1923 Ontario general election

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| <- 1919 | June 25, 1923 | 1926 ->

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111 seats in the 16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
56 seats were needed for a majority
|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

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|  |  |  LIB
Leader  | Howard Ferguson | Ernest C. Drury | Wellington Hay
Party  | Conservative | United Farmers | Liberal
Leader since  | December 2, 1920 | 1920  | 1921
Leader's seat  | Grenville | Halton (lost re-election) | Perth North (lost re-election)
Last election  | 25  | 44  | 27
Seats won  | 75  | 17  | 14
Seat change  | 50  | 27  | 13
Percentage  | 49.8%  | 21.1%  | 21.8%
Swing  | 14.9pp | 0.1pp | 5.1pp

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| Fourth party  |
|  |
Leader  | Walter Rollo |
Party  | Labour |
Leader since  | 1919  |
Leader's seat  | Hamilton West (lost re-election) |
Last election  | 11  |
Seats won  | 4  |
Seat change  | 7  |
Percentage  | 4.8%  |
Swing  | 4.3pp |

* * *

| Premier before election

Ernest Charles Drury
United Farmers

| Premier after election

Howard Ferguson
Conservative

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The 1923 Ontario general election was the 16th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 25, 1923, to elect the 111 Members of the 16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").[1]

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by George Howard Ferguson, was elected to power with a majority in the Legislature (although taking less than half the votes cast).

This election ended the rule of the United Farmers of Ontario-Labour coalition government of Ernest C. Drury.

## Campaign

[edit]

Candidate contests in the ridings  Candidates nominated | Ridings | Party

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|

Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | Pro | Ind-Lib | Totals
Acclamation | 2 | 1 |  |  | 1 |  |  |  | 2
2 | 50 | 43 | 34 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 1 |  | 100
3 | 49 | 48 | 34 | 48 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 147
4 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 6 |  | 1 | 32
5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |  | 2 |  |  | 5
6 | 1 | 2 |  | 1 | 1 | 2 |  |  | 6
Total | 111 | 103 | 71 | 78 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 292

## Voter turnout

[edit]

The election saw a voter turnout of just 54.7%, the lowest voter turnout in Ontario history until the 2007 election.[2]

The low election turn-out was in part caused by the worst wind, rain and lightning storm in years inundating the western part of the province.[3] The electrical storm and hurricane began shortly after the polls closed, resulting in massive disruption of telegraph and telephone communications, which hampered the reporting of results.[4]

## Results

[edit]

The 1923 election was plagued by low turn-out, and all the parties took fewer voters than they had in 1919.

The UFO actually took a larger proportion of the vote than it had in 1919 but took just a fraction of the seats it had taken in 1919 due to much of the anti-UFO vote concentrating behind Conservative Party candidates. The UFO had held power by virtue of a coalition with Labour and three other MLAs. Together they had received 34 percent of the votes cast in 1919. The Conservatives after the 1923 election took majority government based on taking 34 percent of the vote by that one party alone.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Wellington Hay, lost close to half its caucus in the Conservative landslide. Labour (the Independent Labour Party) too lost most of its MLAs in this turn-around election.

The Conservative party was the most popular, taking 34 percent of the vote. Its candidate was the leading one in a large proportion of the districts, giving it a large majority of seats in the legislature (more than its due proportionally) under the First past the post system in use at the time.

In the election, the UFO again did not run candidates where a Labour candidate was running - and also not in 20 other districts as well. The UFO received the third-most number of votes overall but only ran in about two-thirds of the districts so its vote count likely does not measure its actual support. Together Labour and the UFO ran in 93 seats so the two did not cover all the districts in the province.

The UFO did not receive as many votes as it had in 1919 but still got fairly good numbers considering it did not run candidates in a third of the districts. As the 1923 election was plagued by low turn-out, the UFO received a higher percentage of votes cast than it had received in 1919.

Prior to the election, the UFO government had introduced bills to re-distribute the ridings,[5] and to introduce proportional representation[6] and the single transferable vote,[7] but withdrew them after vehement opposition from the Conservative MLAs,[8] and it was found that even some government members were ambivalent.[9]

Under First past the post, the UFO received about a third of the seats that it was due proportionally overall. Looking at the 71 districts where the UFO ran candidates, it received about half the votes there so was due 35 of those seats but received only eight. In many districts, Conservative candidates took rural seats away from incumbent UFO MLAs by taking just a few hundred more votes than them in each district. In Prince Edward, Conservative candidate Horace Stanley Colliver took just 17 more votes than his closest contender to win the seat.[10][11]

Ferguson was the only party leader to hold his seat in the election. Drury, Hay and Rollo all lost their seats to their Conservative opponents.

Elections to the 16th Parliament of Ontario (1923)  Political party  | Party leader  | MPPs  | Votes

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Candidates  | 1919 | Dissol. | 1923  | ±  | #  | %  | ± (pp)
| Conservative | Howard Ferguson | 103  | 25  | 24  | 75  | 50 | 473,819  | 49.77%  | 15.68
| United Farmers | E.C. Drury | 71  | 44  | 44  | 17  | 27 | 199,393  | 20.94%  | 0.03
| Liberal | Wellington Hay | 78  | 27  | 27  | 14  | 13 | 203,079  | 21.33%  | 4.18
| Labour | Walter Rollo | 23  | 11  | 11  | 4  | 7 | 45,213  | 4.75%  | 4.34
| Independent |  | 12  | - | - | 1  | 1 | 15,426  | 1.62%  | 2.45
| Independent Liberal  |  | 2  | 1  | 1  | - | 1 | 5,041  | 0.53%  | 0.08
| Progressive  |  | 3  | - | - | - | - | 10,122  | 1.06%  | New
| Farmer–Labour |  | - | 1  | 1  | - | 1 | Did not campaign
| Farmer-Liberal  |  | - | 1  | 1  | - | 1 | Did not campaign
| Soldier |  | - | 1  | 1  | - | 1 | Did not campaign
| Vacant  |  | 1  |
Total | 292 | 111 | 111 | 111 |  | 952,093 | 100.00% |
Blank and invalid ballots  | 13,600  |
Registered voters / turnout | 1,655,312 | 58.34% | 27.19

### Synopsis of results

[edit]

Results by riding - 1923 Ontario general election[a 1] Riding  | Region  | Winning party  | Turnout
[a 2] | Votes

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1919 → 1923  | Votes  | Share  | Margin
#  | Margin
%  | Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | I-Lib | Prog | Total
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Addington | EAS  |  | Con  | 3,110 | 70.83% | 1,829 | 41.65% | 61.33% | 3,110 | - | 1,281 | - | - | - | - | 4,391
Algoma | NOR  |  | Lib  | 2,365 | 36.06% | 14 | 0.21% | 67.57% | 2,351 | 1,842 | 2,365 | - | - | - | - | 6,558
Brant North | MWO  |  | UFO  | 3,617 | 50.36% | 52 | 0.72% | 61.19% | 3,565 | 3,617 | - | - | - | - | - | 7,182
Brant South | MWO  |  | Lab  | 5,678 | 53.26% | 695 | 6.52% | 59.09% | - | - | 4,983 | 5,678 | - | - | - | 10,661
Brockville | EAS  |  → | Con  | 4,182 | 59.12% | 1,290 | 18.24% | 62.26% | 4,182 | - | 2,892 | - | - | - | - | 7,074
Bruce North | MWO  |  | UFO  | 2,557 | 39.97% | 311 | 4.86% | 75.68% | 2,246 | 2,557 | 1,595 | - | - | - | - | 6,398
Bruce South | MWO  |  → | UFO  | 1,942 | 35.83% | 49 | 0.90% | 67.10% | 1,893 | 1,942 | 1,585 | - | - | - | - | 5,420
Bruce West | MWO  |  | Lib  | 2,582 | 38.73% | 38 | 0.57% | 68.07% | 1,541 | 2,544 | 2,582 | - | - | - | - | 6,667
Carleton | EAS  |  → | Con  | 4,813 | 61.22% | 1,764 | 22.44% | 64.13% | 4,813 | 3,049 | - | - | - | - | - | 7,862
Cochrane | NOR  |  | Lib  | 3,138 | 39.54% | 627 | 7.90% | 42.39% | 2,172 | - | 3,138 | 2,511 | 116 | - | - | 7,937
Dufferin | MWO  |  → | Con  | 3,898 | 51.47% | 223 | 2.94% | 72.03% | 3,898 | 3,675 | - | - | - | - | - | 7,573
Dundas | EAS  |  → | Con  | 3,773 | 54.07% | 568 | 8.14% | 65.52% | 3,773 | 3,205 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,978
Durham East | CEN  |  → | Con  | 3,040 | 60.25% | 1,034 | 20.49% | 63.35% | 3,040 | 2,006 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,046
Durham West | CEN  |  | Lib  | 2,295 | 42.31% | 181 | 3.34% | 67.51% | 2,114 | 1,015 | 2,295 | - | - | - | - | 5,424
Elgin East | SWO  |  → | Con  | 2,968 | 44.34% | 1,050 | 15.69% | 61.37% | 2,968 | 1,807 | 1,918 | - | - | - | - | 6,693
Elgin West | SWO  |  → | Con  | 5,289 | 50.07% | 1,709 | 14.68% | 58.24% | 5,289 | 2,773 | 3,580 | - | - | - | - | 11,642
Essex North | SWO  |  → | Lib  | 4,282 | 62.15% | 1,674 | 24.30% | 49.08% | - | 2,608 | 4,282 | - | - | - | - | 6,890
Essex South | SWO  |  → | Con  | 2,652 | 35.43% | 60 | 0.80% | 57.08% | 2,652 | 2,592 | 2,241 | - | - | - | - | 7,485
Fort William | NOR  |  → | Con  | 2,866 | 39.94% | 208 | 2.90% | 57.97% | 2,866 | - | 1,152 | 2,658 | - | 500 | - | 7,176
Frontenac | EAS  |  | Con  | 3,529 | 57.56% | 927 | 15.12% | 70.59% | 3,529 | 2,602 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,131
Glengarry | EAS  |  → | Lib  | 3,313 | 54.53% | 550 | 9.05% | 54.27% | - | 2,763 | 3,313 | - | - | - | - | 6,076
Grenville | EAS  |  | Con  | 4,374 | 66.56% | 2,176 | 33.11% | 60.17% | 4,374 | 2,198 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,572
Grey Centre | MWO  |  | UFO  | 3,636 | 50.52% | 75 | 1.04% | 65.32% | 3,561 | 3,636 | - | - | - | - | - | 7,197
Grey North[a 3] | MWO  |  → | UFO  | 3,873 | 40.50% | 60 | 0.63% | 68.46% | 3,813 | 3,873 | 1,877 | - | - | - | - | 9,563
Grey South | MWO  |  → | Con  | 4,553 | 51.77% | 312 | 3.55% | 65.93% | 4,553 | 4,241 | - | - | - | - | - | 8,794
Haldimand | MWO  |  → | Con  | 4,297 | 47.56% | 644 | 7.13% | 65.96% | 4,297 | 3,653 | 1,085 | - | - | - | - | 9,035
Halton | HAM  |  → | Con  | 5,186 | 45.43% | 716 | 6.27% | 68.60% | 5,186 | 4,470 | 1,760 | - | - | - | - | 11,416
Hamilton East | HAM  |  → | Con  | 11,064 | 55.07% | 5,932 | 29.53% | 41.12% | 11,064 | - | 5,132 | 3,894 | - | - | - | 20,090
Hamilton West | HAM  |  → | Con  | 5,784 | 52.42% | 2,731 | 24.75% | 46.80% | 5,784 | - | 3,053 | 2,198 | - | - | - | 11,035
Hastings East | EAS  |  → | Con  | 3,741 | 62.40% | 1,487 | 24.80% | 64.10% | 3,741 | 2,254 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,995
Hastings North | EAS  |  | Con  | 4,356 | 71.77% | 2,643 | 43.55% | 58.15% | 4,356 | 1,713 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,069
Hastings West | EAS  |  | Con  | 4,846 | 60.05% | 1,622 | 20.10% | 51.08% | 4,846 | - | 3,224 | - | - | - | - | 8,070
Huron Centre | MWO  |  → | Con  | 3,133 | 41.58% | 724 | 9.61% | 66.47% | 3,133 | 1,992 | - | 2,409 | - | - | - | 7,534
Huron North | MWO  |  | Con  | 2,896 | 44.44% | 398 | 6.11% | 68.11% | 2,896 | 2,498 | 1,122 | - | - | - | - | 6,516
Huron South | MWO  |  → | Con  | 2,800 | 40.11% | 437 | 6.26% | 69.29% | 2,800 | 2,363 | 1,818 | - | - | - | - | 6,981
Kenora[a 4] | NOR  |  | Con  | acclaimed
Kent East | SWO  |  | UFO  | 4,024 | 54.75% | 698 | 9.50% | 57.65% | 3,326 | 4,024 | - | - | - | - | - | 7,350
Kent West | SWO  |  | Lib  | 6,153 | 59.80% | 2,017 | 19.60% | 47.73% | - | 4,136 | 6,153 | - | - | - | - | 10,289
Kingston[a 4] | EAS  |  | Con  | acclaimed
Lambton East | SWO  |  | UFO  | 3,224 | 44.28% | 458 | 6.29% | 66.68% | 2,766 | 3,224 | 1,291 | - | - | - | - | 7,281
Lambton West | SWO  |  → | Con  | 6,022 | 45.96% | 2,119 | 16.17% | 60.18% | 6,022 | 3,903 | 3,179 | - | - | - | - | 13,104
Lanark North | EAS  |  → | Con  | 3,339 | 54.32% | 531 | 8.64% | 65.14% | 3,339 | 2,808 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,147
Lanark South | EAS  |  → | Con  | 3,874 | 57.27% | 983 | 14.53% | 59.71% | 3,874 | 2,891 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,765
Leeds | EAS  |  | Con  | 3,779 | 57.34% | 968 | 14.69% | 60.65% | 3,779 | 2,811 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,590
Lennox | EAS  |  → | Lib  | 2,767 | 51.22% | 132 | 2.44% | 69.44% | 2,635 | - | 2,767 | - | - | - | - | 5,402
Lincoln | HAM  |  → | UFO  | 2,360 | 35.05% | 43 | 0.64% | 58.34% | 2,057 | 2,360 | 2,317 | - | - | - | - | 6,734
London | SWO  |  → | Con  | 9,865 | 64.85% | 7,611 | 50.03% | 46.16% | 9,865 | - | 1,851 | 2,254 | 1,243 | - | - | 15,213
Manitoulin | NOR  |  | UFO  | 2,407 | 57.64% | 638 | 15.28% | 66.69% | 1,769 | 2,407 | - | - | - | - | - | 4,176
Middlesex East | SWO  |  | UFO  | 3,568 | 47.76% | 377 | 5.05% | 34.24% | 3,191 | 3,568 | 711 | - | - | - | - | 7,470
Middlesex North | SWO  |  → | Con  | 3,319 | 52.52% | 318 | 5.03% | 67.10% | 3,319 | 3,001 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,320
Middlesex West | SWO  |  | UFO  | 2,642 | 52.03% | 206 | 4.06% | 66.37% | - | 2,642 | 2,436 | - | - | - | - | 5,078
Muskoka | CEN  |  | Con  | 4,186 | 64.45% | 1,877 | 28.90% | — | 4,186 | - | 2,309 | - | - | - | - | 6,495
Niagara Falls | HAM  |  → | Con  | 4,922 | 51.97% | 2,518 | 26.59% | 47.04% | 4,922 | - | 2,145 | 2,404 | - | - | - | 9,471
Nipissing | NOR  |  → | Con  | 3,238 | 48.83% | 268 | 4.04% | 52.46% | 3,238 | - | 2,970 | 423 | - | - | - | 6,631
Norfolk North | MWO  |  | UFO  | 3,068 | 51.87% | 221 | 3.74% | 61.16% | 2,847 | 3,068 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,915
Norfolk South | MWO  |  → | Con  | 3,070 | 55.84% | 642 | 11.68% | 73.34% | 3,070 | 2,428 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,498
Northumberland East | CEN  |  → | Con  | 4,434 | 52.09% | 356 | 4.18% | 71.02% | 4,434 | 4,078 | - | - | - | - | - | 8,512
Northumberland West | CEN  |  | Lib  | 2,810 | 51.44% | 157 | 2.87% | 69.94% | 2,653 | - | 2,810 | - | - | - | - | 5,463
Ontario North | CEN  |  | UFO  | 3,330 | 50.61% | 80 | 1.22% | 68.75% | 3,250 | 3,330 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,580
Ontario South | CEN  |  | Lib  | 4,212 | 39.72% | 197 | 1.86% | 58.35% | 4,015 | 2,376 | 4,212 | - | - | - | - | 10,603
Ottawa East | OTT  |  | Lib  | 4,635 | 59.35% | 1,460 | 18.69% | 36.23% | - | - | 7,810 | - | - | - | - | 7,810
Ottawa West | OTT  |  → | Lib  | 7,362 | 40.15% | 892 | 4.87% | 41.55% | 7,624 | - | 7,362 | 2,086 | 1,263 | - | - | 18,335
Oxford North | MWO  |  → | UFO  | 4,019 | 40.29% | 826 | 8.28% | 64.65% | 3,193 | 4,019 | 2,762 | - | - | - | - | 9,974
Oxford South | MWO  |  → | Con  | 3,889 | 39.20% | 755 | 7.61% | 69.74% | 3,889 | 3,134 | 2,898 | - | - | - | - | 9,921
Parkdale | TOR  |  | Con  | 6,050 | 79.76% | 4,515 | 59.53% | 30.68% | 6,050 | - | 1,535 | - | - | - | - | 7,585
Parry Sound | NOR  |  → | Con  | 4,876 | 56.10% | 2,579 | 29.67% | 61.07% | 4,876 | 1,519 | 2,297 | - | - | - | - | 8,692
Peel | CEN  |  | Con  | 6,087 | 56.34% | 1,369 | 12.67% | — | 6,087 | 4,718 | - | - | - | - | - | 10,805
Perth North | MWO  |  → | Con  | 6,289 | 51.68% | 410 | 3.37% | 59.60% | 6,289 | - | 5,879 | - | - | - | - | 12,168
Perth South | MWO  |  → | Con  | 3,454 | 50.34% | 46 | 0.67% | 63.51% | 3,454 | 3,408 | - | - | - | - | - | 6,862
Peterborough East | CEN  |  → | Con  | 2,550 | 52.35% | 229 | 4.70% | — | 2,550 | 2,321 | - | - | - | - | - | 4,871
Peterborough West | CEN  |  → | Con  | 4,278 | 44.37% | 904 | 9.38% | 57.87% | 4,278 | - | 3,374 | 1,990 | - | - | - | 9,642
Port Arthur | NOR  |  | Con  | 2,331 | 40.27% | 727 | 12.56% | 58.19% | 2,331 | 1,346 | 1,604 | - | 508 | - | - | 5,789
Prescott | EAS  |  → | Ind  | 3,608 | 52.87% | 740 | 10.84% | 58.92% | - | - | 2,868 | 348 | 3,608 | - | - | 6,824
Prince Edward | EAS  |  → | Con  | 4,039 | 50.12% | 19 | 0.24% | 71.12% | 4,039 | - | 4,020 | - | - | - | - | 8,059
Rainy River | NOR  |  → | Lab  | 1,738 | 42.72% | 148 | 3.64% | 65.94% | 1,590 | - | 740 | 1,738 | - | - | - | 4,068
Renfrew North | EAS  |  → | Con  | 4,235 | 50.65% | 108 | 1.29% | 63.48% | 4,235 | 4,127 | - | - | - | - | - | 8,362
Renfrew South | EAS  |  | UFO  | 3,653 | 37.41% | 585 | 5.99% | 67.45% | 3,044 | 3,653 | 3,068 | - | - | - | - | 9,765
Riverdale | TOR  |  → | Con  | 11,074 | 79.05% | 9,309 | 66.45% | 35.56% | 11,074 | - | 1,765 | 1,169 | - | - | - | 14,008
Russell | EAS  |  | Lib  | 4,648 | 72.94% | 2,924 | 45.89% | 35.35% | - | 1,724 | 4,648 | - | - | - | - | 6,372
St. Catharines | HAM  |  → | Con  | 5,364 | 55.81% | 2,490 | 25.91% | 49.90% | 5,364 | - | 2,874 | 1,374 | - | - | - | 9,612
Sault Ste. Marie | NOR  |  → | Con  | 2,839 | 43.27% | 444 | 6.77% | 43.28% | 2,839 | - | 2,395 | 1,327 | - | - | - | 6,561
Simcoe Centre | CEN  |  → | Con  | 3,535 | 39.84% | 529 | 5.96% | 65.77% | 3,535 | 3,006 | 2,332 | - | - | - | - | 8,873
Simcoe East | CEN  |  → | Con  | 5,692 | 57.57% | 1,498 | 15.15% | 57.55% | 5,692 | 4,194 | - | - | - | - | - | 9,886
Simcoe South | CEN  |  → | Con  | 3,016 | 55.88% | 635 | 11.77% | 72.26% | 3,016 | 2,381 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,397
Simcoe West | CEN  |  | Con  | 3,610 | 56.78% | 1,580 | 24.85% | 57.05% | 3,610 | 2,030 | 634 | - | 84 | - | - | 6,358
Stormont | EAS  |  → | Con  | 3,661 | 44.04% | 1,050 | 12.63% | 56.13% | 3,661 | 2,041 | 2,611 | - | - | - | - | 8,313
Sturgeon Falls | NOR  |  | Lib  | 2,671 | 62.32% | 1,670 | 38.96% | — | 614 | 1,001 | 2,671 | - | - | - | - | 4,286
Sudbury | NOR  |  | Con  | 5,816 | 58.65% | 1,816 | 17.31% | 60.80% | 5,816 | - | 4,100 | - | - | - | - | 9,916
Timiskaming | NOR  |  | Con  | 3,160 | 44.12% | 1,008 | 14.07% | 58.76% | 3,160 | 2,152 | 1,850 | - | - | - | - | 7,162
Toronto NE \- A | TOR  |  | Con  | 13,049 | 71.46% | 10,205 | 55.88% | 34.78% | 13,049 | - | 2,844 | - | - | - | 2,368 | 18,261
Toronto NE \- B | TOR  |  | Con  | 13,952 | 77.58% | 9,919 | 55.15% | 34.61% | 13,952 | - | - | - | - | - | 4,033 | 17,985
Toronto NW \- A | TOR  |  | Con  | 17,255 | 85.34% | 14,291 | 70.68% | 34.17% | 17,255 | - | 2,964 | - | - | - | - | 20,219
Toronto NW \- B | TOR  |  → | Con  | 14,703 | 70.46% | 10,982 | 52.63% | 34.34% | 14,703 | - | - | - | - | 2,443 | 3,721 | 20,867
Toronto SE \- A | TOR  |  → | Con  | 7,730 | 81.56% | 7,019 | 74.06% | 31.85% | 7,730 | - | 1,037 | 711 | - | - | - | 9,478
Toronto SE \- B | TOR  |  → | Con  | 7,216 | 77.13% | 5,986 | 63.98% | 31.60% | 7,216 | - | 1,230 | 910 | - | - | - | 9,356
Toronto SW \- A | TOR  |  → | Con  | 8,233 | 56.71% | 4,761 | 37.39% | 50.78% | 8,233 | - | 3,472 | 2,812 | - | - | - | 14,517
Toronto SW \- B | TOR  |  → | Con  | 7,756 | 52.54% | 5,158 | 37.48% | 48.28% | 7,756 | - | 2,198 | 2,211 | - | 2,598 | - | 14,763
Victoria North | CEN  |  → | Con  | 2,711 | 47.00% | 358 | 6.21% | 66.72% | 2,711 | 2,353 | 704 | - | - | - | - | 5,768
Victoria South | CEN  |  → | Con  | 3,880 | 42.64% | 526 | 5.78% | 75.56% | 3,880 | 3,354 | 1,865 | - | - | - | - | 9,099
Waterloo North | MWO  |  → | Con  | 5,370 | 50.35% | 2,237 | 20.98% | 47.96% | 5,370 | - | 3,133 | 309 | 1,853 | - | - | 10,665
Waterloo South[a 5] | MWO  |  → | Lab  | 5,006 | 50.08% | 15 | 0.15% | 47.29% | 4,991 | - | - | 5,006 | - | - | - | 9,997
Welland | HAM  |  → | Con  | 4,941 | 52.19% | 1,239 | 13.09% | 59.17% | 4,941 | 824 | 3,702 | - | - | - | - | 9,467
Wellington East | MWO  |  | UFO  | 3,628 | 61.64% | 1,370 | 23.28% | 61.32% | 2,258 | 3,628 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,886
Wellington South | MWO  |  | Con  | 5,444 | 52.04% | 2,424 | 23.17% | 60.12% | 5,444 | 3,020 | 1,997 | - | - | - | - | 10,461
Wellington West | MWO  |  → | Con  | 2,685 | 50.41% | 576 | 10.81% | 65.13% | 2,685 | 2,109 | 532 | - | - | - | - | 5,326
Wentworth North | HAM  |  | UFO  | 3,397 | 58.02% | 939 | 16.04% | 65.80% | 2,458 | 3,397 | - | - | - | - | - | 5,855
Wentworth South | HAM  |  → | Con  | 3,348 | 46.38% | 889 | 12.32% | 49.57% | 3,348 | 2,459 | 1,411 | - | - | - | - | 7,218
Windsor | SWO  |  → | Con  | 5,424 | 53.29% | 1,871 | 18.38% | 34.99% | 5,424 | - | 3,553 | 1,202 | - | - | - | 10,179
York East | CEN  |  | Con  | 11,863 | 71.36% | 8,783 | 52.84% | 32.85% | 11,863 | 3,080 | 976 | - | 704 | - | - | 16,623
York North | CEN  |  | Con  | 4,341 | 44.65% | 811 | 8.34% | 69.77% | 4,341 | 1,852 | 3,530 | - | - | - | - | 9,723
York West | CEN  |  | Con  | 14,338 | 72.10% | 8,791 | 44.21% | 33.00% | 14,338 | - | - | - | 5,547 | - | - | 19,885

1. ^ Data compiled from "Return from the Records of the General Election to the Legislative Assembly in 1923 held on 14th and 25th June". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1923.. Party affiliations per Hopkins 1924, pp. 577–579. Tables compiled by Elections Ontario have incomplete riding list and multiple transcription errors.
2. ^ including spoilt ballots
3. ^ Incumbent was elected as Farmer-Liberal in 1919
4. ^ a b Incumbent returned
5. ^ Incumbent was elected as Farmer-Labour in 1919

= turnout is above provincial average
= incumbent re-elected under the same party banner
= returned by acclamation
= incumbency arose from byelection gain
= incumbent switched allegiance for 1923 nomination
= other incumbents renominated
= multiple candidates

### Regional analysis

[edit]

Distribution of candidates, seats and popular vote %, by party by region (1923)  Region  | Candidates  | Seats  | Vote share (%)

|
|
|

Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | I-Lib | Prog | Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | I-Lib | Prog
Central Ontario | 19 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 16 | - | 3 | - | - | 53.12 | 23.84 | 21.44 | 1.54 | 0.07 | - | -
Eastern Ontario | 14 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 11 | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | 39.87 | 26.89 | 27.44 | 1.93 | 3.87 | - | -
Hamilton, Halton and Niagara  | 9 | 5 | 8 | 4 | - | - | - | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | 49.64 | 14.86 | 24.64 | 10.86 | - | - | -
Midwestern Ontario | 20 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 10 | 8 | 1 | 2 | - | 42.57 | 31.87 | 18.06 | 6.42 | 1.08 | - | -
Northeastern Ontario | 9 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 5 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 43.34 | 14.41 | 35.18 | 6.88 | 0.19 | - | -
Northwest Ontario | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | 39.85 | 7.90 | 20.52 | 25.81 | 5.92 | - | -
Southwestern Ontario | 13 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 10 | 4 | 2 | - | - | 39.44 | 30.24 | 26.87 | 2.54 | 0.91 | - | -
Toronto | 10 | - | 9 | 5 | - | 2 | 3 | 10 | - | - | - | - | 72.78 | - | 11.59 | 5.31 | - | 3.43 | 6.88
York, Peel and Ontario  | 6 | 5 | 3 | - | 2 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 58.58 | 20.97 | 11.91 | - | 8.54 | - | -
Total | 103 | 71 | 78 | 23 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 75 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 49.77 | 20.94 | 21.33 | 4.75 | 1.62 | 0.53 | 1.06

### MLAs elected

[edit]

Italicized names indicate members returned by acclamation. Two-tone colour boxes indicate ridings that turned over from the 1919 election, eg,

(Conservative in 1923 and UFO in 1919)

Central Ontario

Addington: William David Black

Durham East: Albert James Fallis

Durham West: William John Bragg

Hastings East: James Ferguson Hill

Hastings North: John Robert Cooke

Hastings West: William Henry Ireland

Lennox: John Perry Vrooman

Muskoka: George Walter Ecclestone

Northumberland East: James Franklin Beatty Belford

Northumberland West: Samuel Clarke

Peterborough East: Thomas Dalton Johnston

Peterborough West: William Herbert Bradburn

Prince Edward: Horace Stanley Colliver

Simcoe Centre: Charles Ernest Wright

Simcoe East: William Finlayson

Simcoe South: William Earl Rowe

Simcoe West: James Edgar Jamieson

Victoria North: James Raglan Mark

Victoria South: Robert John Patterson

Eastern Ontario

Brockville: Hezekiah Allan Clark

Carleton: Adam Holland Acres

Dundas: Aaron Sweet

Frontenac: Anthony McGuin Rankin

Glengarry: James Alexander Sangster

Grenville: George Howard Ferguson

Kingston: William Folger Nickle

Lanark North: Thomas Alfred Thompson

Lanark South: Egerton Reuben Stedman

Leeds: Andrew Wellington Gray

Ottawa East: Joseph Albert Pinard

Ottawa West: Harold Fisher

Prescott: Edmond Proulx

Renfrew North: Alexander Stuart

Renfrew South: John Carty

Russell: Aurélien Bélanger

Stormont: John Colborne Milligan

Hamilton/Halton/Niagara

Halton: George Hillmer

Hamilton East: Leeming Carr

Hamilton West: Arthur Campbell Garden

Lincoln: Robert Henry Kemp

Niagara Falls: William Gore Willson

St. Catharines: Edwin Cyrus Graves

Welland: Marshall Vaughan

Wentworth North: Frank Campbell Biggs

Wentworth South: Thomas Joseph Mahony

Midwestern Ontario

Brant: Harry Corwin Nixon

Brant South: Morrison Mann MacBride

Bruce North: William Henry Fenton

Bruce South: Malcolm Alex McCallum

Bruce West: Alexander Patterson Mewhinney

Dufferin: Charles Robert McKeown

Grey Centre: Dougall Carmichael

Grey North: David James Taylor

Grey South: David Jamieson

Haldimand: Richard Nixon Berry

Norfolk North: George David Sewell

Norfolk South: John Strickler Martin

Oxford North: David Munroe Ross

Oxford South: William Henry Chambers

Perth North: Joseph Dunsmore Monteith

Perth South: McCausland Irvine

Waterloo North: William George Weichel

Waterloo South: Karl Kenneth Homuth

Wellington East: William Raney

Wellington South: Lincoln Goldie

Wellington West: William Clarke Chambers

Northeastern Ontario

Algoma: Arthur Gladstone Wallis

Cochrane: Malcolm Lang

Manitoulin: Beniah Bowman

Nipissing: Henri Morel

Parry Sound: George Vernon Harcourt

Sault Ste. Marie: James Lyons

Sturgeon Falls: Zotique Mageau

Sudbury: Charles McCrea

Timiskaming: Angus John Kennedy

Northwest Ontario

Fort William: Franklin Harford Spence

Kenora: Peter Heenan

Port Arthur: Francis Henry Keefer

Rainy River: John Fullarton Callan

Southwestern Ontario

Elgin East: Michael McKnight

Elgin West: Findlay George MacDiarmid

Essex North: Edward Philip Tellier

Essex South: Adolphus T. Armstrong

Huron Centre: Ebon Rinaldo Wigle

Huron North: John Joynt

Huron South: Nelson William Trewartha

Kent East: Manning William Doherty

Kent West: Robert Livingstone Brackin

Lambton East: Leslie Warner Oke

Lambton West: Wilfred Smith Haney

London: Adam Beck

Middlesex East: John Willard Freeborn

Middlesex North: George Adam Elliott

Middlesex West: John Giles Lethbridge

Windsor: Frank Worthington Wilson

Toronto

Parkdale: William Herbert Price

Riverdale: George Oakley

Toronto Northeast \- A: Alexander Cameron Lewis

Toronto Northeast - B: Joseph Elijah Thompson

Toronto Northwest \- A: Thomas Crawford

Toronto Northwest - B: Arthur Russell Nesbitt

Toronto Southeast \- A: John Allister Currie

Toronto Southeast - B: Edward William James Owens

Toronto Southwest \- A: James Arthur McCausland

Toronto Southwest - B: Frederick George McBrien

York/Peel/Ontario

Ontario North: John Wesley Widdifield

Ontario South: William Edmund Newton Sinclair

Peel: Thomas Laird Kennedy

York East: George Stewart Henry

York North: William Keith

York West: Forbes Godfrey

|
|

### Detailed analysis

[edit]

Seats and popular vote by party  Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp)

|
|
|

█ Conservative |

75 / 111

49.56%

| 15.47 |  | 15.47

█ United Farmers |

17 / 111

21.11%

| 0.14 |  | 0.14

█ Liberal |

14 / 111

21.36%

| -4.15 |

█ Labour |

4 / 111

4.76%

| -4.33 |

█ Independent |

1 / 111

1.62%

| -2.45 |

█ Other |

0 / 111

1.59%

| -4.68 |

Party rankings (1st to 5th place)  Party | Acc | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th

|
|
|
|
|
|

█ Conservative | 1 | 74 | 22 | 5 | 1 |
█ United Farmers |  | 17 | 43 | 11 |  |
█ Liberal |  | 14 | 35 | 27 | 2 |
█ Labour | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 1 |
█ Independent |  | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2
█ Progressive |  |  | 2 | 1 |  |
█ Independent-Liberal |  |  | 1 | 1 |  |
Totals | 2 | 109 | 109 | 59 | 10 | 2
Party candidates in 2nd place  Party in 1st place | Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | Pro

|
|
|
|
|
|

█ Conservative |  | 37 | 29 | 4 | 2 | 2
█ United Farmers | 14 |  | 3 |  |  |
█ Liberal | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |  |
█ Labour | 2 |  | 1 |  |  |
█ Independent |  |  | 1 |  |  |
Totals | 22 | 43 | 35 | 5 | 2 | 2
Principal races, according to 1st and 2nd-place results  Parties | Seats

|

█ Conservative | █ United Farmers | 51
█ Conservative | █ Liberal | 35
█ Liberal | █ United Farmers | 9
█ Conservative | █ Labour | 6
█ Conservative | █ Progressive  | 2
█ Liberal | █ Labour | 2
█ Conservative | █ Independent | 1
█ Conservative | █ Independent-Liberal  | 1
█ Liberal | █ Liberal | 1
█ Independent | █ Liberal | 1
Total | 109

### Incumbents not running for reelection

[edit]

Sixteen MLAs chose not to stand for re-election:[12]

Riding  | Incumbent at dissolution and subsequent nominee  | New MLA

|
|

Algoma |  | Kenneth Spencer Stover | Arthur Gladstone Wallis |  | Arthur Gladstone Wallis
Elgin East |  | Malcolm MacVicar | William F. Smith  |  | Michael McKnight
Essex South |  | Milton C. Fox | John Orville Duke  |  | Adolphus T. Armstrong
Huron South |  | Andrew Hicks | William George Medd |  | Nelson William Trewartha
Lennox |  | Reginald Amherst Fowler | Charles Wesley Hambly |  | John Perry Vrooman
Middlesex North |  | James C. Brown | Harold Currie  |  | George Adam Elliott
Ottawa West |  | Hammett Pinhey Hill | Albert Edwin Honeywell |  | Harold Fisher
Oxford South |  | Albert Thomas Walker | John L. Wright  |  | William Henry Chambers
Port Arthur |  | Donald McDonald Hogarth | Francis Henry Keefer |  | Francis Henry Keefer
Riverdale |  | Joseph McNamara | —  |  | George Oakley
Russell |  | Alfred Goulet | Aurélien Bélanger |  | Aurélien Bélanger
Simcoe West |  | William Torrance Allen | James Edgar Jamieson |  | James Edgar Jamieson
Timiskaming |  | Thomas Magladery | Angus John Kennedy |  | Angus John Kennedy
Toronto Southeast \- B  |  | James Walter Curry | John Callahan  |  | Edward William James Owens
Wellington South |  | Caleb Henry Buckland | Lincoln Goldie |  | Lincoln Goldie
York North |  | Thomas Herbert Lennox | William Keith |  | William Keith

### Seats that changed hands

[edit]

Elections to the 16th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1919–1923  Party  | 1919  | Gain from (loss to)  | 1923

|
|
|

Con  | UFO  | Lib  | Lab  | Ind  | I-Lib  | F-Lab  | F-Lib  | Sol
| Conservative | 25 |  |  | 29 |  | 13 | (2) | 9 | (1) |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  | 75
| United Farmers | 44 |  | (29) |  |  | 3 | (2) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  | 17
| Liberal | 27 | 2 | (13) | 2 | (3) |  |  |  |  |  | (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14
| Labour | 11 | 1 | (9) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  | 4
| Independent | - |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1
| Independent-Liberal  | 1 |  | (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | -
| Farmer–Labour | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | -
| Farmer-Liberal  | 1 |  |  |  | (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | -
| Soldier | 1 |  | (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | -
Total | 111 | 3 | (53) | 31 | (4) | 17 | (4) | 9 | (2) | - | (1) | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 111

There were 64 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

UFO to Conservative

* Carleton
* Dufferin
* Dundas
* Durham East
* Elgin East
* Elgin West
* Essex South
* Grey South
* Haldimand
* Halton
* Hastings East
* Huron South
* Lambton West
* Lanark North
* Lanark South
* Middlesex North
* Norfolk South
* Northumberland East
* Oxford South
* Perth South
* Peterborough East
* Renfrew North
* Simcoe Centre
* Simcoe East
* Simcoe South
* Victoria North
* Victoria South
* Wellington West
* Wentworth South

UFO to Liberal

* Essex North
* Glengarry

Liberal to Conservative

* Brockville
* Nipissing
* Parry Sound
* Perth North
* Prince Edward
* Stormont
* Toronto Northwest \- B
* Toronto Southeast \- A
* Toronto Southeast \- B
* Toronto Southwest \- A
* Toronto Southwest \- B
* Welland
* Windsor

Liberal to UFO

* Bruce South
* Lincoln
* Oxford North

Liberal to Independent

* Prescott

Labour to Conservative

* Fort William
* Hamilton East
* Hamilton West
* Huron Centre
* London
* Niagara Falls
* Peterborough West
* Sault Ste. Marie
* St. Catharines

Independent-Liberal to Conservative

* Waterloo North

Farmer-Labour to Labour

* Waterloo South

Farmer-Liberal to UFO

* Grey North

Soldier to Conservative

* Riverdale

Conservative to Liberal

* Lennox
* Ottawa West

Conservative to Labour

* Rainy River

|

Resulting composition of the 16th Legislative Assembly of Ontario  Source | Party

|

Con | UFO | Lib | Lab | Ind | Total
Seats retained | Incumbents returned | 16 | 13 | 8 | 1 |  | 38
Open seats held | 5 |  | 2 |  |  | 7
Acclamation | 1 |  |  | 1 |  | 2
Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated | 45 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 51
Open seats gained | 7 |  | 2 |  |  | 9
Byelection gain held | 1 | 1 |  |  |  | 2
Change in affiliation |  | 1 |  | 1 |  | 2
Total | 75 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 111

### Notable groups of candidates

[edit]

Women candidates in the 1923 election[12] Riding | Candidate | Votes | Placed

|
|
|

Fort William | █ Liberal | Mrs B.O. Allen | 1,152 | 3rd
Toronto Northeast \- B | █ Progressive | Mrs Mary E. Becker | 4,033 | 2nd
Toronto Northwest \- B | █ United Farmers | Edith L. Groves | 3,721 | 2nd
Candidates returned by acclamation[13] Riding | Party | Candidate

|
|

Kenora | █ Labour | Peter Heenan
Kingston | █ Conservative | William Folger Nickle
Dual nominations in the 1923 election[12] Riding | Candidate | Votes | Placed

|
|
|

Ottawa East | █ Liberal | Joseph Albert Pinard | 4,635 | 1st
J. Wilfred Gauvreau | 3,175 | 2nd
Ottawa West | █ Conservative | Albert Edwin Honeywell | 6,470 | 2nd
Arthur Ellis | 1,154 | 4th
Toronto Southeast \- A | █ Liberal | Frederick Hogg | 656 | 3rd
Alfred Burgess | 381 | 4th

## See also

[edit]

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

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "1923 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
2. ^ "Boring campaign behind poor voter turnout: analysts". CTV News. Bell Media. October 11, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
3. ^ Edmonton Bulletin, June 26, 1923
4. ^ "Ferguson is Victor". The Georgetown Herald. June 27, 1923. p. 2.
5. ^ "Bill 177 - An Act respecting the Representation of the People in the Legislative Assembly". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. April 12, 1923.
6. ^ "Bill 178 - An Act to provide for the Election of Members to the Assembly on the System of Proportional Representation". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. April 12, 1923.
7. ^ "Bill 179 - An Act to provide for a System of Transferable Votes at Elections to the Assembly". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. April 12, 1923.
8. ^ Hopkins 1924, pp. 532–534.
9. ^ Edmonton Bulletin, April 20, 1923
10. ^ Edmonton Bulletin, June 26, 1923
11. ^ Canadian Parliamentary Guide 1925
12. ^ a b c Hopkins 1924, pp. 577–579.
13. ^ Hopkins 1924, p. 577.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Hopkins, J. Castell (1924). The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1923. Toronto: The Annual Review.

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*[Acc]: Acclamation
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