1919 Ontario general election

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111 seats in the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario 56 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Ernest C. Drury Hartley Dewart Party United Farmers Liberal Leader since October 1919[a] June 26, 1919 Leader's seat - Toronto Southwest Last election pre-creation 24 Seats won 44 27 Seat change 44 3 Percentage 21.0% 25.5% Swing 21.0pp 12.4pp   Third party Fourth party   Leader William Hearst Walter Rollo Party Conservative Labour Leader since 1914 - Leader's seat Sault Ste. Marie (lost re-election) Hamilton West Last election 84 1 Seats won 25 11 Seat change 59 10 Percentage 34.1% 9.1% Swing 19.8pp 7.8pp
Premier before election William Hearst Conservative Premier after election Ernest C. Drury United Farmers

The 1919 Ontario general election, held on October 20, 1919, elected 111 Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). The United Farmers of Ontario captured the most seats but only a minority of the legislature. They joined with 11 Labour MPPs and three others to form a coalition government, ending the 14-year rule of Ontario's Conservatives.^[1] This is one of the few examples of coalition government in Canadian history.

Premier William Howard Hearst had aimed to win a fifth consecutive term for the Conservatives, but instead the party became the first in Ontario history to fall from first to third place.^[2] As newspaperman John Willison later remarked, "There could not have been a worse time for a general election."^[2]

The parties tended to have a targeted approach in fielding their candidates:

Candidate contests in the ridings

Candidates nominated	Ridings	Party
		Con	Lib	UFO	Lab	Ind	Farm-Lab	Ind-Lib	Ind-Con	Soc	Farm-Lib	Soldier	Sold-Lab	Totals
Acclamation	4	4												4
2	48	44	15	31	2	2			1		1			96
3	50	45	44	31	13	8	4	2			1	1	1	150
4	8	8	5	3	4	3	1	2	2	2		1	1	32
5														–
6	1	1	1	1	1			1		1				6
Total	111	102	65	66	20	13	5	5	3	3	2	2	2	288

It was the first in which women could vote and run for office.^[b] Election day was also held on the same day as the scheduled referendum on prohibition.^[2]

Hearst alienated the business community with his progressive policies; he had a rift with Adam Beck (London) over the direction of the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission; and his promotion of prohibition alienated the urban "wets".^[2]

Only the Conservatives attempted to field a full slate—and were helped by having four candidates being declared elected by acclamation^[5]—but about two dozen incumbents decided to step aside in favour of the local farmer candidates.^[6]

Seventeen Conservative MLAs either retired from the Legislature, or had failed to be renominated.^[7] Arthur Pratt (Norfolk South) opted to campaign as an Independent-Conservative, claiming earlier in the year that at least 27 MLAs privately opposed Hearst's prohibition policy.^[6]

Beck also decided to stand as an Independent, saying, "I do not object to the Government having a control of the Hydro enterprise, but I object to its becoming a Government department; only as an Independent can I look after the interests of Hydro-Electric Power for the people of the Province in the most efficient manner."^[6]

The Liberals split between those still loyal to former leader Newton Rowell and his successor William Proudfoot (Huron Centre), and those who supported the new leader, Hartley Dewart.^[2] John Campbell Elliott (Middlesex West) (who had come in 3rd in the 1919 leadership contest), joined by five others, decided to drop out of the race.^[8]

They tried to avoid direct contests with UFO candidates,^[2] fielding candidates in only 66 ridings as opposed to the 90 named in the 1914 election. In many respects, however, they underestimated the discontent that was simmering among rural Ontarians, and Dewart focused his attention unnecessarily against the Conservative campaign manager George Howard Ferguson.^[9]

Proudfoot opted to campaign as an Independent.^[10]

The UFO focused on rural areas. Its leader, R.H. Halbert, did not campaign, as he had been elected to the House of Commons of Canada in an earlier by-election.^[8] It had only two incumbent MPPs, Beniah Bowman and John Wesley Widdifield, who had entered the legislature by winning by-elections in Manitoulin and Ontario North.

The labour political movement was fragmented between the Independent Labour Party, the Ontario section of the Canadian Labour Party, and the Ontario Labour Educational Association and its newspaper The Industrial Banner.^[11] The ILP was the effective organization on the campaign trail that year, and it promoted joint action with the UFO.^[12]

Media support in the campaign was mixed. The Globe and The Toronto Star, at that time both Liberal in outlook, were hostile against Dewart because of his stand on temperance issues.^[13] The Toronto World, generally a Conservative backer, pursued a simmering scandal from 1916^[14][15] concerning International Nickel and alleged provincial support of wartime shipments of the metal to Germany via the cargo submarine Deutschland.^[16][8] The Farmer's Sun, recently acquired by the UFO, was an enthusiastic promoter of farmer policies.^[11]

Of the 111 seats, 103 were from single-member constituencies elected through first-past-the-post voting. The remaining eight came from four dual-member ridings in Toronto, each of which had parallel contests voting separately for seat A and seat B under the same FPTP rules.

Results by riding - 1919 Ontario general election^{[a 1]}

Riding	Winning party										Turnout [a 2]	Votes
	1914		1st place		Votes	Share	Margin #	Margin %	2nd place			UFO	Lab	F-Lab	F-Lib	Soldier	Lib	Con	Ind	I-Con	I-Lib	S-Lab	Soc	Total
Addington		Con		Con	acclaimed
Algoma‡		Con		Lib	2,270	35.49%	44	0.69%		Con	68.60%	1,900	–	–	–	–	2,270	2,226	–	–	–	–	–	6,396
Brant North		Lib		UFO	3,597	44.21%	1,024	12.59%		Con	76.65%	3,597	–	–	–	–	1,966	2,573	–	–	–	–	–	8,136
Brant South		Lib		Lab	6,408	46.55%	2,377	17.27%		Lib	81.02%	–	6,408	–	–	–	4,031	3,326	–	–	–	–	–	13,765
Brockville		Con		Lib	4,866	56.47%	1,115	12.94%		Con	78.38%	–	–	–	–	–	4,866	3,751	–	–	–	–	–	8,617
Bruce North		Lib		UFO	3,689	54.08%	557	8.17%		Lib	76.91%	3,689	–	–	–	–	3,132	–	–	–	–	–	–	6,821
Bruce South		Con		Lib	2,727	41.88%	797	12.24%		UFO	79.97%	1,930	–	–	–	–	2,727	1,855	–	–	–	–	–	6,512
Bruce West		Lib		Lib	3,094	39.75%	101	1.30%		UFO	80.65%	2,993	–	–	–	–	3,094	1,696	–	–	–	–	–	7,783
Carleton		Con		UFO	4,877	56.24%	1,082	12.48%		Con	67.89%	4,877	–	–	–	–	–	3,795	–	–	–	–	–	8,672
Cochrane		Lib		Lib	2,951	49.24%	1,120	18.69%		Con	57.62%	–	–	–	–	–	2,951	1,831	–	–	1,211	–	–	5,993
Dufferin		Con		UFO	4,117	53.50%	538	6.99%		Con	77.71%	4,117	–	–	–	–	–	3,579	–	–	–	–	–	7,696
Dundas		Con		UFO	4,792	59.45%	1,524	18.91%		Con	76.17%	4,792	–	–	–	–	–	3,268	–	–	–	–	–	8,060
Durham East		Con		UFO	1,111	57.89%	303	15.79%		Con	24.10%	1,111	–	–	–	–	–	808	–	–	–	–	–	1,919
Durham West		Con		Lib	3,346	56.20%	738	12.40%		Con	77.42%	–	–	–	–	–	3,346	2,608	–	–	–	–	–	5,954
Elgin East		Con		UFO	4,937	59.47%	1,572	18.94%		Con	77.31%	4,937	–	–	–	–	–	3,365	–	–	–	–	–	8,302
Elgin West		Con		UFO	7,542	57.11%	1,879	14.23%		Con	73.01%	7,542	–	–	–	–	–	5,663	–	–	–	–	–	13,205
Essex North		Lib		UFO	6,486	71.09%	3,848	42.17%		Con	72.73%	6,486	–	–	–	–	–	2,638	–	–	–	–	–	9,124
Essex South		Lib		UFO	3,558	41.30%	130	1.51%		Lib	78.29%	3,558	–	–	–	–	3,428	–	1,629	–	–	–	–	8,615
Fort William		Con		Lab	3,745	51.48%	1,513	20.80%		Lib	63.70%	–	3,745	–	–	–	2,232	1,298	–	–	–	–	–	7,275
Frontenac		Con		Con	3,016	47.32%	509	7.99%		UFO	74.35%	2,507	–	–	–	–	–	3,016	850	–	–	–	–	6,373
Glengarry		Lib		UFO	4,554	66.65%	2,275	33.29%		Lib	60.12%	4,554	–	–	–	–	2,279	–	–	–	–	–	–	6,833
Grenville*		Con		Con	4,125	50.50%	81	0.99%		UFO	78.65%	4,044	–	–	–	–	–	4,125	–	–	–	–	–	8,169
Grey Centre		Con		UFO	4,363	52.87%	474	5.74%		Con	80.57%	4,363	–	–	–	–	–	3,889	–	–	–	–	–	8,252
Grey North*		Con		F-Lib	5,659	55.92%	1,198	11.84%		Con	77.18%	–	–	–	5,659	–	–	4,461	–	–	–	–	–	10,120
Grey South		Con		UFO	5,252	54.99%	953	9.98%		Con	75.87%	5,252	–	–	–	–	–	4,299	–	–	–	–	–	9,551
Haldimand		Con		UFO	6,056	59.83%	1,990	19.66%		Con	82.63%	6,056	–	–	–	–	–	4,066	–	–	–	–	–	10,122
Halton		Con		UFO	4,456	40.33%	1,054	9.54%		Con	76.89%	4,456	–	–	–	–	3,190	3,402	–	–	–	–	–	11,048
Hamilton East		Lab		Lab	16,012	60.24%	7,588	28.55%		S-Lab	71.16%	–	16,012	–	–	2,146	–	–	–	–	–	8,424	–	26,582
Hamilton West		Con		Lab	8,722	60.25%	4,643	32.07%		Con	71.54%	–	8,722	–	–	–	1,675	4,079	–	–	–	–	–	14,476
Hastings East		Con		UFO	3,641	51.22%	174	2.45%		Con	77.36%	3,641	–	–	–	–	–	3,467	–	–	–	–	–	7,108
Hastings North		Con		Con	acclaimed
Hastings West		Con		Con	5,072	52.19%	425	4.37%		Lib	74.80%	–	–	–	–	–	4,647	5,072	–	–	–	–	–	9,719
Huron Centre		Lib		Lab	3,193	38.65%	163	1.97%		Ind	78.39%	2,039	3,193	–	–	–	–	–	3,030	–	–	–	–	8,262
Huron North		Con		Con	2,897	37.61%	341	4.43%		Lib	81.66%	2,249	–	–	–	–	2,556	2,897	–	–	–	–	–	7,702
Huron South		Con		UFO	3,298	41.91%	774	9.84%		Con	80.89%	3,298	–	–	–	–	2,047	2,524	–	–	–	–	–	7,869
Kenora		Con		Lab	1,870	49.47%	975	25.79%		Ind	68.70%	–	1,870	–	–	–	405	610	895[a 3]	–	–	–	–	3,780
Kent East		Lib		UFO	5,374	55.28%	1,026	10.55%		Con	81.83%	5,374	–	–	–	–	–	4,348	–	–	–	–	–	9,722
Kent West		Con		Lib	8,098	48.03%	2,919	17.31%		UFO	81.19%	5,179	–	–	–	–	8,098	3,583	–	–	–	–	–	16,860
Kingston		Con		Con	acclaimed
Lambton East		Con		UFO	4,575	53.09%	2,414	28.01%		Con	79.94%	4,575	–	–	–	–	1,882	2,161	–	–	–	–	–	8,618
Lambton West		Con		UFO	6,081	40.42%	1,299	8.64%		Lab	78.92%	6,081	4,782	–	–	–	–	4,180	–	–	–	–	–	15,043
Lanark North		Con		UFO	2,881	40.85%	83	1.18%		Con	77.84%	2,881	–	–	–	–	1,373	2,798	–	–	–	–	–	7,052
Lanark South		Con		UFO	3,872	48.18%	803	9.99%		Con	73.33%	3,872	1,096	–	–	–	–	3,069	–	–	–	–	–	8,037
Leeds		Con		Con	4,351	54.59%	731	9.17%		Lib	75.20%	–	–	–	–	–	3,620	4,351	–	–	–	–	–	7,971
Lennox		Con		Con	2,329	39.98%	314	5.39%		Lib	77.50%	1,482	–	–	–	–	2,015	2,329	–	–	–	–	–	5,826
Lincoln		Lib		Lib	3,242	39.39%	507	6.16%		UFO	77.33%	2,735	–	–	–	–	3,242	2,253	–	–	–	–	–	8,230
London		Con		Lab	13,008	53.94%	1,901	7.88%		Ind	77.34%	–	13,008	–	–	–	–	–	11,107	–	–	–	–	24,115
Manitoulin		Con		UFO	2,428	60.20%	823	20.41%		Con	69.06%	2,428	–	–	–	–	–	1,605	–	–	–	–	–	4,033
Middlesex East		Con		UFO	5,463	52.61%	2,963	28.53%		Lib	78.19%	5,463	–	–	–	–	2,500	2,421	–	–	–	–	–	10,384
Middlesex North		Lib		UFO	3,857	50.45%	1,696	22.18%		Con	80.98%	3,857	–	–	–	–	1,627	2,161	–	–	–	–	–	7,645
Middlesex West		Lib		UFO	4,394	75.59%	2,975	51.18%		Con	75.34%	4,394	–	–	–	–	–	1,419	–	–	–	–	–	5,813
Muskoka		Con		Con	3,054	46.22%	290	4.39%		Lib	64.48%	–	–	–	–	–	2,764	3,054	789	–	–	–	–	6,607
Niagara Falls		Con		Lab	4,057	38.37%	368	3.48%		Lib	74.20%	–	4,057	–	–	–	3,689	2,826	–	–	–	–	–	10,572
Nipissing		Con		Lib	3,122	42.44%	934	12.70%		Lab	68.88%	–	2,188	–	–	–	3,122	2,046	–	–	–	–	–	7,356
Norfolk North		Lib		UFO	4,522	63.09%	1,877	26.19%		Con	76.63%	4,522	–	–	–	–	–	2,645	–	–	–	–	–	7,167
Norfolk South		Con		UFO	3,280	62.67%	1,326	25.33%		I-Con	75.15%	3,280	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1,954	–	–	–	5,234
Northumberland East		Con		UFO	4,521	50.49%	87	0.97%		Con	78.31%	4,521	–	–	–	–	–	4,434	–	–	–	–	–	8,955
Northumberland West		Lib		Lib	3,401	55.32%	654	10.64%		Con	74.01%	–	–	–	–	–	3,401	2,747	–	–	–	–	–	6,148
Ontario North		Con		UFO	4,162	54.12%	633	8.23%		Con	80.69%	4,162	–	–	–	–	–	3,529	–	–	–	–	–	7,691
Ontario South		Con		Lib	7,843	63.97%	3,425	27.93%		Con	74.11%	–	–	–	–	–	7,843	4,418	–	–	–	–	–	12,261
Ottawa East		Lib		Lib	7,309	63.57%	4,431	38.54%		Lab	61.09%	–	2,878	–	–	–	7,309	–	1,311	–	–	–	–	11,498
Ottawa West		Lib		Con	8,953	34.76%	1,097	4.26%		Lab	68.11%	–	7,856	–	–	–	6,526	8,953	2,423	–	–	–	–	25,758
Oxford North		Lib		Lib	5,369	47.61%	2,313	20.51%		Con	78.63%	–	–	–	2,852	–	5,369	3,056	–	–	–	–	–	11,277
Oxford South		Con		UFO	4,452	39.84%	617	5.52%		Con	81.37%	4,452	–	–	–	–	2,888	3,835	–	–	–	–	–	11,175
Parkdale		Con		Con	11,091	68.95%	6,096	37.90%		Ind	66.67%	–	–	–	–	–	–	11,091	4,995[a 4]	–	–	–	–	16,086
Parry Sound		Con		Lib	4,618	54.49%	761	8.98%		Con	72.58%	–	–	–	–	–	4,618	3,857	–	–	–	–	–	8,475
Peel		Con		Con	4,562	40.14%	105	0.92%		Lib	87.72%	2,345[a 5]	–	–	–	–	4,457	4,562	–	–	–	–	–	11,364
Perth North		Con		Lib	6,095	41.63%	1,641	11.21%		F-Lab	78.39%	–	–	4,454	–	–	6,095	4,092	–	–	–	–	–	14,641
Perth South		Con		UFO	5,847	64.20%	2,586	28.39%		Con	—	5,847	–	–	–	–	–	3,261	–	–	–	–	–	9,108
Peterborough East		Con		UFO	3,623	58.18%	1,019	16.36%		Con	67.85%	3,623	–	–	–	–	–	2,604	–	–	–	–	–	6,227
Peterborough West		Lib		Lab	4,732	41.49%	685	6.01%		Lib	74.25%	–	4,732	–	–	–	4,047	2,625	–	–	–	–	–	11,404
Port Arthur		Con		Con	2,578	41.33%	483	7.74%		Lib	67.91%	–	–	–	–	–	2,095	2,578	1,564	–	–	–	–	6,237
Prescott		I-Lib		Lib	3,929	47.43%	1,298	15.67%		UFO	68.70%	2,631	–	–	–	–	3,929	1,724	–	–	–	–	–	8,284
Prince Edward		Lib		Lib	4,557	55.78%	945	11.57%		Con	79.45%	–	–	–	–	–	4,557	3,612	–	–	–	–	–	8,169
Rainy River		Con		Con	1,420	40.00%	352	9.92%		Lib	63.53%	1,062	–	–	–	–	1,068	1,420	–	–	–	–	–	3,550
Renfrew North		Con		UFO	3,979	41.10%	230	2.38%		Con	79.80%	3,979	–	–	–	–	1,954	3,749	–	–	–	–	–	9,682
Renfrew South		Con		UFO	5,426	51.53%	322	3.06%		Con	70.52%	5,426	–	–	–	–	–	5,104	–	–	–	–	–	10,530
Riverdale		Con		Sol	7,472	38.84%	1,599	8.31%		Lab	—	–	5,873	–	–	7,472	–	5,706	–	–	–	–	189	19,240
Russell		Lib		Lib	6,121	49.98%	1,174	9.59%		UFO	67.89%	4,947	–	–	–	–	6,121	–	1,180	–	–	–	–	12,248
St. Catharines		Con		Lab	6,313	48.67%	1,891	14.58%		Con	80.42%	–	6,313	–	–	–	2,235	4,422	–	–	–	–	–	12,970
Sault Ste. Marie		Con		Lab	4,444	59.11%	1,370	18.22%		Con	72.59%	–	4,444	–	–	–	–	3,074	–	–	–	–	–	7,518
Simcoe Centre		Con		UFO	5,234	57.89%	1,426	15.77%		Con	74.54%	5,234	–	–	–	–	–	3,808	–	–	–	–	–	9,042
Simcoe East		Con		UFO	5,063	40.78%	483	3.89%		Con	71.41%	5,063	–	–	–	–	–	4,580	–	–	2,773	–	–	12,416
Simcoe South		Con		UFO	2,927	53.68%	401	7.35%		Con	75.69%	2,927	–	–	–	–	–	2,526	–	–	–	–	–	5,453
Simcoe West		Con		Con	4,491	55.46%	885	10.93%		UFO	71.98%	3,606	–	–	–	–	–	4,491	–	–	–	–	–	8,097
Stormont		Con		Lib	4,284	43.01%	1,338	13.43%		UFO	68.28%	2,946	–	–	–	–	4,284	2,731	–	–	–	–	–	9,961
Sturgeon Falls		Lib		Lib	2,690	62.02%	1,798	41.46%		Con	67.33%	755	–	–	–	–	2,690	892	–	–	–	–	–	4,337
Sudbury		Con		Con	3,551	40.55%	142	1.62%		Lib	65.68%	–	–	1,798	–	–	3,409	3,551	–	–	–	–	–	8,758
Timiskaming		Con		Con	3,092	35.84%	77	0.89%		F-Lab	68.70%	–	–	3,015	–	–	2,520	3,092	–	–	–	–	–	8,627
Toronto NE - A		Con		Con	acclaimed
Toronto NE - B		Con		Con	13,495	40.57%	4,810	14.46%		Lib	61.10%	–	2,910	–	–	–	8,685	13,495	–	8,172	–	–	–	33,262
Toronto NW - A		Con		Con	18,797	53.93%	2,741	7.86%		Lib	—	–	–	–	–	–	16,056	18,797	–	–	–	–	–	34,853
Toronto NW - B		Con		Lib	18,522	51.57%	1,125	3.13%		Con	—	–	–	–	–	–	18,522	17,397	–	–	–	–	–	35,919
Toronto SE - A		Con		Lib	10,037	60.64%	4,585	27.70%		Con	—	–	–	–	–	–	10,037	5,452	1,063	–	–	–	–	16,552
Toronto SE - B		Con		Lib	10,508	66.92%	5,313	33.83%		Con	—	–	–	–	–	–	10,508	5,195	–	–	–	–	–	15,703
Toronto SW - A		Con		Lib	16,951	63.45%	7,186	26.90%		Con	54.34%	–	–	–	–	–	16,951	9,765	–	–	–	–	–	26,716
Toronto SW - B		Con		Lib	14,428	45.27%	4,800	15.06%		Con	55.57%	–	7,816	–	–	–	14,428	9,628	–	–	–	–	–	31,872
Victoria North		Con		UFO	3,348	57.94%	918	15.89%		Con	64.82%	3,348	–	–	–	–	–	2,430	–	–	–	–	–	5,778
Victoria South		Con		UFO	2,452	68.97%	1,349	37.95%		Con	30.95%	2,452	–	–	–	–	–	1,103	–	–	–	–	–	3,555
Waterloo North		Con		I-Lib	5,354	34.62%	2,141	13.85%		Lab	71.95%	2,211	3,213	–	–	–	2,974	1,487	–	–	5,354	–	225	15,464
Waterloo South		Con		F-Lab	8,074	55.49%	4,238	29.13%		Lib	76.00%	–	–	8,074	–	–	3,836	2,641	–	–	–	–	–	14,551
Welland		Con		Lib	5,183	49.03%	1,743	16.49%		Con	91.40%	1,949	–	–	–	–	5,183	3,440	–	–	–	–	–	10,572
Wellington East		Lib		UFO	3,279	45.08%	908	12.48%		Con	77.54%	3,279	–	–	–	–	1,623	2,371	–	–	–	–	–	7,273
Wellington South*		L-Tmp		Con	4,362	36.70%	120	1.01%		I-Lib	—	3,060	–	–	–	–	–	4,362	–	–	4,242[a 6]	–	223	11,887
Wellington West		Con		UFO	3,379	54.60%	569	9.19%		Con	—	3,379	–	–	–	–	–	2,810	–	–	–	–	–	6,189
Wentworth North		Con		UFO	4,634	72.21%	2,851	44.43%		Con	70.92%	4,634	–	–	–	–	–	1,783	–	–	–	–	–	6,417
Wentworth South		Con		UFO	2,642	34.62%	311	4.07%		Con	70.10%	2,642	–	–	–	–	1,995	2,331	–	–	–	664	–	7,632
Windsor		Lib		Lib	10,874	63.59%	4,649	27.19%		Con	70.02%	–	–	–	–	–	10,874	6,225	–	–	–	–	–	17,099
York East		Con		Con	8,962	36.85%	1,672	6.87%		UFO	67.30%	7,290	–	–	–	–	6,926	8,962	–	1,144	–	–	–	24,322
York North		Con		Con	4,139	38.11%	286	2.63%		Lib	79.36%	2,869	–	–	–	–	3,853	4,139	–	–	–	–	–	10,861
York West		Con		Con	10,436	37.57%	2,113	7.61%		F-Lab	66.52%	–	–	8,323	–	–	–	10,436	4,087	–	4,935	–	–	27,781

(* - on recount; ‡ - recount requested but subsequently abandoned)

  = incumbent re-elected under the same party banner

  = returned by acclamation

  = incumbency arose from byelection gain

  = incumbent switched allegiance for 1919 nomination

  = not incumbent; had been previously elected to the Legislature

  = other incumbents renominated

The robustness of the margins of victory for each party can be summarized in electoral pendulums. These are not necessarily a measure of the volatility of the respective riding results. The following tables show the margins over the various 2nd-place contenders, for which one-half of the value represents the swing needed to overturn the result. Actual seat turnovers to the opposition parties in the 1919 election are noted for reference.

  = seats that opposition parties gained in the election

The result was highly skewed as a result of the way the ridings were drawn up. The Ottawa Journal noted, "The arrangement of electoral districts in Ontario (and throughout Canada) is such that a farmer’s vote has practically twice the effect of the vote of any person resident in cities or large towns. Ottawa, for instance, with 110,000 population elects two members to the Ontario Legislature; Carleton County on one side with 20,000 people elects one member; Russell County on the other side has a population of 40,000 and elects one member."^[17]

The UFO emerged from the vote with the largest bloc of seats, joining the eleven Labour MLAs to form a coalition government. Liberal-UFO MLA David James Taylor of Grey North, "Soldier" MLA Joseph McNamara of Riverdale and Labour-UFO MLA Karl Homuth of Waterloo South were also members of the governing caucus giving Drury's coalition 58 seats in total, a slight majority.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Hartley Dewart, increased the size of its caucus by a small number, despite turning over more than half the seats held. The Conservative Party lost ground to all other parties, despite receiving the most votes.

The election had several sweeping results:^[7]

• only about two dozen MPPs from the previous Legislative Assembly were re-elected;
• notably, Conservative William Hearst was defeated by a Labour candidate;
• Beck and Proudfoot were also defeated by Labour candidates, despite the decision of the Conservatives and Liberals not to contest the seats;
• three clergymen were elected;
• eighteen returned soldiers were elected; and
• all anti-Prohibition candidates were defeated.

Upon hearing the news of the Conservative defeat, Hearst noted:

I will not make any prophecy as to what will take place. I thought the Government was going to sweep the country, and I was not alone in that, for a great many Liberals who were supporting me thought so, too. The Temperance Act no doubt had a great deal to do with my defeat, but I did what I felt was right, and if I had it to do over again, I would do the same thing.^[18]

Three days after the election, James J. Morrison, Secretary of the UFO, reported on the way he had addressed the need to form a working majority in the chamber. He released the following statement:

The members-elect of the United Farmers of Ontario, after due consideration of the matter, have decided that it would be unwise for them to enter into alliance with either of the old Parties as parties. They are prepared to assume the fullest share of responsibility and form a Government in co-operation with such members of other parties as are in sympathy with their platform and principles and are free to give support thereto. In the formation of a Cabinet full consideration will be given to the various interests of the Province.^[19]

Ernest C. Drury agreed to lead the new government as Premier of Ontario,^[19][20] and a UFO-Labour coalition cabinet was formed.^[21] Although he was Vice-President of the UFO,^[8] Drury had not been a candidate in the election^[8] and had to run in a by-election to enter the legislature following his appointment to the office of Premier.

Elections to the 15th Parliament of Ontario (1919)^[1]

Political party		Party leader	MPPs					Votes
			Candidates	1914	Dissol.	1919	±	#	%	± (pp)
	UFO-Labour Coalition
	█ United Farmers	–	66	–	2	44	44	248,274	20.97%	New
	█ Labour	Walter Rollo	21	1	1	11	10	107,588	9.09%	7.75
	█ Farmer–Labour		5	–	–	1	1	27,841	2.35%	New
	█ Farmer-Liberal		2	–	–	1	1	7,448	0.63%	New
	█ Soldier		2	–	–	1	1	9,618	0.81%	New
	Coalition Total					58		400,679	33.85%
	Liberal	Hartley Dewart	66	24	27	27	3	301,995	25.51%	12.41
	Conservative	William Hearst	103	84	79	25	59	403,655	34.09%	19.78
	Independent Liberal		1	1	1	1		5,354	0.45%	0.01
	Liberal-Temperance		–	1	1	–	1	Did not campaign
	Independent		14	–	–	–	–	48,244	4.07%	3.08
	Independent Conservative		3	–	–	–	–	14,213	1.20%	0.81
	Soldier–Labour		2	–	–	–	–	9,088	0.77%	New
	Socialist		3	–	–	–	–	637	0.05%	0.87
Total			288	111	111	111		1,183,955	100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots								50,810
Registered voters / turnout								1,443,746	85.53%	21.10

Seats and popular vote by party

Party		Seats	Votes	Change (pp)
	Coalition	58 / 111	33.85%	32.51		32.51
	Liberal	27 / 111	25.51%	-12.41
	Conservative	25 / 111	34.09%	-19.75
	Temperance factions	0 / 111	0.00%	-3.97
	Other	1 / 111	6.55%	3.62		3.62

Italicized names indicate members returned by acclamation. Two-tone colour boxes indicate ridings that turned over from the 1914 election, eg,

Party rankings (1st to 5th place)

Party		Acc	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
	█ United Farmers		44	11	10	1
	█ Labour		11	6	2	1
	█ Farmer–Labour		1	3	1
	█ Farmer-Liberal		1		1
	█ Soldier		1		1
	█ Liberal		27	21	16	1
	█ Conservative	4	21	59	17		1
	█ Independent-Liberal		1	1	3
	█ Independent			4	7	2
	█ Independent-Conservative			1	1	1
	█ Soldier–Labour			1		1
	█ Socialist					2
Totals		4	107	107	59	9	1

Party candidates in 2nd place

Party		UFO	Lab	F-Lab	Lib	Con	Ind	Ind-Lib	Ind-Con	S-Lab
	█ United Farmers		1		4	38			1
	█ Labour				4	3	3			1
	█ Farmer–Labour				1
	█ Farmer-Liberal					1
	█ Soldier		1
	█ Liberal	7	2	1		17
	█ Conservative	4	1	2	12		1	1
	█ Independent-Liberal		1
Totals		11	6	3	21	59	4	1	1	1

Principal races, according to 1st and 2nd-place results

Parties		Seats
█ United Farmers	█ Conservative	42
█ Liberal	█ Conservative	29
█ Liberal	█ United Farmers	11
█ Labour	█ Liberal	6
█ Labour	█ Conservative	4
█ Labour	█ Independent	3
█ Farmer–Labour	█ Liberal	2
█ Conservative	█ Farmer–Labour	2
█ Conservative	█ Independent	1
█ Conservative	█ Independent-Liberal	1
█ Farmer-Liberal	█ Conservative	1
█ Independent-Liberal	█ Labour	1
█ Labour	█ Soldier–Labour	1
█ Soldier	█ Labour	1
█ United Farmers	█ Independent-Conservative	1
█ United Farmers	█ Labour	1
Total		107

Elections to the 15th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1914–1919

Party		1914	Gain from (loss to)																		1919
			UFO		Lab		F-Lab		F-Lib		Sol		Lib		Con		I-Lib		L-Tmp
	█ United Farmers	–											10		34						44
	█ Labour	1											3		7						11
	█ Farmer–Labour	–													1						1
	█ Farmer-Liberal	–													1						1
	█ Soldier	–													1						1
	Liberal	24		(10)		(3)									16	(1)	1				27
	Conservative	84		(34)		(7)		(1)		(1)		(1)	1	(16)				(1)	1		25
	Independent-Liberal	1												(1)	1						1
	Liberal-Temperance	1														(1)					–
Total		111	–	(44)	–	(10)	–	(1)	–	(1)	–	(1)	14	(17)	61	(2)	1	(1)	1	–	111

There were 77 seats that changed allegiance in the election:

(* - open seats, # - byelection gains held, ^ - change of affiliation)

(Riding names in italics did not have Liberal candidates. Riding names in bold did not have Conservative candidates.)

Resulting composition of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Source		Party
		UFO	Lab	F-Lab	F-Lib	Soldier	Lib	Con	Ind-Lib	Total
Seats retained	Incumbents returned		1				8	14		23
	Open seats held						1	4		5
	Byelection loss reversed							1		1
	Acclamation							4		4
Seats changing hands	Incumbents defeated	23	9	1			10	2	1	46
	Open seats gained	19	1		1	1	5			27
	Byelection gain held	2					2			4
	Change in affiliation						1			1
Total		44	11	1	1	1	27	25	1	111

Soldier candidates in the 1919 Ontario general election^[1][22][23]

Party		Riding	Candidate	Military rank	Votes	Placed
	Conservative	Kingston	Arthur Edward Ross*	Brigadier-General	Acclaimed
		Leeds	Andrew Wellington Gray	Major	4,351	1st
		Parkdale	William Herbert Price*	Colonel	11,091	1st
		Peel	Thomas Laird Kennedy	Colonel	4,562	1st
		Port Arthur	Donald McDonald Hogarth*	Brigadier-General	2,578	1st
		Timiskaming	Thomas Magladery*	Captain	3,092	1st
		Toronto Northeast - B	Joseph Thompson	Captain	13,495	1st
		Wellington South	Caleb Henry Buckland†	Captain	4,362	1st
	Liberal	Algoma	Kenneth Spencer Stover	Lieutenant	2,272	1st
		Cochrane	Malcolm Lang*	Major	2,951	1st
		Hastings West	Edward O'Flynn	Lieutenant-Colonel	4,647	2nd
		Middlesex East	Bart Robson	Lieutenant-Colonel	2,500	2nd
		Sudbury	Robert Arthur	Lieutenant-Colonel	3,409	2nd
		Toronto Northwest - B	Henry Sloane Cooper	Lieutenant-Colonel	18,522	1st
		Toronto Southwest - B	John Carman Ramsden	Captain	12,428	1st
		Windsor	James Craig Tolmie †	Major	10,874	1st
	Soldier	Hamilton East	Maurice Fitzgerald	Captain	2,146	3rd
		Riverdale	Joseph McNamara	Sergeant-Major	7,472	1st
	Soldier-Labour	Hamilton East	Samuel Landers	Lieutenant	8,424	2nd
		Wentworth South	Samuel Wilkinson		664	3rd
	United Farmers	Grey Centre	Dougall Carmichael	Lieutenant-Colonel	4,363	1st
		York East	George Little	Captain	7,290	2nd
	Independent	Kenora	Harold Arthur Clement Machin *‡	Lieutenant-Colonel	895	2nd
	Independent Conservative	Norfolk South	Arthur Clarence Pratt *‡	Colonel	1,954	2nd
		Toronto Northeast - B	Kelly Evans ‡	Lieutenant-Colonel	8,172	2nd

(* - incumbent; † - chaplain; ‡ - Anti-Prohibition)

Women candidates in the 1919 Ontario general election^[1][24]

Riding	Candidate		Votes	Placed
Ottawa West	█ Independent	Justenia Sears	2,723	4th
Toronto Northeast - B	█ Liberal	Henrietta Bundy	5,685	3rd

Candidates returned by acclamation^[25]

Party		Riding	Candidate
	Conservative	Addington	William David Black
		Hastings North	John Robert Cooke
		Kingston	Arthur Edward Ross
		Toronto Northeast - A	Henry John Cody

Cooke was the only acclaimed candidate who had not previously been an incumbent.^[25]

• Politics of Ontario
• List of Ontario political parties
• Premier of Ontario
• Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)

• "Return from the Records of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly in 1919". Ontario Sessional Papers, 1920, No.51-79. Toronto: King's Printer. 1919.
• Hopkins, J. Castell (1920). The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1919. Toronto: The Annual Review.
• Piva, Michael J. (1977). "Workers and Tories: The Collapse of the Conservative Party in Urban Ontario, 1908-1919" (PDF). Urban History Review. 5 (3–76): 23–39. doi:10.7202/1019467ar.
• Scollie, Frederick Brent (2012). "The Woman Candidate for the Ontario Legislative Assembly, 1919-1929" (PDF). Ontario History. 104 (2): 1–27. doi:10.7202/1065435ar.
• Tennyson, Brian Douglas (1969). "The 1919 General Election in 1919: The Beginnings of Agrarian Unrest". Journal of Canadian Studies. 4 (1): 26–36. doi:10.3138/jcs.4.1.26.