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1871 Ontario general election

The 1871 Ontario general election was the second general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on March 21, 1871, to elect the 82 Members of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").[1]

1871 Ontario general election
← 1867 March 21, 1871 1875 →
82 seats in the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
42 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Edward Blake John Sandfield Macdonald
Party Liberal Conservative
Leader's seat Bruce South Cornwall
Last election 41 41
Seats won 43 38
Seat change Increase2 Decrease3
Premier before election

John Sandfield Macdonald
Conservative

Premier after election

Edward Blake
Liberal

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Edward Blake, won a slim majority of the seats, and formed the government.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by John Sandfield Macdonald, served as the official opposition.

Electoral reforms

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Earlier in 1871, the Legislative Assembly passed an Act to give the courts jurisdiction to rule on petitions dealing with corrupt practices in elections.[2]

In 1872, the Parliament of Canada passed an Act to compel MPs who were also members of a provincial legislature to resign such seats if they wished to stand again in a federal election.[3] Five MLAs in the 1871 election were thus obliged to leave the Legislative Assembly in order to stand in federal ridings in 1872.

Results

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Elections to the 2nd Parliament of Ontario (1871)[4]
Political party Party leader MLAs Votes
Candidates 1867 1871 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Liberal 76 41 43 2  68,366 9,323  52.30% 3.54 
Conservative 73 41 38 3  59,926 20,185  45.85% 4.44 
Conservative-Liberal 1 – 1 1  1,116 1,116 0.85% New
Independent 9 – – – 1,303 220  1.00% 0.04 
Total 159 82 88 130,711 100.00%
Voter turnout 130,711 28,612  62.93 10.93 
Registered electors 207,717 8,005 
Acclamations █ Liberal 7
█ Conservative 8
Other candidates receiving nil votes[a 1] █ Independent 2
  1. ^ one in Halton, and another in Peel
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Liberal
43 / 88
52.30%
 3.54 3.54
 
█ Conservative
38 / 88
45.85%
 -4.44
 
█ Other
1 / 88
1.85%
 0.90 0.9
 

Synopsis of results

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Results by riding - 1871 Ontario general election[4]
Riding Winning party Turnout Votes
Name[a 1] 1867 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		Lib Con CL Ind Total
 
Addington Con Lib 809 50.82% 26 1.63% 59.31% 809 783 – – 1,592
Algoma Con Con acclaimed
Bothwell Lib Lib 1,304 55.02% 238 10.04% 72.17% 1,304 1,066 – – 2,370
Brant North Lib Lib 740 60.26% 252 20.52% 60.73% 740 488 – – 1,228
Brant South Con Con 1,172 52.70% 120 5.40% 66.55% 1,052 1,172 – – 2,224
Brockville and Elizabethtown Con Con 620 50.28% 7 0.57% 66.33% 613 620 – – 1,233
Bruce North Lib Lib acclaimed
Bruce South Lib Lib 2,082 55.21% 393 10.42% 79.79% 2,082[a 2] 1,689 – – 3,771
Cardwell Con CL 1,116 63.16% 465 26.32% 67.14% 651 – 1,116 – 1,767
Carleton Lib Con 822 50.31% 10 0.61% 63.46% 812 822 – – 1,634
Cornwall Con Con acclaimed
Dundas Lib Lib 1,216 56.09% 264 12.18% 76.28% 1,216 952 – – 2,168
Durham East Con Con acclaimed
Durham West Lib Lib acclaimed[a 2]
Elgin East Con Lib 1,442 53.11% 169 6.22% 63.82% 1,442 1,273 – – 2,715
Elgin West Con Lib 969 55.69% 198 11.38% 76.55% 969 771 – – 1,740
Essex Con Lib 1,204 51.23% 418 17.79% 50.95% 1,204 786 – 360 2,350
Frontenac Con Con acclaimed
Glengarry Con Con 962 52.89% 105 5.77% 72.30% 857 962 – – 1,819
Grenville South Con Con 797 51.22% 38 2.44% 76.42% 759 797 – – 1,556
Grey North Con Con 1,339 58.42% 386 16.84% 50.22% 953 1,339 – – 2,292
Grey South Con Con 1,625 59.92% 538 19.84% 61.83% 1,087 1,625 – – 2,712
Haldimand Lib Lib 1,212 60.78% 430 21.56% 59.90% 1,212 782 – – 1,994
Halton Lib Lib 1,194 55.98% 255 11.95% 57.51% 1,194 939 – – 2,133
Hamilton Lib Lib 1,294 54.23% 202 8.47% 60.54% 1,294 1,092 – – 2,386
Hastings East Con Con 186 88.57% 162 77.14% 10.10% 24 186 – – 210
Hastings North Con Con 604 86.04% 506 72.08% 41.29% 98 604 – – 702
Hastings West Con Con acclaimed
Huron North Con Lib 2,259 55.86% 474 11.72% 68.67% 2,259 1,785 – – 4,044
Huron South Lib Lib 1,561 53.55% 207 7.10% 71.64% 1,561 1,354 – – 2,915
Kent Lib Lib 1,382 53.55% 183 7.09% 61.15% 1,382 1,199 – – 2,581
Kingston Con Con 607 50.04% 21 1.73% 58.21% 586 607 – 20 1,213
Lambton Lib Lib acclaimed
Lanark North Lib Lib acclaimed
Lanark South Con Con 816 42.88% 150 7.88% 66.10% 666 816 – 421 1,903
Leeds North and Grenville North Lib Con 723 61.01% 261 22.03% 52.71% 462 723 – – 1,185
Leeds South Con Con acclaimed
Lennox Con Con 1,183 56.41% 269 12.83% 62.95% – 2,097[a 3] – – 2,097
Lincoln Con Con acclaimed
London Con Con 985 63.84% 427 27.67% 57.06% 558 985 – – 1,543
Middlesex East Lib Con 1,622 51.41% 89 2.82% 74.92% 1,533 1,622 – – 3,155
Middlesex North Lib Lib 1,286 56.58% 299 13.15% 69.34% 1,286 987 – – 2,273
Middlesex West Con Lib 1,362 58.81% 408 17.62% 77.17% 1,362 954 – – 2,316
Monck Con Con 931 50.13% 5 0.27% 66.35% 926 931 – – 1,857
Niagara Con Con 277 62.25% 109 24.49% 56.98% 168 277 – – 445
Norfolk North Con Lib 1,122 56.78% 268 13.56% 74.43% 1,122 854[a 4] – – 1,976
Norfolk South Lib Lib 1,009 53.30% 125 6.60% 71.73% 1,009 884[a 4] – – 1,893
Northumberland East Lib Lib 694 37.70% 30 1.63% 53.22% 694 664 – 483 1,841
Northumberland West Lib Lib 1,013 50.90% 36 1.81% 67.48% 1,013 977 – – 1,990
Ontario North Lib Lib 1,279 73.80% 833 48.07% 44.11% 1,279 446 – – 1,733
Ontario South Lib Lib 1,180 52.17% 98 4.33% 65.81% 1,180 1,082 – – 2,262
Ottawa Lib Lib 574 76.33% 396 52.66% 27.68% 574 178 – – 752
Oxford North Lib Lib acclaimed
Oxford South Lib Lib 1,430 57.78% 385 15.56% 65.86% 1,430 1,045 – – 2,475
Peel Con Con 1,118 51.36% 59 2.71% 75.91% 1,059 1,118 – – 2,177
Perth North Con Con 1,630 57.88% 444 15.77% 68.20% 1,186 1,630 – – 2,816
Perth South Lib Con 1,302 50.60% 31 1.20% 71.99% 1,271 1,302 – – 2,573
Peterborough East Con Con 779 61.68% 299 23.67% 60.55% 480 779 – 4 1,263
Peterborough West Con Lib 648 52.13% 53 4.26% 69.91% 648 595 – – 1,243
Prescott Lib Con 853 54.26% 134 8.52% 75.61% 719 853 – – 1,572
Prince Edward Lib Lib 1,522 52.23% 130 4.46% 78.19% 1,522 1,392[a 5] – – 2,914
Renfrew North Con Con 640 56.74% 152 13.48% 74.31% 488 640 – – 1,128
Renfrew South Lib Con 448 63.46% 190 26.91% 59.88% 258 448 – – 706
Russell Con Con 773 51.29% 46 3.05% 56.15% 727 773 – 7 1,507
Simcoe North Lib Con 1,354 44.39% 313 10.26% 69.41% 1,696[a 6] 1,354 – – 3,050
Simcoe South Con Con acclaimed
Stormont Con Con 705 50.18% 5 0.36% 74.34% 700 705 – – 1,405
Toronto East Con Con 1,232 52.56% 120 5.12% 52.26% 1,112 1,232 – – 2,344
Toronto West Con Lib 1,487 53.05% 171 6.10% 51.84% 1,487 1,316 – – 2,803
Victoria North Lib Con 518 54.76% 90 9.51% 61.55% 428 518 – – 946
Victoria South Lib Lib 1,046 60.05% 350 20.09% 59.97% 1,742[a 7] – – – 1,742
Waterloo North Lib Lib acclaimed
Waterloo South Lib Lib 1,215 60.27% 414 20.54% 69.42% 1,215 801 – – 2,016
Welland Lib Lib 1,182 53.12% 139 6.25% 61.08% 2,225[a 8] – – – 2,225
Wellington Centre Con Lib 1,465 64.94% 674 29.88% 58.89% 1,465 791 – – 2,256
Wellington North Lib Lib 1,531 63.53% 652 27.05% 59.40% 1,531 879 – – 2,410
Wellington South Lib Lib acclaimed
Wentworth North Lib Lib 1,071 57.24% 271 14.48% 70.95% 1,071 800 – – 1,871
Wentworth South Lib Lib 957 66.97% 485 33.94% 56.08% 957 472 – – 1,429
York East Lib Lib 791 70.19% 455 40.37% 36.52% 791 336 – – 1,127
York North Lib Con 1,306 50.10% 5 0.19% 66.64% 1,301 1,306 – – 2,607
York West Con Lib 865 56.32% 194 12.63% 62.54% 865 671 – – 1,536
  1. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  2. ^ a b Edward Blake was elected in two ridings.
  3. ^ the incumbent John Stevenson received 914 votes
  4. ^ a b James Wilson (incumbent in Norfolk North) campaigned and lost in two ridings
  5. ^ William Anderson had been elected as a Liberal in an 1870 byelection
  6. ^ the incumbent William Lount received 655 votes
  7. ^ the incumbent Thomas Matchett received 696 votes
  8. ^ the incumbent William Beatty received 1,043 votes
  = 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
  = other incumbents renominated
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

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Party candidates in 2nd place[4]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
Accl Lib Con
Liberal 7 2 34 43
Conservative 8 29 1 38
Conservative-Liberal 1 1
Total 15 32 35 82
Candidates ranked 1st to 3rd place, by party[4]
Parties Accl 1st 2nd 3rd
█ Liberal 7 36 32 1
█ Conservative 8 30 35
█ Conservative-Liberal 1
█ Independent 7
Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario[4]
Source Party
Lib Con CL Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 19 16 35
Returned by acclamation 7 8 15
Open seats held 3 3
Ouster of incumbents changing allegiance 4 4
Defeat of incumbent by same-party candidate 2 1 3
Byelection loss reversed 1 1
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 8 7 15
Open seats gained 3 2 1 6
Total 43 38 1 82

MLAs elected by region and riding

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Party designations are as follows:

  Liberal
  Conservative
  Conservative-Liberal

Later resignations on campaigning at the federal level

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Resignation New incoming MLA
District Outgoing MLA Elected as MP Winner
1872 federal election
Bruce South   Edward Blake  Y   Rupert Mearse Wells
London   John Carling  Y   William Ralph Meredith
Middlesex West   Alexander Mackenzie  Y[a 1]   John Watterworth
Monck   Lachlin McCallum  N   Henry Ryan Haney
1873 federal byelection (Durham West)
Brant South   Edmund Burke Wood  Y   Arthur Sturgis Hardy
1874 federal election
Wellington North   Robert McKim  N[a 2]   George Turner Orton
  1. ^ elected in Lambton
  2. ^ campaigned in Wellington Centre

See also

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Notes and references

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Notes

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  1. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued.[5] Monk was returned in the subsequent byelection.
  2. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued.[5] Hamilton was returned in the subsequent byelection.
  3. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued.[5] James Bethune (Liberal) won the subsequent byelection.
  4. ^ Declined the seat in favour of sitting for Bruce South[5] John McLeod (Liberal) won the subsequent byelection.
  5. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued.[5] James Simeon McCuaig (Conservative) won the subsequent byelection.
  6. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued.[5] Ardagh was returned in the subsequent byelection.
  7. ^ Election declared void because of corrupt practices. Writ for new election issued.[5] Lauder was returned in the subsequent byelection.

References

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  1. ^ "1871 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ The Controverted Elections Act of 1871, S.O. 1870-71, c. 3
  3. ^ An Act to compel Members of a Local Legislature in any Province where dual representation is not allowed, to resign their Seats before becoming Candidates in any Seats in the Dominion Parliament, S.C. 1872, c. 15
  4. ^ a b c d e "1871 general election results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Journals of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1872. pp. 5–15.
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