1898 Ontario general election explained

The 1898 Ontario general election was the ninth general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on March 1, 1898, to elect the 94 Members of the 9th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Arthur S. Hardy, won an eighth term in office with a clear majority – the Patrons of Industry and the Protestant Protective Association held no sway in this legislature.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Sir James P. Whitney, formed the official opposition.

Results

^[1] |-! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party! rowspan=2 | Party leader! colspan=5 | MPPs! colspan=3 | Votes|-! Candidates!1894!Dissol.!1898!±!#!%! ± (pp)|style="text-align:left;"|Arthur S. Hardy|91|45||51|6|202,332|47.29%|6.30|style="text-align:left;"|James P. Whitney|90|23||42|19|204,011|47.69%|19.88|style="text-align:left;"||1| - ||1|1|1,740|0.41%||style="text-align:left;"|Liberal-Patrons|style="text-align:left;"|| - |12|| - |12|rowspan="7" colspan="3"|Did not campaign|style="text-align:left;"|Conservative–P.P.A.|style="text-align:left;"|| - |5|| - |5|style="text-align:left;"|Joseph Longford Haycock| - |3|| - |3|style="text-align:left;"|Conservative-Patrons|style="text-align:left;"|| - |2|| - |2|style="text-align:left;"|Liberal-P.P.A.|style="text-align:left;"|| - |2|| - |2|-|style="background-color:#FF8000;"||style="text-align:left;"|Protestant Protective Association|style="text-align:left;"|| - |1|| - |1|style="text-align:left;"|| - |1|| - |1|style="text-align:left;"||18| - | - | - ||19,683|4.60%|2.10|style="text-align:left;"||1| - | - | - ||57|0.01%||colspan="3"|||colspan="5"||-style="background:#E9E9E9;"|colspan="3" style="text-align:left;"|Total|201|94|94|94||427,823|100.00%||-|colspan="8" style="text-align:left;"|Blank and invalid ballots|align="right"|3,601|style="background:#E9E9E9;" colspan="2"||-style="background:#E9E9E9;"|colspan="8" style="text-align:left;"|Registered voters / turnout|525,795|82.05%|11.75|}

Party !! Seats !! Votes !! colspan="3"

Change (pp)[2]
	Protestant Protective Association[3]

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1898 Ontario general election

Riding[4]	Winning party								Turnout	Votes
Name[5]	1894		Party		Votes	Share	Margin #	Margin %		Lib	Con	I-Con			Total
Addington		Con		Con	1,901	54.30%	301	8.60%	74.61%	1,600	1,901	–	–	–	3,501
Algoma East		Lib		Lib	2,833	52.55%	275	5.10%	45.93%	2,833	2,558	–	–	–	5,391
Algoma West		Con		Lib	1,723	54.61%	291	9.22%	51.55%	1,723	1,432	–	–	–	3,155
Brant North		Lib		Lib	1,167	52.28%	102	4.57%	83.53%	1,167	1,065	–	–	–	2,232
Brant South		Lib		Lib	3,038	54.75%	527	9.50%	84.72%	3,038	2,511	–	–	–	5,549
Brockville		Lib		Lib	2,232	52.20%	188	4.40%	78.96%	2,232	2,044	–	–	–	4,276
Bruce Centre		L-PI		Lib	1,850	53.38%	234	6.75%	68.35%	1,850	–	–	–	1,616	3,466
Bruce North		L-PP		Lib	2,464	52.84%	265	5.68%	82.09%	2,464	2,199	–	–	–	4,663
Bruce South		Lib		Lib	acclaimed
Cardwell		C-PI		Con	2,267	55.63%	459	11.26%	70.72%	1,808	2,267	–	–	–	4,075
Carleton		C-PI		I-Con	1,740	63.64%	746	27.29%	55.38%	994	–	1,740	–	–	2,734
Dufferin		PI		Con	2,660	55.99%	569	11.98%	65.78%	–	2,660	–	–	2,091	4,751
Dundas		Con		Con	2,354	51.37%	126	2.75%	86.40%	2,228	2,354	–	–	–	4,582
Durham East		Con		Con	1,949	54.26%	306	8.52%	77.55%	1,643	1,949	–	–	–	3,592
Durham West		C-PP		Con	1,825	51.69%	119	3.37%	90.22%	1,706	1,825	–	–	–	3,531
Elgin East		Con		Con	2,267	50.32%	29	0.64%	82.75%	2,238	2,267	–	–	–	4,505
Elgin West		L-PI		Con	3,101	50.01%	1	0.02%	78.62%	3,100	3,101	–	–	–	6,201
Essex North		Lib		Lib	2,683	50.15%	95	1.78%	64.37%	2,683	2,588	–	–	79	5,350
Essex South		Lib		Lib	3,138	56.05%	677	12.09%	84.07%	3,138	2,461	–	–	–	5,599
Frontenac		L-PI		Con	1,936	53.73%	269	7.47%	75.44%	–	1,936	–	–	1,667	3,603
Glengarry		L-PI		Con	1,905	47.35%	466	11.58%	73.81%	679	1,905	–	–	1,439	4,023
Grenville		Con		Con	2,361	57.43%	611	14.86%	68.35%	1,750	2,361	–	–	–	4,111
Grey Centre		PPA		Con	2,813	58.58%	1,091	22.72%	73.97%	1,722	2,813	–	–	267	4,802
Grey North		Lib		Con	2,707	51.30%	137	2.60%	76.33%	2,570	2,707	–	–	–	5,277
Grey South		PI		Con	2,249	47.35%	532	11.20%	75.47%	1,717	2,249	–	–	784	4,750
Haldimand		Con		Lib	1,957	51.34%	102	2.68%	85.14%	1,957	1,855	–	–	–	3,812
Halton		Con		Lib	2,531	51.25%	123	2.49%	84.73%	2,531	2,408	–	–	–	4,939
Hamilton East		Lib		Con	3,247	57.84%	880	15.68%	82.88%	2,367	3,247	–	–	–	5,614
Hamilton West		Lib		Con	2,752	52.66%	278	5.32%	82.51%	2,474	2,752	–	–	–	5,226
Hastings East		L-PI		Lib	2,011	51.64%	128	3.29%	83.94%	2,011	1,883	–	–	–	3,894
Hastings North		PI		Con	2,374	52.80%	252	5.60%	99.91%	2,122	2,374	–	–	–	4,496
Hastings West		Lib		Con	1,985	52.67%	201	5.33%	67.44%	1,784	1,985	–	–	–	3,769
Huron East		Lib		Lib	2,417	55.74%	498	11.49%	74.69%	2,417	1,919	–	–	–	4,336
Huron South		Lib		Con	2,775	51.47%	159	2.95%	86.14%	2,616	2,775	–	–	–	5,391
Huron West		Lib		Lib	2,465	50.01%	1	0.02%	73.71%	2,465	2,464	–	–	–	4,929
Kent East		Lib		Lib	2,869	55.32%	552	10.64%	68.47%	2,869	2,317	–	–	–	5,186
Kent West		L-PI		Lib	3,689	51.99%	283	3.99%	78.63%	3,689	3,406	–	–	–	7,095
Kingston		Con		Lib	2,125	53.66%	290	7.32%	84.35%	2,125	1,835	–	–	–	3,960
Lambton East		IC-PP		Lib	2,361	49.21%	40	0.83%	78.40%	2,361	116	–	–	2,321	4,798
Lambton West		C-PP		Lib	3,600	53.73%	500	7.46%	68.13%	3,600	3,100	–	–	–	6,700
Lanark North		Con		Lib	1,989	52.38%	181	4.77%	82.92%	1,989	1,808	–	–	–	3,797
Lanark South		Con		Con	2,195	61.09%	797	22.18%	67.71%	1,398	2,195	–	–	–	3,593
Leeds		Con		Con	2,200	55.81%	458	11.62%	67.37%	1,742	2,200	–	–	–	3,942
Lennox		Con		Lib	1,677	50.65%	43	1.30%	78.74%	1,677	1,634	–	–	–	3,311
Lincoln		Con		Con	2,974	53.15%	353	6.31%	83.14%	–	5,595	–	–	–	5,595
London		Con		Lib	3,994	50.75%	301	3.82%	85.94%	3,994	3,693	–	57	126	7,870
Middlesex East		L-PP		Con	2,463	50.98%	95	1.97%	77.57%	2,368	2,463	–	–	–	4,831
Middlesex North		L-PI		Lib	2,195	51.07%	92	2.14%	79.80%	2,195	2,103	–	–	–	4,298
Middlesex West		Lib		Lib	2,262	51.73%	151	3.45%	84.79%	2,262	2,111	–	–	–	4,373
Monck		Lib		Lib	1,985	54.50%	328	9.01%	84.46%	1,985	1,657	–	–	–	3,642
Muskoka		C-PP		Lib	1,938	50.97%	74	1.95%	70.35%	1,938	1,864	–	–	–	3,802
Nipissing		Lib		Lib	1,590	50.98%	61	1.96%	97.47%	1,590	1,529	–	–	–	3,119
Norfolk North		Lib		Lib	1,885	53.55%	250	7.10%	81.09%	1,885	1,635	–	–	–	3,520
Norfolk South		Lib		Lib	1,723	50.50%	34	1.00%	84.02%	1,723	1,689	–	–	–	3,412
Northumberland East		Con		Lib	2,814	53.95%	412	7.90%	83.44%	2,814	2,402	–	–	–	5,216
Northumberland West		Lib		Lib	1,654	52.11%	134	4.22%	84.95%	1,654	1,520	–	–	–	3,174
Ontario North		Lib		Con	2,326	55.11%	431	10.21%	95.93%	1,895	2,326	–	–	–	4,221
Ontario South		Lib		Con	2,781	50.88%	96	1.76%	97.89%	2,685	2,781	–	–	–	5,466
Oxford North		Lib		Lib	2,838	53.99%	1,023	19.46%	76.32%	2,838	604	–	–	1,815	5,257
Oxford South		Lib		Lib	2,343	58.40%	674	16.80%	62.53%	2,343	1,669	–	–	–	4,012
Parry Sound		L-PI		Lib	2,332	65.52%	1,105	31.05%	90.05%	2,332	–	–	–	1,227	3,559
Peel		Lib		Lib	2,343	53.32%	292	6.65%	81.10%	2,343	2,051	–	–	–	4,394
Perth North		Con		Lib	3,396	51.21%	160	2.41%	87.03%	3,396	3,236	–	–	–	6,632
Perth South		L-PI		Lib	2,357	49.12%	4	0.08%	82.08%	2,357	2,353	–	–	88	4,798
Peterborough East		Lib		Lib	1,771	53.25%	216	6.49%	70.55%	1,771	1,555	–	–	–	3,326
Peterborough West		Lib		Lib	2,742	61.14%	999	22.27%	82.06%	2,742	1,743	–	–	–	4,485
Prescott		Lib		Lib	acclaimed
Prince Edward		L-PI		Con	2,387	53.96%	357	8.07%	78.17%	7	2,387	–	–	2,030	4,424
Renfrew North		Lib		Con	2,321	51.70%	153	3.41%	82.63%	2,168	2,321	–	–	–	4,489
Renfrew South		Lib		Lib	2,455	55.21%	1,441	32.40%	72.25%	2,455	978	–	–	1,014	4,447
Russell		Lib		Lib	2,738	58.26%	776	16.51%	70.52%	2,738	1,962	–	–	–	4,700
Simcoe Centre		Lib		Con	1,761	43.65%	57	1.41%	77.32%	1,704	1,761	–	–	569	4,034
Simcoe East		Con		Con	2,593	50.67%	69	1.35%	99.96%	2,524	2,593	–	–	–	5,117
Simcoe West		L-PI		Con	2,015	56.05%	435	12.10%	65.83%	1,580	2,015	–	–	–	3,595
Stormont		L-PI		Con	2,125	43.16%	182	3.70%	71.01%	1,943	2,125	–	–	855	4,923
Toronto East		C-PP		Con	3,103	67.78%	1,628	35.56%	67.37%	1,475	3,103	–	–	–	4,578
Toronto North		Con		Con	3,513	50.24%	34	0.49%	97.76%	3,479	3,513	–	–	–	6,992
Toronto South		Con		Con	4,464	52.38%	405	4.75%	67.83%	4,059	4,464	–	–	–	8,523
Toronto West		Con		Con	3,698	55.73%	760	11.45%	95.31%	2,938	3,698	–	–	–	6,636
Victoria East		Con		Con	2,289	55.29%	438	10.58%	69.88%	1,851	2,289	–	–	–	4,140
Victoria West		Lib		Con	2,163	50.82%	70	1.64%	74.02%	2,093	2,163	–	–	–	4,256
Waterloo North		Lib		Con	2,701	50.61%	65	1.22%	75.18%	2,636	2,701	–	–	–	5,337
Waterloo South		Lib		Con	2,532	51.10%	109	2.20%	75.81%	2,423	2,532	–	–	–	4,955
Welland		Lib		Lib	3,125	56.11%	681	12.23%	92.26%	3,125	2,444	–	–	–	5,569
Wellington East		Lib		Lib	1,476	36.85%	188	4.69%	75.97%	1,476	1,241	–	–	1,288	4,005
Wellington South		Lib		Lib	2,341	49.88%	396	8.44%	90.53%	2,341	1,945	–	–	407	4,693
Wellington West		C-PP		Con	1,912	53.18%	229	6.37%	76.73%	1,683	1,912	–	–	–	3,595
Wentworth North		Lib		Con	1,700	55.43%	333	10.86%	79.58%	1,367	1,700	–	–	–	3,067
Wentworth South		Lib		Lib	1,649	52.78%	174	5.57%	83.62%	1,649	1,475	–	–	–	3,124
York East		Lib		Lib	2,091	55.63%	423	11.25%	69.47%	2,091	1,668	–	–	–	3,759
York North		Lib		Lib	2,543	55.08%	469	10.16%	80.61%	2,543	2,074	–	–	–	4,617
York West		Con		Lib	2,465	50.36%	35	0.72%	83.12%	2,465	2,430	–	–	–	4,895

= open seat

= turnout is above provincial average

= winning candidate was in previous Legislature

= incumbent had switched allegiance

= previously incumbent in another riding

= not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature

= incumbency arose from byelection gain

= incumbency arose from prior election result being overturned by the court

= other incumbents renominated

= previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada

= multiple candidates

^[1] |-! colspan=2 | Political party! Candidate! Votes! %! Elected! Incumbent|-|style="text-align:left;"|Alexander Lumsden|4,793 ||26.86|style="text-align:center;"||-|style="text-align:left;"|Charles Berkeley Powell|4,548 ||25.49|style="text-align:center;"||-|style="text-align:left;"|George O. O'Keefe|4,539 ||25.44|style="text-align:center;"||style="text-align:center;"||-|style="text-align:left;"|B. Slattery|3,964 ||22.21|-!colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|Majority^[6] |9 ||0.05|}

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place^[7]

Party in 1st place		Party in 2nd place				Total
			Lib	Con	Ind
2		42	6	50
	36	1	4	41
	1			1
Total		2	37	43	10	92

Candidates ranked 1st to 4th place, by party

Parties	Accl	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
	2	49	37	3
		41	44	4	1
		1
			10	8
					1

Source !!colspan="4"

Party
align="center"	Lib	align="center"	Con	align="center"	I-Con	Total
Seats retained	Incumbents returned	22	10		32
	Returned by acclamation	2			2
	Open seats held	6	3		9
Seats changing hands	Incumbents defeated	10	15		25
	Open seats gained	5	10		15
	Byelection gains held	2	1		3
	Incumbent changed allegiance	3	2	1	6
Ottawa seats	New MLAs	1	1
Total		51	42	1	94

MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows:

Northern Ontario

Ottawa Valley

Saint Lawrence Valley

Central Ontario

Georgian Bay

Wentworth/Halton/Niagara

Midwestern Ontario

Southwestern Ontario

Peel/York/Ontario

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 9th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1894–1898

Party		1894	Gain from (loss to)																				1898
			Lib		Con		Ind-C		Lib-P		C-PPA		POI		Con-P		L-PPA		PPA		ICP
45			10	(14)			6		2						1				1		51
23	14	(10)					6		3		3		1		1		1				42
-													1								1
Liberal-Patrons	12		(6)		(6)																	-
Conservative–P.P.A.	5		(2)		(3)																	-
3				(3)																	-
Conservative-Patrons	2				(1)		(1)															-
Liberal-P.P.A.	2		(1)		(1)																	-
	Protestant Protective Association	1				(1)																	-
1		(1)																			-
Total		94	14	(20)	10	(29)	-	(1)	12	-	5	-	3	-	2	-	2	-	1	-	1	-	94

There were 50 seats that changed allegiance in the election:

Conservative to Liberal

• Algoma West
• Haldimand
• Halton
• Kingston
• Lanark North
• Lennox
• London
• Northumberland East
• Perth North
• York West

Liberal/Patrons of Industry to Liberal

• Bruce Centre
• Hastings East
• Kent West
• Middlesex North
• Parry Sound
• Perth South

Conservative/PPA to Liberal

• Lambton West
• Muskoka

Liberal/PPA to Liberal

• Bruce North

Independent-Conservative/PPA to Liberal

• Lambton East

Liberal to Conservative

• Grey North
• Hamilton East
• Hamilton West
• Hastings West
• Huron South
• Ontario North
• Ontario South
• Ottawa (1 MLA)
• Renfrew North
• Simcoe Centre
• Victoria West
• Waterloo North
• Waterloo South
• Wentworth North

Liberal/Patrons of Industry to Conservative

• Elgin West
• Frontenac
• Glengarry
• Prince Edward
• Simcoe West
• Stormont

Conservative/PPA to Conservative

• Durham West
• Toronto East
• Wellington West

Patrons of Industry to Conservative

• Dufferin
• Grey South
• Hastings North

Conservative/Patrons of Industry to Conservative

• Cardwell

Liberal/PPA to Conservative

• Middlesex East

PPA to Conservative

• Grey Centre

Conservative/Patrons of Industry to Independent-Conservative

• Carleton

MLAs changing parties

Six members changed their principal affiliation from the previous election:

Riding	MLA	1894	1898
Kent West	Thomas Letson Pardo
Middlesex North	William Henry Taylor
Parry Sound	William Rabb Beatty
Durham West	William Henry Reid
Cardwell	Edward Alfred Little
Carleton	George Nelson Kidd

See also

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

Notes and references

References

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1898 General Election . Elections Ontario . Elections Ontario . January 3, 2021.
2. Straight party support only. Other MLAs sponsored by Patrons of Industry, PPA or Equal Rights Party are allocated to the latter, to show extent of influence.
3. Associated with the Orange Order.
4. excluding Ottawa, a multi-member constituency
5. order is as given in EO reports
6. plurality for second winning candidate
7. excluding Ottawa seats