1971 Saskatchewan general election

1971 Saskatchewan general election

← 1967 June 23, 1971 (1971-06-23) 1975 →

60 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
31 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Allan Blakeney Ross Thatcher
Party New Democratic Liberal
Leader since July 4, 1970 September 24, 1959
Leader's seat Regina Centre Morse
Last election 24 35
Seats won 45 15
Seat change Increase21 Decrease20
Popular vote 248,978 193,864
Percentage 55.00% 42.82%
Swing Increase10.65pp Decrease2.75pp

Popular vote by riding. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each riding.

Premier before election

Ross Thatcher
Liberal

Premier after election

Allan Blakeney
New Democratic

The 1971 Saskatchewan general election was held on June 23, 1971, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

Under the leadership of Allan Blakeney, the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan returned to power after seven years in opposition. The NDP won a majority government, increasing its share of the popular vote by over 10 percentage points.

The Liberal government of Premier Ross Thatcher more or less held its share of the popular vote, but lost a significant number of seats in the legislature in part because of the continuing decline in the share of the vote won by the Progressive Conservative Party, now led by Ed Nasserden.

Ross Thatcher died on July 22, 1971, just shy of a month since losing the election.

Results

Party Party Leader # of
candidates
Seats Popular Vote
1967 Elected % Change # % % Change
  New Democratic Allan Blakeney 60 24 45 +87.5% 248,978 55.00% +10.65%
  Liberal Ross Thatcher 60 35 15 -42.9% 193,864 42.82% -2.75%
  Progressive Conservative Ed Nasserden 16 9,659 2.13% -7.65%
  Independent 1 * * 189 0.04% *
Communist 1 * * 46 0.01% *
Total 138 59 60 +1.7% 452,736 100%  
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Note: * Party did not nominate candidates in previous election.

Popular vote
New Democratic
55.00%
Liberal
42.82%
PC
2.13%
Others
0.05%
Seats summary
New Democratic
75.00%
Liberal
25.00%

See also