The 1879 Ontario general election was the fourth
general election
A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...
held in the province of
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada. It was held on June 5, 1879, to elect the 88 members of the
4th Legislative Assembly ("MLAs").
The
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party (OLP; , PLO) is a political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. The party has been led by Bonnie Crombie since December 2023.
The party espouses the principles of liberalism, with their rival the Progressive Co ...
, led by
Oliver Mowat
Sir Oliver Mowat (July 22, 1820 – April 19, 1903) was a Canadians, Canadian lawyer, politician, and Ontario Liberal Party leader. He served for nearly 24 years as the third premier of Ontario. He was the eighth lieutenant governor of Ontario ...
, won a third term in government with a larger majority in the legislature.
The
Ontario Conservative Party, led by
William Ralph Meredith
Sir William Ralph Meredith, (March 31, 1840 – August 21, 1923) was a Canadian lawyer, politician and judge. He served as Leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, Ontario Conservatives from 1878 to 1894, Chancellor of the Univers ...
, continued to lose seats.
Results
, -
! colspan=2 rowspan=2 , Political party
! rowspan=2 , Party leader
! colspan=4 , MLAs
! colspan=4 , Votes
, -
! Candidates
!
1875
Events
January
* January 1 – The Midland Railway of England abolishes the Second Class passenger category, leaving First Class and Third Class. Other British railway companies follow Midland's lead during the rest of the year (Third C ...
!1879
!±
!#
! ±
!%
! ± (pp)
, style="text-align:left;",
Oliver Mowat
Sir Oliver Mowat (July 22, 1820 – April 19, 1903) was a Canadians, Canadian lawyer, politician, and Ontario Liberal Party leader. He served for nearly 24 years as the third premier of Ontario. He was the eighth lieutenant governor of Ontario ...
, 81 , , 50 , , 57 , , 7 , , 119,148 , , 28,339 , , 48.07% , , 0.52
, rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;",
William Ralph Meredith
Sir William Ralph Meredith, (March 31, 1840 – August 21, 1923) was a Canadian lawyer, politician and judge. He served as Leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, Ontario Conservatives from 1878 to 1894, Chancellor of the Univers ...
, 87 , , 34 , , 29 , , 5 , , 118,513 , , 31,693 , , 47.82% , , 2.35
, – , , 1 , , – , , 1 , , – , , 1,553 , , – , , 0.81
, , , 2 , , 2 , , 2 , , , , 2,111 , , 18 , , 0.85% , , 0.26
, , , – , , 1 , , – , , 1 , , – , , 1,125 , , – , , 0.59
, , , 19 , , – , , – , , – , , 8,085 , , 1,328 , , 3.26% , , 0.28
, -
! colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" , Total
, 189, , 88
! " colspan="2", 88
! " colspan="2", 247,857
! " colspan="2", 100.00%
, -
, colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" , Voter turnout
, 247,857
, 56,891
, 63.22
, 4.06
, -
, colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" , Registered electors
, 392,085
, 108,229
, colspan="2",
, -
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2" colspan="3" ,
Acclamation
An acclamation is a form of election that does not use a ballot. It derives from the ancient Roman word ''acclamatio'', a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval towards imperial officials in certain social contexts.
Voting Voice vot ...
s
, style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" , , , 1
, -
, style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" , , , 1
Synopsis of results
: = 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
The House of Commons of Canada () is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Ca ...
: = multiple candidates
Analysis
MLAs elected by region and riding
Party designations are as follows:
Northern Ontario
*
Ottawa Valley
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Saint Lawrence Valley
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Central Ontario
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Georgian Bay
*
*
*
*
*
*
Wentworth/Halton/Niagara
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Midwestern Ontario
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Southwestern Ontario
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Peel/York/Ontario
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
See also
*
Politics of Ontario
The Province of Ontario is governed by a unicameral legislature, the Parliament of Ontario, composed of the Lieutenant Governor and the Legislative Assembly, which operates in the Westminster system of government. The political party that wins ...
*
List of Ontario political parties
*
Premier of Ontario
The premier of Ontario () is the head of government of Ontario. Under the Westminster system, the premier governs with the confidence of a majority the elected Legislative Assembly; as such, the premier typically sits as a member of Provincia ...
*
Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)
The leader of the Official Opposition () is the leader of the largest political party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that is not in government and is typically the second-largest party. The position is formally titled the leader of His ...
Notes and references
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ontario General Election, 1879
1879
Events January
* January 1
** The Specie Resumption Act takes effect. The United States Note is valued the same as gold, for the first time since the American Civil War.
** Brahms' Violin Concerto is premiered in Leipzig with Joseph Joachim ...
1879 elections in Canada
1879 in Ontario
June 1879