1948 Ontario general election

1948 Ontario general election
← 1945 June 7, 1948 1951 →
90 seats in the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader George Drew Ted Jolliffe
Party Progressive Conservative Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader since December 9, 1938 April 3, 1942
Leader's seat High Park (lost re-election) York South
Last election 66 8
Seats won 53 21
Seat change Decrease13 Increase13
Percentage 41.28% 26.52%
Swing Decrease2.97pp Increase4.11pp
  Third party Fourth party
  LP
Leader Farquhar Oliver A. A. MacLeod
Party Liberal Labor-Progressive
Leader since May 16, 1947 1945
Leader's seat Grey South Bellwoods
Last election 14 2
Seats won 14 2
Seat change – –
Percentage 29.78% 1.00%
Swing Increase0.66pp Decrease1.63pp
Premier before election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

George Drew
Progressive Conservative

The 1948 Ontario general election was held on June 7, 1948, to elect the 90 members of the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario.[1]

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by George Drew, won a third consecutive term in office, winning a solid majority of seats in the legislature—53, down from 66 in the previous election.

Campaign

The majority of races were three-way contests:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1948)
Candidates PC CCF Lib L-L Lab-Pr UE/SC S-L I-PC I-CCF I-Lab Ind Total
2 7 6 1 14
3 61 59 60 1 1 1 183
4 18 18 18 2 11 3 2 72
5 4 4 4 3 2 1 1 1 20
Total 90 81 88 2 2 15 5 3 1 1 1 289

Opinion Polls

Evolution of voting intentions at national level
Polling firm Last day
of survey 		Source PCO OCCF OLP LPP Other ME Sample
Election 1948 June 7, 1948 41.28 26.52 29.78 1.00 1.42
Gallup September 1947 [2] 44 18 35 1 2 — —
Election 1945 June 4, 1945 44.3 22.4 29.8 2.4 1.1

Outcome

George Drew (right) in the offices of the Ontario Department of Transportation the day after his party's election victory

Despite winning a majority, Drew lost his own seat to temperance crusader Bill Temple. Instead of seeking a seat in a by-election, Drew left provincial politics to run for, and win, the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservative Party.

Drew was replaced as Ontario PC leader and premier by Thomas Kennedy on an interim basis, and then by Leslie Frost.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Farquhar Oliver, increased its caucus from 11 to 14, but lost the role of official opposition. Only one of the three Liberal-Labour MPPs sitting with the Liberal caucus, James Newman, was re-elected.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section), led by Ted Jolliffe, formed the official opposition by increasing its caucus from 8 to 21 seats.

Two Toronto seats were won by Labor-Progressive Party MPPs J. B. Salsberg and A.A. MacLeod. The LPP was the official name of the Communist Party of Ontario. The LPP only ran two candidates, Salsberg and MacLeod, in 1948 down from 31 candidates in 1945.

Results

Elections to the 23rd Parliament of Ontario (1948)[1][3]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1945 Dissol. 1948 ± # % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative George Drew 90 66 66 53 13Decrease 725,799 41.28% 2.97Decrease
Co-operative Commonwealth Ted Jolliffe 81 8 8 21 13Increase 466,274 26.52% 4.11Increase
Liberal Farquhar Oliver 88 11 11 13 Steady 515,795 29.34% 0.66Increase
Liberal–Labour 2 3 3 1 7,682 0.44%
Labor–Progressive A.A. MacLeod 2 2 2 2 Steady 17,654 1.00% 1.63Decrease
Union of Electors Ron Gostick 13 – – – – 9,214 0.52% 0.51Increase
Social Credit 2 – – – 734 0.04%
Independent-CCF 1 – – – 8,613 0.49% New
Independent PC 3 – – – 3,340 0.19% 0.17Increase
Independent 1 – – – 1,766 0.10% 0.30Decrease
Socialist Labour 5 – – – 913 0.05% –
Independent Labour 1 – – – 253 0.01% 0.60Decrease
Vacant
Total 289 90 90 90 1,758,037 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 16,935
Registered voters / turnout 2,623,281 67.66% 5.12Decrease
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Progressive Conservative
53 / 90
41.28%
 -2.97
 
█ Co-operative Commonwealth
21 / 90
26.52%
 4.11 4.11
 
█ Liberal
13 / 90
29.34%
 2.44 2.44
 
█ Labor–Progressive
2 / 90
1.00%
 -1.44
 
█ Liberal–Labour
1 / 90
0.44%
 -1.89
 
█ Other
0 / 90
1.42%
 -0.25
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1948 Ontario general election[1][3]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1945 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		PC Lib/LL CCF Lab-Pr I-CCF I-PC I-Lab Ind UE/SC S-Lab Total
 
Addington PC PC 6,497 53.05% 1,891 15.44% 70.02% 6,497 4,606 1,143 – – – – – – – 12,246
Algoma—Manitoulin PC PC 4,907 37.93% 751 5.81% 74.89% 4,907 4,156 3,873 – – – – – – – 12,936
Brant Lib Lib 9,557 65.56% 4,537 31.12% 63.78% 5,020 9,557 – – – – – – – – 14,577
Brantford PC Lib 7,018 37.58% 1,172 6.28% 73.80% 4,843 7,018 5,846 – – 966 – – – – 18,673
Bruce PC Lib 7,171 46.81% 636 4.15% 74.45% 6,535 7,171 1,614 – – – – – – – 15,320
Carleton PC PC 9,343 61.88% 5,971 39.55% 61.12% 9,343 3,372 2,100 – – – – – 284 – 15,099
Cochrane North Lib PC 3,838 36.89% 1,253 12.04% 78.55% 3,838 2,321 2,585 – – – – – 1,659 – 10,403
Cochrane South CCF CCF 14,190 50.91% 5,999 21.52% 72.55% 8,191 4,307 14,190 – – – – – 1,186 – 27,874
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 7,035 54.13% 2,499 19.23% 57.91% 7,035 4,536 1,425 – – – – – – – 12,996
Durham PC PC 5,858 45.39% 1,336 10.35% 71.27% 5,858 4,522 2,525 – – – – – – – 12,905
Elgin PC PC 7,713 44.58% 592 3.42% 64.40% 7,713 7,121 2,467 – – – – – – – 17,301
Essex North LL CCF 7,497 36.49% 790 3.84% 67.38% 6,344 6,707 7,497 – – – – – – – 20,548
Essex South PC PC 8,354 55.46% 2,559 16.99% 66.29% 8,354 5,795 914 – – – – – – – 15,063
Fort William CCF Lib 6,860 35.93% 225 1.18% 73.47% 5,596 6,860 6,635 – – – – – – – 19,091
Glengarry Lib PC 5,557 55.75% 1,788 17.94% 71.63% 5,557 3,769 – – – – – – 642 – 9,968
Grenville—Dundas PC PC 6,994 59.30% 3,385 28.70% 52.91% 6,994 3,609 1,191 – – – – – – – 11,794
Grey North PC PC 6,649 39.78% 383 2.29% 76.85% 6,649 6,266 3,801 – – – – – – – 16,716
Grey South Lib Lib 7,822 61.28% 3,892 30.49% 71.91% 3,930 7,822 764 – – – – – 249 – 12,765
Haldimand—Norfolk PC PC 9,805 46.67% 1,778 8.46% 65.42% 9,805 8,027 3,175 – – – – – – – 21,007
Halton PC PC 6,377 39.45% 113 0.70% 67.96% 6,377 6,264 3,524 – – – – – – – 16,165
Hamilton East PC CCF 10,528 42.82% 153 0.62% 69.79% 10,375 3,683 10,528 – – – – – – – 24,586
Hamilton Centre PC CCF 10,561 42.15% 1,688 6.74% 66.67% 8,873 5,619 10,561 – – – – – – – 25,053
Hamilton—Wentworth PC PC 10,542 46.42% 4,108 18.09% 69.12% 10,542 5,734 6,434 – – – – – – – 22,710
Hastings East* PC PC 5,163 54.14% 2,048 21.48% 63.69% 5,163 3,115 1,258 – – – – – – – 9,536
Hastings West PC PC 8,501 50.85% 3,221 19.27% 61.88% 8,501 5,280 2,937 – – – – – – – 16,718
Huron PC PC 7,566 50.35% 106 0.71% 75.35% 7,566 7,460 – – – – – – – – 15,026
Huron—Bruce PC PC 6,678 50.97% 255 1.95% 75.50% 6,678 6,423 – – – – – – – – 13,101
Kenora CCF PC 4,292 38.82% 579 5.24% 64.20% 4,292 3,713 3,051 – – – – – – – 11,056
Kent East PC Lib 7,536 55.06% 1,385 10.12% 77.18% 6,151 7,536 – – – – – – – – 13,687
Kent West PC PC 9,825 50.75% 291 1.50% 62.38% 9,825 9,534 – – – – – – – – 19,359
Kingston* PC PC 7,367 46.42% 1,008 6.35% 67.97% 7,367 6,359 2,143 – – – – – – – 15,869
Lambton East PC PC 5,632 47.85% 511 4.34% 66.08% 5,632 5,121 1,018 – – – – – – – 11,771
Lambton West PC PC 7,765 48.90% 2,495 15.71% 66.15% 7,765 5,270 2,845 – – – – – – – 15,880
Lanark PC PC 10,077 65.43% 5,879 38.17% 67.91% 10,077 4,198 1,127 – – – – – – – 15,402
Leeds PC PC 9,018 51.94% 2,605 15.00% 74.41% 9,018 6,413 1,932 – – – – – – – 17,363
Lincoln PC PC 13,826 41.69% 3,297 9.94% 71.26% 13,826 8,361 10,529 – – – – – 450 – 33,166
London PC Lib 12,730 40.75% 1,027 3.29% 64.23% 11,703 12,730 6,803 – – – – – – – 31,236
Middlesex North PC PC 6,601 43.35% 1,255 8.24% 63.62% 6,601 5,346 3,281 – – – – – – – 15,228
Middlesex South PC PC 6,957 50.74% 1,413 10.31% 68.06% 6,957 5,544 1,209 – – – – – – – 13,710
Muskoka—Ontario PC PC 7,197 41.42% 306 1.76% 71.15% 7,197 6,891 3,288 – – – – – – – 17,376
Niagara Falls PC Lib 8,253 40.07% 491 2.38% 67.94% 4,582 8,253 7,762 – – – – – – – 20,597
Nipissing Lib PC 6,903 40.01% 1,296 7.51% 68.61% 6,903 5,607 3,683 – – – – – 1,060 – 17,253
Northumberland PC PC 8,361 55.88% 3,047 20.36% 70.94% 8,361 5,314 1,288 – – – – – – – 14,963
Ontario PC CCF 11,758 42.23% 2,731 9.81% 73.25% 9,027 7,058 11,758 – – – – – – – 27,843
Ottawa East Lib Lib 9,407 45.83% 1,630 7.94% 55.25% 7,777 9,407 2,859 – – – – – 485 – 20,528
Ottawa South PC PC 18,955 55.13% 9,142 26.59% 56.58% 18,955 9,813 5,151 – – – – – 279 185 34,383
Oxford PC PC 9,404 45.81% 941 4.58% 61.71% 9,404 8,463 2,662 – – – – – – – 20,529
Parry Sound Lib PC 4,343 37.57% 439 3.80% 75.55% 4,343 3,904 3,314 – – – – – – – 11,561
Peel PC PC 9,070 47.25% 3,677 19.16% 65.35% 9,070 5,393 4,733 – – – – – – – 19,196
Perth PC PC 10,686 45.04% 1,077 4.54% 68.16% 10,686 9,609 3,432 – – – – – – – 23,727
Peterborough PC PC 10,257 42.89% 2,528 10.57% 73.09% 10,257 7,729 5,927 – – – – – – – 23,913
Port Arthur CCF CCF 8,734 44.93% 2,602 13.39% 62.77% 4,572 6,132 8,734 – – – – – – – 19,438
Prescott Lib PC 6,537 56.01% 2,193 18.79% 73.85% 6,537 4,344 179 – – – – – 611 – 11,671
Prince Edward—Lennox PC Lib 6,202 46.45% 55 0.41% 70.16% 6,147 6,202 – – – 1,003 – – – – 13,352
Rainy River LL LL 3,969 56.32% 891 12.64% 65.70% 3,078 3,969 – – – – – – – – 7,047
Renfrew North PC PC 5,864 44.51% 377 2.86% 72.32% 5,864 5,487 1,824 – – – – – – – 13,175
Renfrew South PC PC 6,744 54.07% 1,743 13.97% 69.49% 6,744 5,001 728 – – – – – – – 12,473
Russell Lib PC 5,292 41.89% 697 5.52% 58.29% 5,292 4,595 1,611 – – – – – 1,134 – 12,632
Sault Ste. Marie CCF CCF 6,514 41.77% 1,433 9.19% 67.36% 5,081 4,000 6,514 – – – – – – – 15,595
Simcoe Centre PC PC 5,791 41.73% 1,782 12.84% 67.22% 5,791 4,009 1,805 – – – – 1,766 506 – 13,877
Simcoe East PC PC 6,376 43.17% 1,002 6.78% 71.60% 6,376 5,374 3,018 – – – – – – – 14,768
Stormont Lib PC 6,729 39.96% 250 1.48% 72.01% 6,729 6,479 2,976 – – – – – 655 – 16,839
Sudbury CCF PC 8,892 29.01% 279 0.91% 72.57% 8,892 6,949 5,821 – 8,613 – – – 378 – 30,653
Temiskaming CCF CCF 4,851 41.40% 561 4.79% 79.83% 4,290 2,576 4,851 – – – – – – – 11,717
Victoria PC PC 8,830 59.92% 4,173 28.32% 68.21% 8,830 4,657 1,249 – – – – – – – 14,736
Waterloo North LL Lib 10,200 37.44% 1,250 4.59% 62.20% 6,726 10,200 8,950 – – 1,371 – – – – 27,247
Waterloo South PC CCF 7,210 35.68% 705 3.49% 69.85% 6,505 6,495 7,210 – – – – – – – 20,210
Welland PC Lib 8,961 36.33% 11 0.04% 72.48% 6,756 8,961 8,950 – – – – – – – 24,667
Wellington North Lib Lib 7,764 53.05% 893 6.10% 71.06% 6,871 7,764 – – – – – – – – 14,635
Wellington South PC PC 6,913 36.97% 666 3.56% 78.82% 6,913 6,247 5,541 – – – – – – – 18,701
Wentworth CCF CCF 13,190 46.35% 2,327 8.18% 67.98% 10,863 4,405 13,190 – – – – – – – 28,458
Windsor—Walkerville PC PC 7,730 41.51% 1,422 7.64% 53.63% 7,730 4,585 6,308 – – – – – – – 18,623
Windsor—Sandwich PC PC 10,781 53.46% 5,213 25.85% 70.32% 10,781 3,624 5,568 – – – – – – 192 20,165
York East PC CCF 21,628 42.81% 881 1.74% 63.76% 20,747 7,772 21,628 – – – – – 370 – 50,517
York North PC PC 10,444 39.21% 1,902 7.14% 66.63% 10,444 7,653 8,542 – – – – – – – 26,639
York South PC CCF 19,320 49.52% 4,465 11.44% 67.97% 14,855 4,838 19,320 – – – – – – – 39,013
York West PC CCF 18,627 43.41% 2,383 5.55% 69.42% 16,244 8,041 18,627 – – – – – – – 42,912
Beaches PC CCF 9,910 44.03% 440 1.96% 71.98% 9,470 3,126 9,910 – – – – – – – 22,506
Bellwoods Lab-Pr Lab-Pr 7,764 37.17% 1,286 6.16% 69.55% 6,478 2,292 4,353 7,764 – – – – – – 20,887
Bracondale PC CCF 7,956 45.00% 1,184 6.70% 63.97% 6,772 2,952 7,956 – – – – – – – 17,680
Dovercourt PC CCF 12,262 48.16% 3,039 11.93% 64.28% 9,223 3,978 12,262 – – – – – – – 25,463
Eglinton PC PC 18,767 51.62% 9,543 26.25% 69.16% 18,767 9,224 8,366 – – – – – – – 36,357
High Park PC CCF 11,562 42.24% 1,017 3.72% 74.88% 10,545 5,262 11,562 – – – – – – – 27,369
Parkdale PC CCF 11,778 39.52% 650 2.18% 68.34% 11,128 6,900 11,778 – – – – – – – 29,806
Riverdale PC CCF 12,429 47.55% 2,159 8.26% 65.32% 10,270 3,195 12,429 – – – – – – 245 26,139
St. Andrew Lab-Pr Lab-Pr 9,890 49.40% 4,926 24.61% 71.22% 4,964 1,757 3,408 9,890 – – – – – – 20,019
St. David PC CCF 8,539 41.39% 676 3.28% 66.08% 7,863 3,908 8,539 – – – 253 – – 69 20,632
St. George PC PC 10,161 45.23% 2,711 12.07% 61.19% 10,161 4,853 7,450 – – – – – – – 22,464
St. Patrick PC PC 6,946 44.06% 1,597 10.13% 66.48% 6,946 3,469 5,349 – – – – – – – 15,764
Woodbine PC CCF 12,986 47.36% 2,292 8.36% 68.97% 10,694 3,516 12,986 – – – – – – 222 27,418
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = other incumbents renominated
  = campaigned as a Liberal-Labour candidate
  = campaigned as a Social Credit candidate

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib LL CCF Ind-CCF
Progressive Conservative 43 1 8 1 53
Liberal 8 5 13
Liberal–Labour 1 1
Co-operative Commonwealth 19 2 21
Labor–Progressive 2 2
Total 30 45 1 13 1 90
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
█ Progressive Conservative 53 30 7 90
█ Co-operative Commonwealth 21 13 45 2 81
█ Liberal 13 45 28 2 88
█ Labor–Progressive 2 2
█ Liberal–Labour 1 1 2
█ Independent-CCF 1 1
█ Union of Electors 2 9 2 13
█ Independent PC 1 2 3
█ Socialist Labour 3 2 5
█ Social Credit 2 2
█ Independent Labour 1 1
█ Independent 1 1
Resulting composition of the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Source Party
PC CCF Lib L-L Lab-Pr Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 40 4 4 1 2 51
Open seats held 4 1 5
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 8 12 7 27
Open seats gained 1 4 2 7
Total 53 21 13 1 2 90

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 23rd Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1945–1948
Party 1943 Gain from (loss to) 1945
PC CCF Lib Lbr-P L-L
Progressive Conservative 66 2 (15) 7 (7) 53
Co-operative Commonwealth 8 15 (2) (1) 1 21
Liberal 11 7 (7) 1 1 13
Labor–Progressive 2 2
Liberal–Labour 3 (1) (1) 1
Total 90 22 (9) 3 (16) 7 (9) – – 2 – 90

There were 34 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "1948 Ontario general election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "Shifting vote support seen throughout Ontario, Quebec". The Windsor Daily Star. October 8, 1947. p. 12.
  3. ^ a b EO data errors on some riding results and candidate affiliations corrected per "Vote Polled By Candidates In Ontario Constituencies". Ottawa Citizen. June 8, 1948. p. 15.