The 1883 Ontario general election was the fifth general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada, to elect the 88 Members of the 5th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). Held on February 27, 1883, the fifth Ontario provincial election was until 2025 the only one ever contested in the month of February.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Oliver Mowat, won a fourth consecutive term in government, despite losing nine seats in the Legislature.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by William Ralph Meredith, won eight additional seats.

Results

! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party ! rowspan=2 | Party leader ! colspan=4 | MNAs ! colspan=4 | Votes |- ! Candidates !1879 !1883 !± !# ! ± !% ! ± (pp)

|style="text-align:left;"|Oliver Mowat | 87 || 57 || 48 || 9 || 125,017 || 5,869 || 48.20% || 0.13

|style="text-align:left;"|William Ralph Meredith | 80 || 29 || 37 || 8 || 120,853 || 2,340 || 46.59% || 1.23

| || 3 || – || 2 || 2 || 3,239 || 3,239 || 1.25% ||New

| || 8 || – || 1 || 1 || 3,956 || 3,071 || 1.53% || 1.73

| || 4 || 2 || – || 2 || 2,354 || 243 || 0.91% || 0.06

| || 3 || – || – || – || 3,957 || 3,957 || 1.53% ||New |- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" | Total |185||88 ! " colspan="2"|88 ! " colspan="2"|259,376 ! " colspan="2"| 100.00% |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Rejected ballots | 1,722 | 1,722 | colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Voter turnout | 261,098 | 13,241 | 67.95 | 4.73 |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Registered electors | 384,255 | 7,830 | colspan="2"| |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2" colspan="3" |Acclamations | style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | ||4 |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | ||1

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

Synopsis of results

+ Results by riding - 1879 Ontario general election Riding Winning party Turnout VotesNameorder is as given in EO reports 1879Party Votes Share Margin#Margin% Lib Con Lab Total   Addington Lib Con 1,739 52.78% 183 5.55% 76.31% 1,556 1,739 – – – – 3,295 Algoma Lib Lib 1,625 51.82% 114 3.64% n/a 1,625 1,511 – – – – 3,136 Brant North Lib Libacclaimed Brant South Lib Lib 1,563 60.89% 559 21.78% 54.74% 1,563 1,004 – – – – 2,567 Brockville Lib Lib 1,516 56.40% 344 12.80% 61.63% 1,516 – – – 1,172 – 2,688 Bruce North Lib I-Lib 1,186 52.66% 120 5.33% 44.23% 1,066 – – 1,186 0 – 2,252 Bruce South Lib Libacclaimed Cardwell Lib Con 1,500 50.68% 40 1.35% 80.17% 1,460 1,500 – – – – 2,960 Carleton Con Con 1,302 55.86% 820 35.18% 51.72% 237 1,784the incumbent George William Monk was the winning candidate – – – 310 2,331 Cornwall Lib Con 710 51.49% 41 2.97% 70.33% 669 710 – – – – 1,379 Dufferin Con Con 1,051 47.13% 369 16.55% 50.18% – 1,051 – – 1,179the incumbent William Jelly ran as an Independent Conservative, getting 682 votes – 2,230 Dundas Con Con 1,798 52.21% 152 4.41% 77.32% 1,646 1,798 – – – – 3,444 Durham East Con Con 1,496 53.85% 214 7.70% 65.33% 1,282 1,496 – – – – 2,778 Durham West Lib Lib 1,480 52.63% 148 5.26% 73.79% 1,480 1,332 – – – – 2,812 Elgin East Lib Con 2,416 50.95% 90 1.90% 66.03% 2,326 2,416 – – – – 4,742 Elgin West Lib Lib 1,324 51.26% 65 2.52% 72.26% 1,324 1,259 – – – – 2,583 Essex North Con Con 1,537 55.93% 326 11.86% 59.60% 1,211 1,537 – – – – 2,748 Essex South Con Lib 1,705 50.50% 34 1.01% 77.77% 1,705 1,671Solomon White campaigned in two ridings – – – – 3,376 Frontenac Con Con 1,103 54.25% 173 8.51% 75.81% 930 1,103 – – – – 2,033 Glengarry Con Lib 1,436 52.07% 114 4.13% 74.18% 1,436 1,322 – – – – 2,758 Grenville South Con Con 1,194 51.20% 56 2.40% 73.19% 1,138 1,194 – – – – 2,332 Grey East Con Con 1,548 52.85% 167 5.70% 62.00% – 1,548 – – – 1,381 2,929 Grey North Con Con 2,048 51.97% 155 3.93% 70.14% 1,893 2,048 – – – – 3,941 Grey South Lib Con 1,596 52.97% 179 5.94% 74.62% 1,417 1,596 – – – – 3,013 Haldimand Lib Lib 1,708 50.91% 61 1.82% 78.88% 1,708 1,647 – – – – 3,355 Halton Lib Con 2,004 51.93% 149 3.86% 68.06% 1,855 2,004 – – – – 3,859 Hamilton Lib Lib 2,077 39.78% 155 2.97% 63.07% 2,077 1,922 1,222 – – – 5,221 Hastings East I-Con Con 1,426 51.39% 77 2.77% 77.60% 1,349 1,426 – – – – 2,775 Hastings North Con Con 1,324 54.26% 208 8.52% 64.93% 1,116 1,324 – – – – 2,440 Hastings West Con Lib 1,217 50.48% 23 0.95% 61.06% 1,217 1,194 – – – – 2,411 Huron East Lib Lib 1,994 50.52% 41 1.04% 75.58% 1,994 1,953 – – – – 3,947 Huron South Lib Lib 1,962 51.74% 132 3.48% 71.07% 1,962 1,830 – – – – 3,792 Huron West Lib Lib 2,061 52.11% 167 4.22% 67.56% 2,061 1,894 – – – – 3,955 Kent East Lib Lib 1,947 52.61% 193 5.21% 63.36% 1,947 1,754 – – – – 3,701 Kent West Lib Con 2,299 55.12% 427 10.24% 58.10% 1,872 2,299 – – – – 4,171 Kingston Con Con 951 52.69% 108 5.98% 59.93% 843 951 – – – 3 1,805 Lambton East Lib Lib 2,017 51.44% 113 2.88% 71.80% 2,017 1,904 – – – – 3,921 Lambton West Lib Lib 1,943 55.26% 370 10.52% 57.62% 1,943 1,573 – – – – 3,516 Lanark North Lib Lib 1,247 54.19% 193 8.39% 72.68% 1,247 1,054 – – – – 2,301 Lanark South I-Con Ind 1,089 46.56% 29 1.24% 61.79% 1,188 – – – – 1,151the incumbent William Lees ran and won as an Independent candidate 2,339 Leeds North and Grenville North Con Con 837 49.94% 1 0.06% 60.18% 836 837 – – 3 – 1,676 Leeds South Con Con 1,553 55.09% 287 10.18% 69.08% 1,266 1,553 – – – – 2,819 Lennox Lib Con 1,502 53.06% 173 6.11% 73.09% 1,329 1,502 – – – – 2,831 Lincoln Lib Libacclaimed London Con Conacclaimed Middlesex East Con Lib 2,702 50.80% 85 1.60% 66.01% 2,702 2,617 – – – – 5,319 Middlesex North Lib Lib 1,946 50.47% 36 0.93% 75.05% 1,946 1,910 – – – – 3,856 Middlesex West Lib Con 1,835 51.21% 87 2.43% 77.21% 1,748 1,835 – – – – 3,583 Monck Lib Lib 1,574 52.17% 131 4.34% 77.93% 1,574 1,443 – – – – 3,017 Muskoka and Parry Sound Lib Con 2,278 52.30% 200 4.59% 66.47%2,078 2,278 – – – – 4,356 Norfolk North Lib Lib 1,633 57.54% 428 15.08% 69.29% 1,633 1,205 – – – – 2,838 Norfolk South Con Con 1,492 50.49% 29 0.98% 73.68% 1,463 1,492 – – – – 2,955 Northumberland East Lib Lib 2,156 50.91% 77 1.82% 77.37% 2,156 2,079 – – – – 4,235 Northumberland West Lib Con 1,506 50.96% 57 1.93% 71.97% 1,449 1,506 – – – – 2,955 Ontario North Lib Lib 2,412 50.25% 24 0.50% 73.11% 2,412 2,388 – – – – 4,800 Ontario South Lib Lib 1,743 53.06% 201 6.12% 66.17% 1,743 1,542 – – – – 3,285 Ottawa Con Con 1,363 48.49% 528 18.78% 51.65% 835 1,363 – – – 613 2,811 Oxford North Lib Libacclaimed Oxford South Lib Lib 1,640 53.77% 230 7.54% 52.71% 1,640 1,410 – – – – 3,050 Peel Lib Lib 1,521 51.40% 83 2.81% 76.40% 1,521 1,438 – – – – 2,959 Perth North Lib Con 2,642 51.14% 118 2.28% 72.78% 2,524 2,642 – – – – 5,166 Perth South Lib Lib 1,712 53.35% 215 6.70% 69.88% 1,712 1,497 – – – – 3,209 Peterborough East Lib Lib 1,265 59.11% 390 18.22% 71.04% 1,265 875 – – – – 2,140 Peterborough West Con Con 1,262 51.76% 86 3.53% 63.78% 1,176 1,262 – – – – 2,438 Prescott Con Lib 1,292 50.63% 32 1.25% 73.22% 2,552the incumbent Albert Peter Hagar, having won in an 1881 byelection, was the winning candidate – – – – – 2,552 Prince Edward Lib I-Lib 2,045 50.47% 38 0.94% 77.94% 2,007 – – 2,045 – – 4,052 Renfrew North Lib Lib 1,108 54.10% 168 8.20% 71.40% 1,108Thomas Murray had won in Renfrew South in 1879, but had resigned his seat to unsuccessfully contest a federal seat in Pontiac in the 1878 election. 940 – – – – 2,048 Renfrew South Lib Lib 934 52.83% 100 5.66% 69.17% 934 834 – – – – 1,768 Russell Lib Con 1,265 46.47% 322 11.83% 63.68% 959 1,265 – – – 498 2,722 Simcoe East Lib Lib 1,403 50.38% 21 0.75% 65.70% 1,403 1,382 – – – – 2,785 Simcoe South Con Con 1,214 53.72% 168 7.43% 66.99% 1,046 1,214 – – – – 2,260 Simcoe West Con Lib 1,699 50.52% 35 1.04% 64.51% 1,699 1,664 – – – – 3,363 Stormont Con Con 1,145 56.21% 253 12.42% 74.67% 892 1,145 – – – – 2,037 Toronto East Con Con 2,135 47.93% 124 2.78% 50.44% 2,011 2,135 308 – – – 4,454 Toronto West Con Con 2,634 52.05% 207 4.09% 44.83% – 2,634 2,427 – – – 5,061 Victoria North Lib Con 1,189 55.95% 253 11.91% 71.16% 936 1,189 – – – – 2,125 Victoria South Lib Lib 1,609 50.55% 35 1.10% 72.40% 1,609 1,574 – – – – 3,183 Waterloo North Lib Lib 1,569 65.16% 730 30.32% 61.85% 1,569 839 – – – – 2,408 Waterloo South Lib Lib 1,606 51.16% 73 2.33% 73.03% 1,606 1,533 – – – – 3,139 Welland Con Lib 2,070 50.67% 55 1.35% 67.82% 2,070 2,015 – – – – 4,085 Wellington Centre Lib Lib 1,569 59.89% 518 19.77% 58.83% 1,569 1,051 – – – – 2,620 Wellington South Lib Lib 1,348 50.62% 33 1.24% 68.02% 1,348 1,315 – – – – 2,663 Wellington West Lib Lib 2,103 56.28% 469 12.55% 64.73% 2,103 1,634 – – – – 3,737 Wentworth North Lib Lib 1,430 52.77% 150 5.54% 72.14% 1,430 1,280 – – – – 2,710 Wentworth South Con Lib 1,410 50.50% 28 1.00% 76.12% 1,410 1,382Franklin Metcalfe Carpenter had previously won in 1879, but his election was overturned on petition to the court. – – – – 2,792 York East Lib Lib 2,022 53.20% 243 6.39% 71.39% 2,022 1,779 – – – – 3,801 York North Lib Lib 2,328 61.23% 854 22.46% 66.79% 2,328 1,474 – – – – 3,802 York West Lib Con 1,553 50.50% 31 1.01% 66.33% 1,522 1,553 – – – – 3,075

= 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

Analysis

+ Party candidates in 2nd place Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total Lib Con I-Con Lab Ind4 1 42 1 481 32 1 1 1 1 37 2 2 1 1 Total5 36 43 2 1 1 88

+ Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party Parties Accl 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th4 44 36 1 2 1 36 43 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 2 1 2

+ Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario Source PartyLibConI-LibIndTotalSeats retained Incumbents returned 32 13 45Returned by acclamation4 1 5Open seats held3 6 9Byelection loss reversed1 1Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance 1 1Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated1 14 1 16Open seats gained3 2 1 6Byelection gains held3 3Incumbent changing allegiance 1 1Retention of seat overturned in previous election1 1Total48 37 2 1 88

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

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

Notes and references Notes

References