1937 Ontario general election

1937 Ontario general election
← 1934 October 6, 1937 1943 →
90 seats in the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  CCF
Leader Mitchell Hepburn William Earl Rowe John Mitchell
as party president
Party Liberal Conservative Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader since December 17, 1930 May 28, 1936 April 14, 1934
Leader's seat Elgin Ran in Simcoe Centre (Lost) Ran in Waterloo South (Lost)
Last election 65 17 1
Seats won 63 23 0
Seat change Decrease2 Increase6 Decrease1
Percentage 49.5% 39.4% 5.3%
Swing Increase2.4pp Decrease0.3pp Decrease1.7pp
Premier before election

Mitchell Hepburn
Liberal

Premier after election

Mitchell Hepburn
Liberal

The 1937 Ontario general election was held on October 6, 1937, to elect the 90 Members of the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). It was the 20th general election held in the Province of Ontario.[1]

Campaign

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Mitchell Hepburn, was re-elected for a second term in government, with a slightly reduced majority in the Legislature.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by William Earl Rowe, was able to win six additional seats, and continued to form the official opposition.

Meanwhile, the fledgling democratic socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) ran 37 candidates out of a possible 90, led by party president John Mitchell running in Waterloo South, who also campaigned throughout the province on the party's behalf.[2] The election, however, resulted in a modest decline in popular vote and the loss of the party's sole MLA, Sam Lawrence in Hamilton East.

Incumbent MLA Farquhar Oliver was the last remaining United Farmers of Ontario MLA and ran as the party's sole candidate in the election. In practice, however, he had been a supporter of the Liberal government and would join Hepburn's cabinet in 1940, formally joining the Liberal Party.

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1937)
Candidates Lib Con CCF L-P UFO Lab Frm-Lab Ind Ind-Lib Ind-Con Soc-Lab Other Total
2 32 34 1 1 68
3 30 31 20 1 1 3 3 4 1 1 1 96
4 17 18 14 1 3 2 3 4 2 6 2 72
5 6 6 5 1 3 1 1 2 4 1 30
Total 85 89 39 4 1 7 6 7 8 5 11 4 266

Outcome

In 1938, MLAs voted to adopt the title "Member of Provincial Parliament", and became known as "MPPs".

This Ontario election was the last to date in which the winning party (together with effective support from the Liberal-Progressives and UFO, against which they did not field opposing candidates) has won an absolute majority of the popular vote.

Results

Elections to the 20th Parliament of Ontario (1937)[3][4]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1934 Dissol. 1937 ± # % ± (pp)
Liberal Mitchell Hepburn 85 64 66 62 2Decrease 769,747 48.99 2.43Increase
Conservative William Earl Rowe 89 17 17 23 6Increase 619,610 39.44 0.34Decrease
Liberal–Progressive 4 5 4 3 2Decrease 24,752 1.58 1.31Decrease
Independent Liberal 8 – 1 1 1Increase 20,776 1.32 0.53Increase
United Farmers Farquhar Oliver 1 1 1 1 Steady 7,296 0.46 0.09Decrease
Co-operative Commonwealth John Mitchell[a 1] 37 1 1 – 1Decrease 77,833 4.95 1.66Decrease
  CCF-Labour 2 – – – – 5,746 0.37
Independent 7 1 1 – 1Decrease 4,039 0.26 0.96Decrease
Liberal–Labour – 1 – – 1Decrease Did not campaign
Farmer–Labour 6 – – – – 14,675 0.93 0.89Increase
Labour 7 – – – – 11,807 0.75 0.74Increase
Independent Conservative 5 – – – – 8,270 0.53 0.50Increase
Labor–Progressive 1 – – – – 3,343 0.21 0.37%Decrease
Communist 1 – – – – 408 0.03
Socialist Labour 11 – – – – 2,199 0.14 0.04Increase
Social Credit 1 – – – – 538 0.03 New
Independent Labour 1 – – – – 94 0.01 0.02Decrease
Total 266 90 90 90 1,571,133 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 17,271
Registered voters / turnout 2,238,230 71.29% 2.32Decrease
  1. ^ party president
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Liberal
62 / 90
48.99%
 2.43 2.43
 
█ Conservative
23 / 90
39.44%
 -0.34
 
█ Liberal–Progressive
3 / 90
1.58%
 -1.31
 
█ Co-operative Commonwealth
0 / 90
5.32%
 -1.66
 
█ Other
2 / 90
4.67%
 0.88 0.88
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1937 Ontario general election[3][4]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1934 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		Lib Con CCF
[a 3] 		L-Prog UFO Lab F-Lab Ind Ind-Lab Ind-Lib Ind-Con Other Total
 
Addington Con Con 7,146 50.82% 230 1.64% 84.43% 6,916 7,146 – – – – – – – – – – 14,062
Algoma—Manitoulin Lib Lib 7,092 50.94% 576 4.14% 74.61% 7,092 6,516 – – – – 313 – – – – – 13,921
Brant L-P Lib 9,115 74.93% 6,065 49.86% 63.52% 9,115 3,050 – – – – – – – – – – 12,165
Brantford Ind I-Lib 8,094 53.71% 2,602 17.27% 72.24% – 5,492 1,483 – – – – – – 8,094 – – 15,069
Bruce Lib Lib 8,739 56.36% 1,972 12.72% 73.02% 8,739 6,767 – – – – – – – – – – 15,506
Carleton Con Con 6,956 58.41% 3,262 27.39% 66.76% 3,694 6,956 – – – – – – – 1,258 – – 11,908
Cochrane North Lib Lib 4,940 52.55% 480 5.11% 72.74% 4,940 4,460 – – – – – – – – – – 9,400
Cochrane South Lib Lib 12,773 48.55% 5,709 21.70% 73.29% 12,773 7,064 – – – – 6,473 – – – – – 26,310
Dufferin—Simcoe Lib Con 8,484 53.22% 1,027 6.44% 73.46% 7,457 8,484 – – – – – – – – – – 15,941
Durham Lib Lib 7,183 52.23% 614 4.46% 79.19% 7,183 6,569 – – – – – – – – – – 13,752
Elgin Lib Lib 12,361 62.53% 5,308 26.85% 78.08% 12,361 7,053 355 – – – – – – – – – 19,769
Essex North Lib Lib 7,449 51.85% 2,455 17.09% 73.71% 7,449 4,994 598 – – – 1,326 – – – – – 14,367
Essex South Lib Lib 7,755 63.51% 3,300 27.03% 64.95% 7,755 4,455 – – – – – – – – – – 12,210
Fort William Lib Con 5,731 39.93% 495 3.45% 79.73% 5,236 5,731 1,542 – – – – – – 1,845 – – 14,354
Glengarry Lib Lib 6,737 67.20% 3,449 34.40% 72.00% 6,737 3,288 – – – – – – – – – – 10,025
Grenville—Dundas Con Con 9,288 54.99% 1,685 9.98% 74.84% 7,603 9,288 – – – – – – – – – – 16,891
Grey North L-P L-P 8,511 54.21% 2,339 14.90% 77.28% – 6,172 1,016 8,511 – – – – – – – – 15,699
Grey South UFO UFO 7,296 54.95% 1,314 9.90% 71.83% – 5,982 – – 7,296 – – – – – – – 13,278
Haldimand—Norfolk Lib Lib 12,638 56.44% 2,883 12.87% 76.53% 12,638 9,755 – – – – – – – – – – 22,393
Halton L-P L-P 7,832 55.50% 1,874 13.28% 75.80% – 5,958 238 7,832 – – – 83 – – – – 14,111
Hamilton East CCF Lib 9,796 47.31% 3,859 18.64% 71.07% 9,796 5,937 4,858 – – – – – – – – 116 20,707
Hamilton Centre Lib Lib 11,959 54.97% 5,839 26.84% 68.33% 11,959 6,120 – – – – – – – – – 3,676 21,755
Hamilton—Wentworth Lib Lib 11,559 60.83% 5,550 29.21% 73.01% 11,559 6,009 1,434 – – – – – – – – – 19,002
Hastings East Con Con 7,052 55.88% 1,484 11.76% 84.08% 5,568 7,052 – – – – – – – – – – 12,620
Hastings West Lib Con 9,923 53.56% 1,319 7.12% 76.36% 8,604 9,923 – – – – – – – – – – 18,527
Huron Lib Lib 7,042 50.86% 1,180 8.52% 76.42% 7,042 5,862 – – – – – 942 – – – – 13,846
Huron—Bruce Lib Lib 8,587 61.08% 3,807 27.08% 74.03% 8,587 4,780 – – – – – – – 470 222 – 14,059
Kenora L-L Lib 6,597 59.27% 2,064 18.54% 67.40% 6,597 4,533 – – – – – – – – – – 11,130
Kent East L-P L-P 8,250 71.45% 4,953 42.89% 71.04% – 3,297 – 8,250 – – – – – – – – 11,547
Kent West Lib Lib 10,991 77.72% 7,840 55.44% 55.16% 10,991 3,151 – – – – – – – – – – 14,142
Kingston Con Con 8,014 50.59% 187 1.18% 82.28% 7,827 8,014 – – – – – – – – – – 15,841
Lambton East Lib Lib 8,598 63.57% 3,670 27.13% 74.79% 8,598 4,928 – – – – – – – – – – 13,526
Lambton West Lib Lib 8,341 61.28% 3,070 22.55% 75.29% 8,341 5,271 – – – – – – – – – – 13,612
Lanark Con Con 9,103 54.37% 1,462 8.73% 74.22% 7,641 9,103 – – – – – – – – – – 16,744
Leeds Lib Con 10,339 51.85% 736 3.69% 79.42% 9,603 10,339 – – – – – – – – – – 19,942
Lincoln Lib Lib 12,547 48.40% 1,146 4.42% 72.76% 12,547 11,401 1,975 – – – – – – – – – 25,923
London Lib Lib 16,144 55.19% 5,287 18.07% 71.01% 16,144 10,857 2,124 – – – – – – – – 129 29,254
Middlesex North Lib Lib 8,476 59.90% 2,801 19.79% 73.29% 8,476 5,675 – – – – – – – – – – 14,151
Middlesex South Lib Lib 8,370 67.22% 4,289 34.45% 67.04% 8,370 4,081 – – – – – – – – – – 12,451
Muskoka—Ontario L-P Lib 9,720 52.09% 781 4.19% 77.63% 9,720 8,939 – – – – – – – – – – 18,659
Niagara Falls Lib Lib 10,225 60.39% 5,085 30.03% 68.83% 10,225 5,140 710 – – – 857 – – – – – 16,932
Nipissing Lib Lib 8,669 49.46% 2,140 12.21% 73.16% 8,669 6,529 – – – – – 209 – 2,121 – – 17,528
Northumberland Lib Lib 8,873 51.83% 625 3.65% 82.55% 8,873 8,248 – – – – – – – – – – 17,121
Ontario Lib Lib 9,834 44.13% 2,059 9.24% 77.73% 9,834 7,775 4,598 – – – – – – – – 79 22,286
Ottawa East Lib Lib 16,920 79.65% 13,134 61.82% 67.75% 16,920 3,786 – – – – – – – – – 538 21,244
Ottawa South Con Con 17,443 50.20% 893 2.57% 69.41% 16,550 17,443 – – – 69 – – – – – 684 34,746
Oxford Lib Lib 11,812 53.84% 2,712 12.36% 74.87% 11,812 9,100 – – – – – 1,029 – – – – 21,941
Parry Sound Lib Lib 6,168 53.46% 799 6.93% 75.43% 6,168 5,369 – – – – – – – – – – 11,537
Peel Lib Con 8,228 48.88% 279 1.66% 78.68% 7,949 8,228 657 – – – – – – – – – 16,834
Perth Lib Lib 15,547 59.80% 5,097 19.61% 75.80% 15,547 10,450 – – – – – – – – – – 25,997
Peterborough Con Lib 10,603 48.30% 1,102 5.02% 80.18% 10,603 9,501 1,849 – – – – – – – – – 21,953
Port Arthur Lib Lib 8,006 56.34% 3,066 21.58% 73.92% 8,006 4,940 1,263 – – – – – – – – – 14,209
Prescott Lib Lib 6,357 53.91% 1,788 15.16% 70.53% 6,357 865 – – – – – – – 4,569 – – 11,791
Prince Edward—Lennox Lib Con 7,470 50.69% 202 1.37% 77.80% 7,268 7,470 – – – – – – – 0 – – 14,738
Rainy River Lib Lib 3,460 50.45% 1,318 19.22% 73.47% 3,460 2,142 1,256 – – – – – – 0 – – 6,858
Renfrew North Lib Lib 6,219 51.16% 282 2.32% 76.19% 6,219 5,937 – – – – – – – 0 – – 12,156
Renfrew South Lib Lib 5,887 47.27% 1,090 8.75% 75.82% 5,887 4,797 – – – – – – – 1,769 – – 12,453
Russell Lib Lib 6,481 58.65% 3,415 30.90% 67.89% 6,481 3,066 – – – – – 1,504 – – – – 11,051
Sault Ste. Marie Lib Lib 7,134 49.47% 646 4.48% 77.42% 7,134 6,488 798 – – – – – – – – – 14,420
Simcoe Centre Lib Lib 8,375 54.19% 1,294 8.37% 77.08% 8,375 7,081 – – – – – – – – – – 15,456
Simcoe East Lib Con 7,606 50.34% 103 0.68% 71.31% 7,503 7,606 – – – – – – – – – – 15,109
Stormont Lib Lib 10,409 64.33% 4,638 28.67% 71.94% 10,409 5,771 – – – – – – – – – – 16,180
Sudbury Lib Lib 12,850 55.59% 5,470 23.66% 70.21% 12,850 7,380 – – – 2,236 – – – 650 – – 23,116
Temiskaming Lib Lib 5,966 46.70% 210 1.64% 71.11% 5,966 5,756 1,053 – – – – – – – – – 12,775
Victoria Lib Con 9,372 50.92% 339 1.84% 82.42% 9,033 9,372 – – – – – – – – – – 18,405
Waterloo North Lib Lib 13,466 62.64% 9,302 43.27% 62.02% 13,466 3,322 493 – – – 4,164 – – – – 53 21,498
Waterloo South Lib Lib 9,064 53.63% 3,367 19.92% 71.69% 9,064 5,697 2,140 – – – – – – – – – 16,901
Welland Lib Lib 9,994 53.78% 2,946 15.85% 73.93% 9,994 7,048 – – – – 1,542 – – – – – 18,584
Wellington North Lib Lib 8,704 55.19% 1,636 10.37% 75.62% 8,704 7,068 – – – – – – – – – – 15,772
Wellington South Lib Lib 8,897 54.69% 2,091 12.85% 78.59% 8,897 – 566 – – – – – – – 6,806 – 16,269
Wentworth Lib Lib 10,068 54.08% 4,348 23.36% 69.59% 10,068 5,720 2,480 – – – – – – – – 348 18,616
Windsor—Walkerville Lib Lib 10,090 58.02% 4,057 23.33% 71.88% 10,090 6,033 1,269 – – – – – – – – – 17,392
Windsor—Sandwich Lib Lib 9,155 61.79% 5,694 38.43% 61.08% 9,155 3,461 2,063 – – 138 – – – – – – 14,817
York East Con Con 11,260 39.43% 209 0.73% 63.90% 11,051 11,260 6,008 – – – – 235 – – – – 28,554
York North Lib Lib 10,867 53.11% 2,680 13.10% 71.89% 10,867 8,187 1,058 – – – – – – – – 350 20,462
York South Con Con 10,348 38.20% 904 3.34% 66.95% 9,444 10,348 6,985 – – – – 37 – – 273 – 27,087
York West Lib Lib 11,607 44.55% 1,200 4.61% 57.90% 11,607 10,407 2,622 – – 1,307 – – – – – 110 26,053
Beaches Con Con 7,915 42.29% 725 3.87% 68.09% 7,190 7,915 3,611 – – – – – – – – – 18,716
Bellwoods Lib Lib 11,772 68.72% 6,712 39.18% 65.34% 11,772 5,060 – – – – – – – – – 298 17,130
Bracondale Con Lib 7,558 44.24% 29 0.17% 69.41% 7,558 7,529 1,997 – – – – – – – – – 17,084
Dovercourt Con Con 10,396 47.47% 2,003 9.15% 63.24% 8,393 10,396 2,668 159 – 284 – – – – – – 21,900
Eglinton Lib Lib 14,809 48.75% 1,104 3.63% 71.07% 14,809 13,705 1,861 – – – – – – – – – 30,375
High Park Con Con 9,443 46.95% 2,152 10.70% 64.43% 7,291 9,443 3,380 – – – – – – – – – 20,114
Parkdale Con Con 10,583 44.39% 127 0.53% 64.01% 10,456 10,583 2,802 – – – – – – – – – 23,841
Riverdale Lib Con 11,082 46.23% 2,761 11.52% 66.19% 8,321 11,082 4,477 – – – – – 94 – – – 23,974
St. Andrew Lib Lib 6,434 36.80% 151 0.86% 71.31% 6,434 3,888 878 – – 6,283 – – – – – – 17,483
St. David Con Lib 7,703 43.18% 839 4.70% 67.02% 7,703 6,864 2,315 – – – – – – – 850 107 17,839
St. George Lib Lib 10,071 49.81% 1,414 6.99% 62.63% 10,071 8,657 – – – 1,490 – – – – – – 20,218
St. Patrick Lib Lib 6,161 48.45% 672 5.28% 64.58% 6,161 5,489 947 – – – – – – – 119 – 12,716
Woodbine Con Con 9,756 43.68% 2,331 10.44% 63.26% 7,425 9,756 5,152 – – – – – – – – – 22,333
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  3. ^ Includes CCf-Labour candidates
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent switched allegiance for the election
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = other incumbents renominated
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = multiple candidates
  = campaigned as CCF-Labour candidates

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
Lib Con Lab F-Lab I-Lib I-Con
Liberal 58 1 1 1 1 62
Conservative 23 23
Liberal–Progressive 3 3
United Farmers 1 1
Independent Liberal 1 1
Total 23 63 1 1 1 1 90
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
█ Liberal 62 23 85
█ Conservative 23 63 3 89
█ Liberal–Progressive 3 1 4
█ Independent Liberal 1 1 5 1 8
█ United Farmers 1 1
█ Farmer–Labour 1 5 6
█ Labour 1 2 3 1 7
█ Independent Conservative 1 4 5
█ Co-operative Commonwealth 32 5 37
█ Independent 3 3 1 7
█ CCF-Labour 2 2
█ Socialist Labour 1 7 3 11
█ Communist 1 1
█ Labor–Progressive 1 1
█ Social Credit 1 1
█ Independent Labour 1 1

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 20th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1934–1937
Party 1934 Gain from (loss to) 1937
Lib Con L-Pro I-Lib UFO CCF L-L Ind
Liberal 64 3 (9) 2 1 1 62
Conservative 17 9 (3) 23
Liberal–Progressive 5 (2) 3
Independent-Liberal – 1 1
United Farmers 1 1
Co-operative Commonwealth 1 (1) –
Liberal–Labour 1 (1) –
Independent 1 (1) –
Total 90 9 (7) 3 (9) 2 – – (1) – – 1 – 1 – 1 – 90

There were 17 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

Resulting composition of the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Source Party
Lib Cons Lib-Pr UFO I-Lib Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 42 11 3 1 57
Open seats held 13 3 16
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 4 9 13
Byelection gain held 1 1
Incumbent changed allegiance 2 1 3
Total 62 23 3 1 1 90

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ "1937 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "266 to contest Ontario seats". Montreal Gazette. September 30, 1937. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "1937 General Election". elections.on.ca. Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Vote by Constituencies in Provincial Election". Ottawa Citizen. October 7, 1937. p. 25. Supplementary correction for T.A. Blakelock (Halton) - he was nominated, and campaigned, as a Liberal-Progressive): "Blakelock Again Unanimous Choice". The Georgetown Herald. April 26, 1934. p. 2.

Further reading