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1955 Ontario general election

Canadian provincial election


Canadian provincial election

FieldValue
election_name1955 Ontario general election
countryOntario
flag_year1921
typeparliamentary
ongoingno
party_colourno
party_nameno
previous_election1951 Ontario general election
previous_year1951
previous_mps24th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
next_election1959 Ontario general election
next_year1959
elected_mps25th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
seats_for_election98 seats in the [25th Legislative Assembly of Ontario](25th-legislative-assembly-of-ontario)
50 seats were needed for a majority
election_dateJune 9, 1955
image_size150x150px
image1Leslie Frost Premier of Ontario.jpg
colour1
leader1Leslie Frost
leader_since1[April 27, 1949](1949-progressive-conservative-party-of-ontario-leadership-election)
party1
leaders_seat1Victoria
last_election179
seats183
seat_change14
percentage148.5%
swing1±0.0pp
image2Farquhar Oliver.JPG
colour2
leader2Farquhar Oliver
leader_since2April 9, 1954
party2
leaders_seat2Grey South
last_election28
seats211
seat_change23
percentage233.3%
swing21.8pp
image3Donald C. Macdonald crop.JPG
colour3
leader3Donald C. MacDonald
leader_since3November 21, 1953
party3
leaders_seat3York South
last_election32
seats33
seat_change31
percentage316.5%
swing32.6pp
titlePremier
posttitlePremier after election
before_electionLeslie Frost
before_party
after_electionLeslie Frost
after_party

50 seats were needed for a majority |}} The 1955 Ontario general election was held on June 9, 1955, to elect the 98 members of the 25th Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario.

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by Leslie Frost, won a fifth consecutive term in office, increasing its caucus in the legislature from 79 in the previous election to 83.

The Ontario Liberal Party, again led by Farquhar Oliver, won three additional seats in the enlarged legislature, increasing its caucus from 8 to 11, and continuing in the role of official opposition. Liberal-Labour MPP Albert Wren was re-elected and continued to sit with the Liberal caucus.

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

The Labor-Progressive Party (which was the Communist Party) lost its last remaining seat with the defeat of J.B. Salsberg.

James Shannon Dempsey (Renfrew South) had his endorsement as a PC candidate withdrawn because of controversy over a political gift, but he was reelected as an Independent PC.

Pre-election developments

Franchise reform

The Election Act, 1951 was significantly amended in 1954, providing for the following changes to the right to vote in Ontario:

:* removal of the disqualification from voting for having been paid to act on behalf of a candidate :* removal of the disqualification from voting for being an inmate maintained in a home for the aged or a house of industry :* extension of the franchise to all Indians living in the province, whether enfranchised or not under the Indian Act :* removal from the voters' list for temporary absence because of being a student, a mariner, or a member of the Canadian, Commonwealth or allied forces

Expansion of Legislative Assembly

For the first time since the 1934 election, the number of seats in the Legislature was adjusted, rising from 90 to 98. The following changes were made:

:* Addington became Frontenac—Addington :* London was divided into London North and London South :* Muskoka—Ontario was reduced to Muskoka, ceding its part of Ontario County to Ontario :* Nickel Belt was separated from Sudbury :* Oshawa was separated from Ontario :* Ottawa West was carved out from Carleton :* Wellington North became Wellington—Dufferin :* Part of Wentworth became Wentworth East :* York Centre was carved out from York North :* York—Humber was separated from York West :* York—Scarborough was ceded from York East

Campaign

CandidatesTotal
align="center"**PC**align="center"**Lib**
217
346
431
53
Total97

Results

|- ! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party ! rowspan=2 | Party leader ! colspan=5 | MPPs ! colspan=3 | Votes |- ! Candidates 1951 !Dissol. !1955 !± !# !% ! ± (pp) |97 |79 | |83 |4 |846,592 |48.06% |0.40 |94 |7 | |10 |3 |577,774 |32.80% |1.74 |81 |2 | |3 |1 |291,410 |16.54% |2.56 |31 |1 | |– |1 |20,875 |1.19% |0.52 |2 |1 | |1 | |7,305 |0.41% |0.04 |1 |– |– |1 |1 |7,033 |0.40% |0.34 |5 |– |– |– | |9,169 |0.52% |0.41 |1 |– |– |– | |641 |0.04% | |1 |– |– |– | |602 |0.03% | |1 |– |– |– | |124 |0.01% | |– |– |– |– | | |-style="background:#E9E9E9;" |314 |90 |90 |98 | |1,761,525 |100.00% | |- |-style="background:#E9E9E9;" |2,905,760 |61.40% |4.17 |}

Vote and seat summaries

|File:Ternary ON1951.svg |1951 |File:Ternary ON1955.svg |1955

PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
{{bartable-0.40
{{bartable1.74
{{bartable-2.56
{{bartable1.22

Synopsis of results

RidingWinning partyTurnout
including spoilt ballotsVotesNameorder is as given in EO reports**[1951](1951-ontario-general-election)**PartyVotesShareMargin
#Margin
%PC/UPCLib/LLCCFLab-PrIndOthTotal
Algoma—ManitoulinPCPC5,72544.37%9006.98%69.54%5,7254,8252,35212,902
BrantLibLib8,58252.06%3,25119.72%60.28%5,3318,5822,57116,484
BrantfordLibLib7,11039.55%3722.07%71.81%6,7387,1103,92820017,976
BrucePCLib8,60954.43%1,91812.13%83.40%6,6918,60951815,818
CarletonPCPC5,15363.65%2,21027.30%55.97%5,1532,9438,096
Cochrane NorthPCPC5,94354.02%3,31030.09%64.55%5,9432,4252,63311,001
Cochrane SouthCCFPC11,90449.43%6122.54%65.23%11,90411,29288724,083
Dufferin—SimcoePCPC7,77862.09%3,73129.78%57.70%7,7784,04770212,527
DurhamPCPC6,93953.36%2,32717.89%67.15%6,9394,6121,45413,005
ElginPCPC9,74160.89%5,38733.68%59.40%9,7414,3541,90215,997
Essex NorthLibLib10,20038.79%6492.47%66.30%9,55110,2006,54626,297
Essex SouthPCPC8,08056.71%1,91213.42%60.45%8,0806,16814,248
Fort WilliamPCPC8,86846.78%3,95020.84%71.05%8,8684,7884,91838318,957
Frontenac—Addington formerly AddingtonPCPC6,50862.39%3,11429.85%65.67%6,5083,39452910,431
GlengarryPCPC5,63561.48%2,10422.95%74.41%5,6353,5319,166
Grenville—DundasPCPC7,92163.56%3,37927.11%59.61%7,9214,54212,463
Grey NorthPCPC8,91052.74%1,87611.10%81.23%8,9107,03495016,894
Grey SouthLibLib6,80051.58%1,62112.30%81.48%5,1796,8001,20413,183
Haldimand—NorfolkPCPC12,91456.73%4,07417.90%71.41%12,9148,8401,01122,765
HaltonPCPC8,37347.31%2,46113.90%54.89%8,3735,9123,41417,699
Hamilton CentrePCPC8,42744.72%2,58013.69%47.08%8,4273,6885,84788218,844
Hamilton EastPCPC7,44436.13%8544.14%56.90%7,4445,8986,59067420,606
Hamilton—WentworthPCPC9,76958.69%5,71334.32%57.75%9,7694,0562,46735416,646
Hastings EastPCPC5,99960.47%2,48125.01%66.70%5,9993,5184039,920
Hastings WestPCPC11,01760.95%5,21928.88%63.67%11,0175,7981,25918,074
HuronPCPC7,89055.27%1,50510.54%79.31%7,8906,38514,275
Huron—BrucePCPC7,24455.67%1,47511.33%81.18%7,2445,76913,013
KenoraLLLL5,26642.22%1281.03%65.83%5,1385,266Albert Wren was already a member of the Legislature2,06812,472
Kent EastPCLib6,94052.76%7255.51%77.99%6,2156,94013,155
Kent WestPCPC10,39954.58%3,27217.17%58.04%10,3997,1271,52619,052
Kingston*PCPC10,61457.09%3,36418.09%65.38%10,6147,25072818,592
Lambton EastPCPC6,85556.41%1,55712.81%71.53%6,8555,29812,153
Lambton WestPCPC10,76756.45%4,92425.82%59.81%10,7675,8432,46219,072
LanarkPCPC11,20674.85%7,44149.70%68.90%11,2063,76514,971
LeedsPCPC10,63263.34%4,47926.68%68.96%10,6326,15316,785
LincolnPCPC15,90350.28%5,20416.45%54.94%15,90310,6993,86951964131,631
London North*New*PC9,02247.70%1,6488.71%61.21%9,0227,3742,51818,914
London South*New*PC8,73545.85%2,50413.14%53.69%8,7356,2313,48959519,050
Middlesex NorthPCPC5,07751.38%5635.70%74.36%5,0774,5142919,882
Middlesex SouthPCPC9,43456.72%2,23513.44%67.64%9,4347,19916,633
MuskokaPCPC5,25647.63%5354.85%77.27%5,2564,7211,05811,035
Niagara FallsLibPC10,35448.72%2,0789.78%57.67%10,3548,2762,30531621,251
Nickel Belt*New*PC7,08837.98%1,91310.25%71.14%7,0885,1752,0394,35918,661
NipissingPCPC8,72351.04%3,70821.69%60.56%8,7235,0152,96538917,092
NorthumberlandPCPC10,20063.20%4,76729.54%75.12%10,2005,43350716,140
OntarioCCFPC7,24849.97%1,88212.97%69.05%7,2485,3661,89214,506
Oshawa*New*CCF9,11441.16%2,31310.45%61.80%6,8015,9669,11426122,142
Ottawa EastLibPC8,68851.32%1,1026.51%47.03%8,6887,58665416,928
Ottawa SouthPCPC14,15153.94%3,16712.07%53.21%14,15110,98482627326,234
Ottawa West*New*PC8,51357.90%3,46723.58%56.76%8,5135,0461,14414,703
OxfordPCLib11,78148.03%1,0534.29%72.69%10,72811,7812,01724,526
Parry SoundPCPC6,49259.58%3,65033.50%69.78%6,4922,8421,56210,896
PeelPCPC13,29650.56%4,60017.49%60.38%13,2968,6964,30526,297
PerthPCPC12,24753.43%1,5746.87%69.17%12,24710,67322,920
PeterboroughPCPC11,56151.63%3,65216.31%58.97%11,5617,9092,92022,390
Port ArthurPCPC9,51742.52%1,7767.94%68.38%9,5174,3477,74177522,380
PrescottPCPC6,38560.26%2,17520.53%65.85%6,3854,21010,595
Prince Edward—LennoxPCPC7,00360.29%2,39020.58%59.15%7,0034,61311,616
Rainy RiverPCPC4,97760.08%2,93835.47%67.86%4,9772,0391,2688,284
Renfrew NorthPCPC8,21552.34%2,14713.68%70.34%8,2156,0681,41115,694
Renfrew SouthPCI-PC7,03350.72%7085.11%77.83%7,033James Shannon Dempsey was a PC MPP in the previous Legislature6,32550913,867
RussellPCPC10,39265.27%4,86230.54%43.05%10,3925,53015,922
StormontLibLib10,57755.51%2,70214.18%66.60%7,87510,57760219,054
Sault Ste. MariePCPC7,71641.77%1,93110.45%63.68%7,7164,5175,78545318,471
Simcoe CentrePCPC8,30557.39%2,13914.78%62.45%8,3056,16614,471
Simcoe EastPCPC8,43654.69%2,79218.10%66.83%8,4365,6441,34615,426
SudburyPCPC8,95739.73%9804.35%71.08%8,9577,9771,6573,95422,545
TemiskamingPCPC6,32260.24%2,15020.49%73.63%6,3224,17210,494
VictoriaPCPC10,63069.61%7,45548.82%68.59%10,6303,1751,46515,270
Waterloo NorthPCLib14,43644.65%2,1606.68%62.50%12,27614,4365,62332,335
Waterloo SouthPCPC8,29039.97%1,7558.46%68.98%8,2905,9156,53520,740
WellandPCPC11,81544.33%2,4099.04%66.90%11,8159,4064,64578726,653
Wellington—Dufferinformerly Wellington NorthPCPC7,72053.53%1,65111.45%77.71%7,7206,06963414,423
Wellington SouthPCLib9,92448.38%1,9689.59%76.20%7,9569,9242,63420,514
WentworthPCPC6,82140.77%1,4378.59%57.81%6,8215,3844,20132416,730
Wentworth East*New*CCF6,50541.44%1,94912.42%51.34%4,5564,2946,50534115,696
Windsor—WalkervillePCPC7,28947.22%2,88018.66%61.46%7,2893,1404,40959815,436
Windsor—SandwichPCPC10,18654.42%5,91131.58%52.50%10,1864,2754,25618,717
York Centre*New*PC12,73137.72%1,1053.27%56.94%12,73111,6268,74265633,755
York EastPCPC18,93145.86%7,56318.32%52.69%18,93111,36810,98241,281
York—Humber*New*PC11,80644.25%4,09815.36%58.03%11,8067,7086,26190826,683
York NorthPCPC11,30148.74%2,67211.53%55.12%11,3018,6293,25423,184
York—Scarborough*New*PC13,80642.22%1,5254.66%53.82%13,80612,2816,28733032,704
York SouthPCCCF13,87744.03%1,4264.52%50.57%12,4514,16813,8771,01931,515
York WestPCPC14,37245.79%4,19713.37%55.04%14,3726,83710,17531,384
BeachesPCPC7,96548.12%1,96611.88%58.07%7,9652,5895,99916,553
BellwoodsPCPC5,33038.43%2331.68%62.97%5,3305,0971,8751,56713,869
BracondalePCPC4,72740.40%1,33311.39%55.24%4,7272,9913,39458811,700
DovercourtPCPC6,28836.12%3832.20%55.92%6,2884,6555,90556017,408
EglintonPCPC15,95455.70%5,99620.93%58.95%15,9549,9582,41731528,644
High ParkPCPC7,72342.39%2,05411.27%58.74%7,7234,3925,66943518,219
ParkdalePCPC7,50336.92%7303.59%55.04%7,5036,7735,50354220,321
RiverdalePCPC8,77147.14%3,62319.47%53.44%8,7714,2365,14832912418,608
St. AndrewLab-PrPC5,01941.50%7436.14%60.93%5,0191,2281,4204,27615212,095
St. DavidPCPC5,74737.18%5613.63%59.19%5,7474,2995,18622715,459
St. GeorgePCPC7,59354.86%4,11929.76%47.64%7,5933,4742,77313,840
St. PatrickPCPC5,16554.60%2,75429.12%51.56%5,1652,4111,5483359,459
WoodbinePCPC8,75543.65%1,3056.51%56.18%8,7553,3727,45048120,058

: = open seat : = turnout is above provincial average : = winning candidate was in previous Legislature : = previously incumbent in another riding : = incumbency arose from byelection gain : = incumbent had switched allegiance : = other incumbents renominated : = unendorsed PC candidate : = Liberal-Labour candidate

Analysis

Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotalPCLibLLCCFLP
63118183
1010
11
33
11
Total1464118198
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5th
8314
1064191
318582
11
1
11281
221
1
1
1
SourcePartyTotal
align="center"**PC**align="center"**Lib**align="center"**Lib-Lab**
Seats retainedIncumbents returned65
Open seats held6
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated3
Open seats gained1
Byelection gains held1
Incumbent changed allegiance
New ridingsIncumbent returned in new seat2
New MPP elected5
**Total**8310

Reorganization of ridings

The reorganized ridings returned the following MLAs:

19511955RidingPartyRidingParty
CarletonCarleton
Ottawa West
LondonLondon North
London South
OntarioOntario
Oshawa
SudburyNickel Belt
Sudbury
WentworthWentworth
Wentworth East
York EastYork East
York—Scarborough
York NorthYork Centre
York North
York WestYork—Humber
York West

References

References

  1. "1955 General Election".
  2. O'Hearn, Don. (May 19, 1955). "Dempsey Case Rocks Legislation". Daily Times-Gazette.
  3. {{Cite canlaw. (1951)
  4. {{Cite canlaw. (1954)
  5. 1954 Act, s. 2
  6. 1954 Act, s. 3
  7. 1954 Act, ss. 4, 5
  8. 1954 Act, s. 5
  9. {{Cite canlaw. (1954)
  10. . ["1955 general election results"](https://results.elections.on.ca/en/data-explorer?fromYear=1867&toYear=2019&electionType=GE&electionId=257). *[[Elections Ontario]]*.
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