1937 Ontario general election

1937 Ontario general election
← outgoing members
90 seats in the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ; 46 seats were needed for a majority
Premier before election; Mitchell Hepburn; Liberal	Premier after election ; Mitchell Hepburn; Liberal

The 1937 Ontario general election was held on October 6, 1937, to elect the 90 Members of the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). It was the 20th general election held in the Province of Ontario.^[1]

Campaign

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Mitchell Hepburn, was re-elected for a second term in government, with a slightly reduced majority in the Legislature.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by William Earl Rowe, was able to win six additional seats, and continued to form the official opposition.

Meanwhile, the fledgling democratic socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) ran 37 candidates out of a possible 90, led by party president John Mitchell running in Waterloo South, who also campaigned throughout the province on the party's behalf.^[2] The election, however, resulted in a modest decline in popular vote and the loss of the party's sole MLA, Sam Lawrence in Hamilton East.

Incumbent MLA Farquhar Oliver was the last remaining United Farmers of Ontario MLA and ran as the party's sole candidate in the election. In practice, however, he had been a supporter of the Liberal government and would join Hepburn's cabinet in 1940, formally joining the Liberal Party.

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1937)
Candidates	Lib	Con	CCF	L-P	UFO	Lab	Frm-Lab	Ind	Ind-Lib	Ind-Con	Soc-Lab	Other	Total
2	32	34		1	1								68
3	30	31	20	1		1	3	3	4	1	1	1	96
4	17	18	14	1		3	2	3	4	2	6	2	72
5	6	6	5	1		3	1	1		2	4	1	30
Total	85	89	39	4	1	7	6	7	8	5	11	4	266

Outcome

In 1938, MLAs voted to adopt the title "Member of Provincial Parliament", and became known as "MPPs".

This Ontario election was the last to date in which the winning party (together with effective support from the Liberal-Progressives and UFO, against which they did not field opposing candidates) has won an absolute majority of the popular vote.

Results

Elections to the 20th Parliament of Ontario (1937)^[3]^[4]
Political party		Party leader	MPPs					Votes
Political party		Party leader	Candidates	1934	Dissol.	1937	±	#	%	± (pp)
	Liberal	Mitchell Hepburn	85	64	66	62	2	769,747	48.99	2.43
	Conservative	William Earl Rowe	89	17	17	23	6	619,610	39.44	0.34
	Liberal–Progressive		4	5	4	3	2	24,752	1.58	1.31
	Independent Liberal		8	–	1	1	1	20,776	1.32	0.53
	United Farmers	Farquhar Oliver	1	1	1	1		7,296	0.46	0.09
	Co-operative Commonwealth	John Mitchell^{[a 1]}	37	1	1	–	1	77,833	4.95	1.66
	CCF-Labour		2	–	–	–	–	5,746	0.37	1.66
	Independent		7	1	1	–	1	4,039	0.26	0.96
	Liberal–Labour		–	1	–	–	1	Did not campaign
	Farmer–Labour		6	–	–	–	–	14,675	0.93	0.89
	Labour		7	–	–	–	–	11,807	0.75	0.74
	Independent Conservative		5	–	–	–	–	8,270	0.53	0.50
	Labor–Progressive		1	–	–	–	–	3,343	0.21	0.37%
	Communist		1	–	–	–	–	408	0.03	0.37%
	Socialist Labour		11	–	–	–	–	2,199	0.14	0.04
	Social Credit		1	–	–	–	–	538	0.03	New
	Independent Labour		1	–	–	–	–	94	0.01	0.02
Total			266	90	90	90		1,571,133	100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots								17,271
Registered voters / turnout								2,238,230	71.29%	2.32

^ party president

Seats and popular vote by party
Party	Seats	Votes	Change (pp)
█ Liberal	62 / 90	48.99%	2.43	2.43
█ Conservative	23 / 90	39.44%	-0.34
█ Liberal–Progressive	3 / 90	1.58%	-1.31
█ Co-operative Commonwealth	0 / 90	5.32%	-1.66
█ Other	2 / 90	4.67%	0.88	0.88

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1937 Ontario general election^[3]^[4]
Riding	Winning party								Turnout ^{[a 1]}	Votes
Name^{[a 2]}	1934		Party		Votes	Share	Margin #	Margin %		Lib	Con	CCF ^{[a 3]}	L-Prog	UFO	Lab	F-Lab	Ind	Ind-Lab	Ind-Lib	Ind-Con	Other	Total
Name^{[a 2]}	1934		Party		Votes	Share	Margin #	Margin %														Total

Addington		Con		Con	7,146	50.82%	230	1.64%	84.43%	6,916	7,146	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14,062
Algoma—Manitoulin		Lib		Lib	7,092	50.94%	576	4.14%	74.61%	7,092	6,516	–	–	–	–	313	–	–	–	–	–	13,921
Brant		L-P		Lib	9,115	74.93%	6,065	49.86%	63.52%	9,115	3,050	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12,165
Brantford		Ind		I-Lib	8,094	53.71%	2,602	17.27%	72.24%	–	5,492	1,483	–	–	–	–	–	–	8,094	–	–	15,069
Bruce		Lib		Lib	8,739	56.36%	1,972	12.72%	73.02%	8,739	6,767	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,506
Carleton		Con		Con	6,956	58.41%	3,262	27.39%	66.76%	3,694	6,956	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1,258	–	–	11,908
Cochrane North		Lib		Lib	4,940	52.55%	480	5.11%	72.74%	4,940	4,460	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9,400
Cochrane South		Lib		Lib	12,773	48.55%	5,709	21.70%	73.29%	12,773	7,064	–	–	–	–	6,473	–	–	–	–	–	26,310
Dufferin—Simcoe		Lib		Con	8,484	53.22%	1,027	6.44%	73.46%	7,457	8,484	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,941
Durham		Lib		Lib	7,183	52.23%	614	4.46%	79.19%	7,183	6,569	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	13,752
Elgin		Lib		Lib	12,361	62.53%	5,308	26.85%	78.08%	12,361	7,053	355	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	19,769
Essex North		Lib		Lib	7,449	51.85%	2,455	17.09%	73.71%	7,449	4,994	598	–	–	–	1,326	–	–	–	–	–	14,367
Essex South		Lib		Lib	7,755	63.51%	3,300	27.03%	64.95%	7,755	4,455	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12,210
Fort William		Lib		Con	5,731	39.93%	495	3.45%	79.73%	5,236	5,731	1,542	–	–	–	–	–	–	1,845	–	–	14,354
Glengarry		Lib		Lib	6,737	67.20%	3,449	34.40%	72.00%	6,737	3,288	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10,025
Grenville—Dundas		Con		Con	9,288	54.99%	1,685	9.98%	74.84%	7,603	9,288	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	16,891
Grey North		L-P		L-P	8,511	54.21%	2,339	14.90%	77.28%	–	6,172	1,016	8,511	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,699
Grey South		UFO		UFO	7,296	54.95%	1,314	9.90%	71.83%	–	5,982	–	–	7,296	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	13,278
Haldimand—Norfolk		Lib		Lib	12,638	56.44%	2,883	12.87%	76.53%	12,638	9,755	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	22,393
Halton		L-P		L-P	7,832	55.50%	1,874	13.28%	75.80%	–	5,958	238	7,832	–	–	–	83	–	–	–	–	14,111
Hamilton East		CCF		Lib	9,796	47.31%	3,859	18.64%	71.07%	9,796	5,937	4,858	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	116	20,707
Hamilton Centre		Lib		Lib	11,959	54.97%	5,839	26.84%	68.33%	11,959	6,120	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3,676	21,755
Hamilton—Wentworth		Lib		Lib	11,559	60.83%	5,550	29.21%	73.01%	11,559	6,009	1,434	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	19,002
Hastings East		Con		Con	7,052	55.88%	1,484	11.76%	84.08%	5,568	7,052	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12,620
Hastings West		Lib		Con	9,923	53.56%	1,319	7.12%	76.36%	8,604	9,923	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18,527
Huron		Lib		Lib	7,042	50.86%	1,180	8.52%	76.42%	7,042	5,862	–	–	–	–	–	942	–	–	–	–	13,846
Huron—Bruce		Lib		Lib	8,587	61.08%	3,807	27.08%	74.03%	8,587	4,780	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	470	222	–	14,059
Kenora		L-L		Lib	6,597	59.27%	2,064	18.54%	67.40%	6,597	4,533	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	11,130
Kent East		L-P		L-P	8,250	71.45%	4,953	42.89%	71.04%	–	3,297	–	8,250	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	11,547
Kent West		Lib		Lib	10,991	77.72%	7,840	55.44%	55.16%	10,991	3,151	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14,142
Kingston		Con		Con	8,014	50.59%	187	1.18%	82.28%	7,827	8,014	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,841
Lambton East		Lib		Lib	8,598	63.57%	3,670	27.13%	74.79%	8,598	4,928	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	13,526
Lambton West		Lib		Lib	8,341	61.28%	3,070	22.55%	75.29%	8,341	5,271	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	13,612
Lanark		Con		Con	9,103	54.37%	1,462	8.73%	74.22%	7,641	9,103	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	16,744
Leeds		Lib		Con	10,339	51.85%	736	3.69%	79.42%	9,603	10,339	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	19,942
Lincoln		Lib		Lib	12,547	48.40%	1,146	4.42%	72.76%	12,547	11,401	1,975	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	25,923
London		Lib		Lib	16,144	55.19%	5,287	18.07%	71.01%	16,144	10,857	2,124	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	129	29,254
Middlesex North		Lib		Lib	8,476	59.90%	2,801	19.79%	73.29%	8,476	5,675	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14,151
Middlesex South		Lib		Lib	8,370	67.22%	4,289	34.45%	67.04%	8,370	4,081	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12,451
Muskoka—Ontario		L-P		Lib	9,720	52.09%	781	4.19%	77.63%	9,720	8,939	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18,659
Niagara Falls		Lib		Lib	10,225	60.39%	5,085	30.03%	68.83%	10,225	5,140	710	–	–	–	857	–	–	–	–	–	16,932
Nipissing		Lib		Lib	8,669	49.46%	2,140	12.21%	73.16%	8,669	6,529	–	–	–	–	–	209	–	2,121	–	–	17,528
Northumberland		Lib		Lib	8,873	51.83%	625	3.65%	82.55%	8,873	8,248	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	17,121
Ontario		Lib		Lib	9,834	44.13%	2,059	9.24%	77.73%	9,834	7,775	4,598	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	79	22,286
Ottawa East		Lib		Lib	16,920	79.65%	13,134	61.82%	67.75%	16,920	3,786	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	538	21,244
Ottawa South		Con		Con	17,443	50.20%	893	2.57%	69.41%	16,550	17,443	–	–	–	69	–	–	–	–	–	684	34,746
Oxford		Lib		Lib	11,812	53.84%	2,712	12.36%	74.87%	11,812	9,100	–	–	–	–	–	1,029	–	–	–	–	21,941
Parry Sound		Lib		Lib	6,168	53.46%	799	6.93%	75.43%	6,168	5,369	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	11,537
Peel		Lib		Con	8,228	48.88%	279	1.66%	78.68%	7,949	8,228	657	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	16,834
Perth		Lib		Lib	15,547	59.80%	5,097	19.61%	75.80%	15,547	10,450	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	25,997
Peterborough		Con		Lib	10,603	48.30%	1,102	5.02%	80.18%	10,603	9,501	1,849	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	21,953
Port Arthur		Lib		Lib	8,006	56.34%	3,066	21.58%	73.92%	8,006	4,940	1,263	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14,209
Prescott		Lib		Lib	6,357	53.91%	1,788	15.16%	70.53%	6,357	865	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4,569	–	–	11,791
Prince Edward—Lennox		Lib		Con	7,470	50.69%	202	1.37%	77.80%	7,268	7,470	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0	–	–	14,738
Rainy River		Lib		Lib	3,460	50.45%	1,318	19.22%	73.47%	3,460	2,142	1,256	–	–	–	–	–	–	0	–	–	6,858
Renfrew North		Lib		Lib	6,219	51.16%	282	2.32%	76.19%	6,219	5,937	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0	–	–	12,156
Renfrew South		Lib		Lib	5,887	47.27%	1,090	8.75%	75.82%	5,887	4,797	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1,769	–	–	12,453
Russell		Lib		Lib	6,481	58.65%	3,415	30.90%	67.89%	6,481	3,066	–	–	–	–	–	1,504	–	–	–	–	11,051
Sault Ste. Marie		Lib		Lib	7,134	49.47%	646	4.48%	77.42%	7,134	6,488	798	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	14,420
Simcoe Centre		Lib		Lib	8,375	54.19%	1,294	8.37%	77.08%	8,375	7,081	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,456
Simcoe East		Lib		Con	7,606	50.34%	103	0.68%	71.31%	7,503	7,606	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,109
Stormont		Lib		Lib	10,409	64.33%	4,638	28.67%	71.94%	10,409	5,771	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	16,180
Sudbury		Lib		Lib	12,850	55.59%	5,470	23.66%	70.21%	12,850	7,380	–	–	–	2,236	–	–	–	650	–	–	23,116
Temiskaming		Lib		Lib	5,966	46.70%	210	1.64%	71.11%	5,966	5,756	1,053	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12,775
Victoria		Lib		Con	9,372	50.92%	339	1.84%	82.42%	9,033	9,372	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18,405
Waterloo North		Lib		Lib	13,466	62.64%	9,302	43.27%	62.02%	13,466	3,322	493	–	–	–	4,164	–	–	–	–	53	21,498
Waterloo South		Lib		Lib	9,064	53.63%	3,367	19.92%	71.69%	9,064	5,697	2,140	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	16,901
Welland		Lib		Lib	9,994	53.78%	2,946	15.85%	73.93%	9,994	7,048	–	–	–	–	1,542	–	–	–	–	–	18,584
Wellington North		Lib		Lib	8,704	55.19%	1,636	10.37%	75.62%	8,704	7,068	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15,772
Wellington South		Lib		Lib	8,897	54.69%	2,091	12.85%	78.59%	8,897	–	566	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6,806	–	16,269
Wentworth		Lib		Lib	10,068	54.08%	4,348	23.36%	69.59%	10,068	5,720	2,480	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	348	18,616
Windsor—Walkerville		Lib		Lib	10,090	58.02%	4,057	23.33%	71.88%	10,090	6,033	1,269	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	17,392
Windsor—Sandwich		Lib		Lib	9,155	61.79%	5,694	38.43%	61.08%	9,155	3,461	2,063	–	–	138	–	–	–	–	–	–	14,817
York East		Con		Con	11,260	39.43%	209	0.73%	63.90%	11,051	11,260	6,008	–	–	–	–	235	–	–	–	–	28,554
York North		Lib		Lib	10,867	53.11%	2,680	13.10%	71.89%	10,867	8,187	1,058	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	350	20,462
York South		Con		Con	10,348	38.20%	904	3.34%	66.95%	9,444	10,348	6,985	–	–	–	–	37	–	–	273	–	27,087
York West		Lib		Lib	11,607	44.55%	1,200	4.61%	57.90%	11,607	10,407	2,622	–	–	1,307	–	–	–	–	–	110	26,053
Beaches		Con		Con	7,915	42.29%	725	3.87%	68.09%	7,190	7,915	3,611	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18,716
Bellwoods		Lib		Lib	11,772	68.72%	6,712	39.18%	65.34%	11,772	5,060	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	298	17,130
Bracondale		Con		Lib	7,558	44.24%	29	0.17%	69.41%	7,558	7,529	1,997	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	17,084
Dovercourt		Con		Con	10,396	47.47%	2,003	9.15%	63.24%	8,393	10,396	2,668	159	–	284	–	–	–	–	–	–	21,900
Eglinton		Lib		Lib	14,809	48.75%	1,104	3.63%	71.07%	14,809	13,705	1,861	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	30,375
High Park		Con		Con	9,443	46.95%	2,152	10.70%	64.43%	7,291	9,443	3,380	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	20,114
Parkdale		Con		Con	10,583	44.39%	127	0.53%	64.01%	10,456	10,583	2,802	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	23,841
Riverdale		Lib		Con	11,082	46.23%	2,761	11.52%	66.19%	8,321	11,082	4,477	–	–	–	–	–	94	–	–	–	23,974
St. Andrew		Lib		Lib	6,434	36.80%	151	0.86%	71.31%	6,434	3,888	878	–	–	6,283	–	–	–	–	–	–	17,483
St. David		Con		Lib	7,703	43.18%	839	4.70%	67.02%	7,703	6,864	2,315	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	850	107	17,839
St. George		Lib		Lib	10,071	49.81%	1,414	6.99%	62.63%	10,071	8,657	–	–	–	1,490	–	–	–	–	–	–	20,218
St. Patrick		Lib		Lib	6,161	48.45%	672	5.28%	64.58%	6,161	5,489	947	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	119	–	12,716
Woodbine		Con		Con	9,756	43.68%	2,331	10.44%	63.26%	7,425	9,756	5,152	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	22,333

^ including spoilt ballots
^ order is as given in EO reports
^ Includes CCf-Labour candidates

= open seat

= turnout is above provincial average

= winning candidate was in previous Legislature

= incumbent switched allegiance for the election

= incumbency arose from byelection gain

= other incumbents renominated

= previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada

= multiple candidates

= campaigned as CCF-Labour candidates

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st place		Party in 2nd place						Total
Party in 1st place		Lib	Con	Lab	F-Lab	I-Lib	I-Con	Total
	Liberal		58	1	1	1	1	62
	Conservative	23						23
	Liberal–Progressive		3					3
	United Farmers		1					1
	Independent Liberal		1					1
Total		23	63	1	1	1	1	90

Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
█ Liberal	62	23				85
█ Conservative	23	63	3			89
█ Liberal–Progressive	3				1	4
█ Independent Liberal	1	1	5	1		8
█ United Farmers	1					1
█ Farmer–Labour		1	5			6
█ Labour		1	2	3	1	7
█ Independent Conservative		1		4		5
█ Co-operative Commonwealth			32	5		37
█ Independent			3	3	1	7
█ CCF-Labour			2			2
█ Socialist Labour			1	7	3	11
█ Communist			1			1
█ Labor–Progressive			1			1
█ Social Credit			1			1
█ Independent Labour				1		1

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 20th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1934–1937
Party		1934	Gain from (loss to)																1937
Party		1934	Lib		Con		L-Pro		I-Lib		UFO		CCF		L-L		Ind		1937
	Liberal	64			3	(9)	2						1		1				62
	Conservative	17	9	(3)															23
	Liberal–Progressive	5		(2)															3
	Independent-Liberal	–															1		1
	United Farmers	1																	1
	Co-operative Commonwealth	1		(1)															–
	Liberal–Labour	1		(1)															–
	Independent	1								(1)									–
Total		90	9	(7)	3	(9)	2	–	–	(1)	–	–	1	–	1	–	1	–	90

There were 17 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

Liberal to Conservative

Conservative to Liberal

Liberal-Progressive to Liberal

CCF to Liberal

Hamilton East

Liberal-Labour to Liberal

Kenora

Independent to Independent-Liberal

Brantford

Resulting composition of the 20th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Source		Party
Source		Lib	Cons	Lib-Pr	UFO	I-Lib	Total
Seats retained	Incumbents returned	42	11	3	1		57
Seats retained	Open seats held	13	3				16
Seats changing hands	Incumbents defeated	4	9				13
	Byelection gain held	1					1
	Incumbent changed allegiance	2				1	3
Total		62	23	3	1	1	90

Notes

References

^ "1937 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
^ "266 to contest Ontario seats". Montreal Gazette. September 30, 1937. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "1937 General Election". elections.on.ca. Elections Ontario. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Vote by Constituencies in Provincial Election". Ottawa Citizen. October 7, 1937. p. 25. Supplementary correction for T.A. Blakelock (Halton) - he was nominated, and campaigned, as a Liberal-Progressive): "Blakelock Again Unanimous Choice". The Georgetown Herald. April 26, 1934. p. 2.