
964
 Ralph Katzman
The Battlefords   Eiling Kramer
4,589
Rod McKenzie
2,175
Mervin Zulyniuk
1,427
  Eiling Kramer
Turtleford   Lloyd Johnson
2,983
Charlie Wells
2,188
Pauline H. Cadrain
620
 Lloyd Emmett Johnson
November 26, 1980 By-election: The Battlefords
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
  NDP David Miner 3,43248.59%-7.44
  Prog. Conservative Harry Zamonsky2,14330.34%+3.79
  Liberal Thomas Bidart1,48821.07%+3.65
Total7,063100.00

Northeast Saskatchewan

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Cumberland   Norm MacAuley
2,586
George L. Horne
1,254
Leon E. McAuley
526
 Norman H. MacAuley
Kelsey-Tisdale   John R. Messer
4,031
Neil Hardy
3,461
P. Hudson Foga
527
 John Rissler Messer
Kinistino   Don Cody
4,042
Louis A. Domotor
2,661
Robert G. Michayluk
706
  Arthur Thibault**
Melfort   Norm Vickar
3,102
Bill Warner
3,749
John W. Calderwood
605
 Norman Vickar
Nipawin Irvin G. Perkins
3,262
  Richard Collver
3,733
Ron J. Wassill
568
  Richard Lee Collver
Prince Albert   Mike Feschuk
4,472
Richard E. Spencer
3,514
Helga Reydon
286
 Mike Feschuk
Prince Albert-Duck Lake   Jerome Hammersmith
3,618
Norm Wipf
3,569
Colonel J. Archibald
660
 Norm Wipf
Shellbrook   George Bowerman
3,835
John P. Meagher
3,029
Manley R. McLachlan
511
 George Bowerman
November 26, 1980 By-election: Kelsey-Tisdale
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
  Prog. Conservative Neil Hardy 3,33448.39%+5.23
  NDP Lars Bracken3,23246.91%-3.36
  Liberal Jim Russell3244.70%-1.87
Total6,890100.00

West Central Saskatchewan

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Arm River Donald Leonard Faris
3,308
  Gerald Muirhead
3,501
Greg Wensel
1,101
 Donald Leonard Faris
Biggar   Elwood L. Cowley
4,787
Roy Norris
3,270
Lynn Tokle
552
 Elwood Lorrie Cowley
Humboldt   Edwin Tchorzewski
4,272
John Bajbula
2,439
Peter Cline
1,065
 Edwin Tchorzewski
Kindersley David G. Thomson
2,461
  Bob Andrew
2,774
Allan McMillan
1,937
 Allan Neil McMillan
Rosetown-Elrose Jim Mills
3,056
  Herbert Swan
3,587
Calvin W. Fensom
1,011
  Roy Bailey**
Wilkie Ray Heather
2,371
  Jim Garner
2,865
Linda Clifford
1,975
 Linda Clifford

East Central Saskatchewan

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Canora   Al Matsalla
4,258
Eugene Teslia
2,647
Joseph F. Matsalla
730
 Al Matsalla
Kelvington-Wadena   Neil Byers
4,165
Ray Meiklejohn
3,366
A. Ben Ferrie
521
 Neil Erland Byers
Last Mountain-Touchwood   Gordon MacMurchy
4,150
Arnold Tusa
3,795
Gill Fontaine
385
 Gordon S. MacMurchy
Melville   John Kowalchuk
4,072
Glenn Miller
3,465
Cecil Headrick
901
 John Russell Kowalchuk
Pelly   Norm Lusney
3,739
Donald F. Boyd
2,130
Rudolph Els
760
 Norm Lusney
Quill Lakes   Murray Koskie
3,662
W. Brian Wildeman
2,251
Mervyn T. Warner
919
 Murray James Koskie
Saltcoats   Ed Kaeding
3,354
Walter R. Johnson
3,265
Gabriel R. Neumeier
680
 Ed Kaeding
Yorkton   Randy Nelson
4,128
Ray S. Malinowski
3,637
Irene Konkin
1,036
 Randall Neil Nelson

Southwest Saskatchewan

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Assiniboia-Gravelbourg   Allan Engel
3,126
Wilf Lethbridge
2,331
Roy Nelson
2,662
  Roy Nelson
Maple Creek Norman Arndt
2,327
  Joan Duncan
3,496
W.V. "Fred" Deis
1,341
  Bill Stodalka**
Moose Jaw North   John Skoberg
4,483
Kerry R. Chow
3,579
Gene Chura
1,003
 John Leroy Skoberg
Moose Jaw South   Gordon Snyder
4,512
Arthur "Bud" Smith
2,408
Terry W. Ocrane
716
 Gordon Taylor Snyder
Morse   Reg Gross
2,587
Art Martens
2,203
Jack Wiebe
2,024
 John Edward Niel Wiebe
Shaunavon   Dwain Lingenfelter
2,778
Jim Lacey
2,145
Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson
2,385
 Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson
Swift Current Spencer Wooff
3,288
  Dennis Ham
3,620
Stew Tasche
936
 Dennis Ham
Thunder Creek D. Hicks
2,424
  Colin Thatcher
3,359
Ron Gleim
1,270
 Wilbert Colin Thatcher

Southeast Saskatchewan

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Bengough-Milestone Jim Liggett
3,069
  Bob Pickering
3,118
Rod MacDonald
1,018
  David Lange**
Estevan Norman Blondeau
2,703
  Bob Larter
4,376
Paul Bachorcik
948
 Robert Austin Larter
Indian Head-Wolseley Pat Connolley
2,400
  Doug Taylor
2,893
Cyril MacDonald
1,943
 Cyril Pius MacDonald
Moosomin Fred A. Easton
2,614
  Larry Birkbeck
3,353
J. Sinclair Harrison
1,964
 Larry Birkbeck
Qu'Appelle Greg Willows
6,844
  John Gary Lane
7,231
J. Don McCullough
1,541
 John Gary Lane
Souris-Cannington Dean Fraser
2,019
  Eric Berntson
3,739
Gerard Belisle
1,170
  Eric Arthur Berntson
Weyburn   Jim Pepper
3,517
Glen Dods
3,449
Ron Chapdelaine
981
 James Auburn Pepper
November 26, 1980 By-election: Estevan
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
  NDP John Chapman 2,91836.79%+3.12
  Prog. Conservative Grant Devine 2,85836.03%-18.49
  Liberal Ralph Goodale 2,15627.18%+15.37
Total7,932100.00

Saskatoon

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Saskatoon Buena Vista   Herman Rolfes
3,786
Reg Schafer
2,343
Doris Serne
1,272
 Herman Harold Rolfes
Saskatoon Centre   Paul Mostoway
5,246
Harry Baker
2,743
Jean Korchin
1,453
 Paul Peter Mostoway
Saskatoon Eastview   Bernie Poniatowski
4,018
Kimberly Young
3,322
Marie Eaton
1,257
  Glen Penner**
Saskatoon Mayfair   Beverly Dyck
4,328
Donna L. Birkmaier
2,394
Dick Reed
1,104
 Beverly Dyck
Saskatoon Nutana   Wes Robbins
4,739
Grant Devine
2,466
John A. Shanks
1,080
 W. Albert Robbins
Saskatoon Riversdale   Roy Romanow
5,225
Mary Cherneskey
2,205
Nestor W. Romaniuk
640
  Roy Romanow
Saskatoon Sutherland   Peter Prebble
5,007
Bill Lane
4,722
Douglas R. Knott
1,845
 Harold William Lane
Saskatoon Westmount   John Edward Brockelbank
5,651
Peter Shinkaruk
2,427
Peter Sydney Groves
909
  John Edward Brockelbank

Regina

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
NDPPCLiberalOther
Regina Centre   Ned Shillington
3,767
Keith Jeal
1,451
George Exner
935
William C. Beeching (Ind.) 45 Edward Shillington
Regina Elphinstone   Allan Blakeney
4,390
Christine Whitaker
1,250
R. Lawson Wilde
596
  Allan Blakeney
Regina Lakeview   Doug McArthur
3,351
Ian McPherson
1,684
Ted Malone
2,366
  Edward Cyril Malone
Regina North East   Walt Smishek
4,831
F. Warren Denzin
2,248
Del Miller
805
Roger D. Annis (Ind.) 36 Walter Smishek
Regina North West   Ed Whelan
5,575
Philip Lundeen
3,142
J. Culliton Poston
1,443
 Edward Charles Whelan
Regina Rosemont   Bill Allen
4,524
Florian Vanderlinde
2,154
Gerry Bassendowski
766
 William J. G. Allen
Regina South John Hettema
3,114
  Paul Rousseau
3,325
Philip M. Desjardine
1,688
  Stuart Cameron**
Regina Victoria   Henry Baker
3,729
Andrew G. Shepherd
1,594
Glenn Caleval
820
 Henry Harold Peter Baker
Regina Wascana   Clint White
3,993
Allan W. Wagar
2,945
J. Duane Koch
1,859
  Anthony Merchant**
October 17, 1979 By-election: Regina North West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
  NDP John Solomon 3,35447.75%-7.12
  Liberal Ted Malone 2,21131.47%+17.27
  Prog. Conservative Philip Lundeen1,46020.78%-10.15
Total7,025100.00

See also

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References