The 1886 Ontario general election was the sixth general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on December 28, 1886, to elect the 90 Members of the 6th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). The election results were characterized a "crushing defeat for the Conservatives.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Oliver Mowat, won a fifth consecutive term in government and an increased majority in the Legislature.

The Ontario Conservative Party, led by William Ralph Meredith lost five of its seats.

In Toronto, this and the next election (1890) were held under the Limited Vote system wherein Toronto voters had two votes for the three MPPs in their district. This allowed a degree of minority representation.1921 Special House of Commons Committee on pro-rep. report, p. 12

Redistribution of ridings The Assembly was increased from 88 to 90 members, through the following changes:

Abolished ridings New ridingsDivisions of ridingsAlgomaAlgoma East Algoma WestMuskoka and Parry SoundMuskoka Parry SoundMergers of ridingsCornwall StormontCornwall and StormontToronto East Toronto WestTorontoReturning three members. Each elector had two votes to cast.Reorganization of ridingsBruce North Bruce SouthBruce Centre Bruce North Bruce SouthGrenville South Leeds North and Grenville North Leeds SouthGrenville LeedsSimcoe East Simcoe South Simcoe WestSimcoe Centre Simcoe East Simcoe WestVictoria North Victoria SouthVictoria East Victoria West

Results

! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party ! rowspan=2 | Party leader ! colspan=5 | MPPs ! colspan=3 | Votes |- ! Candidates !1883 !Dissol. !1886 !± !# !% ! ± (pp)

|style="text-align:left;"|Oliver Mowat |88 |48 | |57 |9 |153,282 |48.41% |0.21

|style="text-align:left;"|William Ralph Meredith |83 |37 | |32 |5 |148,969 |47.05% |0.46

|style="text-align:left;"| |5 |1 | |1 | |2,145 |0.68% |0.85

|style="text-align:left;"| | |2 | |– |2 |colspan="3"|Did not campaign

|style="text-align:left;"| |5 |– |– |– | |12,196 |3.85% |2.32

|style="text-align:left;"| |1 |– |– |– | |14 |– |

|style="text-align:left;"| | |– |– |– | |colspan="3"|Did not campaign

|colspan="3"| | |colspan="5"| |-style="background:#E9E9E9;" |colspan="3" style="text-align:left;"|Total |182 |88 |88 |90 | |316,606 |100.00%

|colspan="8" style="text-align:left;"|Blank and invalid ballots |align="right"|3,622 |style="background:#E9E9E9;" colspan="2"| |-style="background:#E9E9E9;" |colspan="8" style="text-align:left;"|Registered voters / turnout |463,025 |68.85 |0.90

+ Seats and popular vote by partyParty Seats Votes Change (pp)

Synopsis of results + Results by riding - 1886 Ontario general election Ridingexcluding Toronto, a multi-member constituency Winning party Turnout VotesNameorder is as given in EO reports 1883Party Votes Share Margin#Margin% Lib Con Lab Total   Addington Con Con 1,712 53.42% 219 6.83% 70.69% 1,493 1,712 – – – 3,205 Algoma East New LibacclaimedAlgoma West New Libacclaimed Brant North Lib Lib 1,025 60.87% 366 21.73% 55.41% 1,025 659 – – – 1,684 Brant South Lib Lib 1,881 60.58% 657 21.16% 57.84% 1,881 1,224 – – – 3,105 Brockville Lib Lib 1,844 54.19% 285 8.37% 71.33% 1,844 1,559 – – – 3,403 Bruce Centre New Lib 1,753 50.45% 31 0.89% 71.55% 1,753 1,722 – – – 3,475 Bruce North I-Lib Con 1,738 51.77% 119 3.54% 68.33% 1,619 1,738 – – – 3,357 Bruce South Lib Lib 2,024 54.69% 347 9.38% 74.63% 2,024 1,677 – – – 3,701 Cardwell Con Con 1,805 59.71% 587 19.42% 57.66% 1,218 1,805 – – – 3,023 Carleton Con Con 1,824 75.40% 1,229 50.81% 45.79% 595 1,824 – – – 2,419 Cornwall and Stormont New Lib 2,068 54.48% 340 8.96% 69.39% 2,068 1,728 – – – 3,796 Dufferin Con Conacclaimed Dundas Con Lib 1,977 50.32% 25 0.64% 81.54% 1,977 1,952 – – – 3,929 Durham East Con Con 1,696 56.36% 383 12.73% 63.53% 1,313 1,696 – – – 3,009 Durham West Lib Lib 1,672 50.04% 3 0.09% 73.78% 1,672 1,669 – – – 3,341 Elgin East Con Lib 1,873 51.23% 90 2.46% 67.51% 1,873 1,783 – – – 3,656 Elgin West Lib Con 2,315 50.47% 43 0.94% 69.49% 2,272 2,315 – – – 4,587 Essex North Con Lib 1,729 51.17% 79 2.34% 58.70% 1,729 1,650 – – – 3,379 Essex South Lib Lib 2,497 53.80% 353 7.61% 77.51% 2,497 2,144 – – – 4,641 Frontenac Con Con 1,218 58.53% 355 17.06% 58.79% 863 1,218 – – – 2,081 Glengarry Lib Lib 1,723 50.47% 32 0.94% 76.91% 1,723 1,691 – – – 3,414 Grenville New Con 1,978 57.84% 550 16.08% 63.64% 1,428 1,978 – 14 – 3,420 Grey Centre Con Con 1,485 44.29% 112 3.34% 59.07% 1,373 1,980the incumbent Neil McColman received 495 votes – – – 3,353 Grey North Con Con 2,076 50.22% 18 0.44% 67.75% 2,058 2,076 – – – 4,134 Grey South Con Con 2,087 53.23% 253 6.45% 71.17% 1,834 2,087 – – – 3,921 Haldimand Lib Lib 1,936 53.67% 265 7.35% 72.77% 1,936 1,671 – – – 3,607 Halton Con Con 2,277 51.38% 122 2.75% 73.07% 2,155 2,277 – – – 4,432 Hamilton Lib Lib 3,068 44.53% 435 6.31% 63.12% 3,068 2,633 1,188 – – 6,889 Hastings East Con Con 1,784 51.53% 106 3.06% 84.87% 1,678 1,784 – – – 3,462 Hastings North Con Con 1,863 62.88% 763 25.75% 63.71% 1,100 1,863 – – – 2,963 Hastings West Lib Con 1,681 51.83% 119 3.67% 64.50% 1,562 1,681 – – – 3,243 Huron East Lib Lib 2,306 55.31% 443 10.63% 73.33% 2,306 1,863 – – – 4,169 Huron South Lib Lib 2,313 56.15% 507 12.31% 66.45% 2,313 1,806 – – – 4,119 Huron West Lib Lib 2,358 53.85% 337 7.70% 68.25% 2,358 2,021 – – – 4,379 Kent East Lib Lib 2,302 57.21% 580 14.41% 58.00% 2,302 1,722 – – – 4,024 Kent West Con Con 2,208 50.17% 15 0.34% 57.03% 2,193 2,208 – – – 4,401 Kingston Con Con 1,853 53.57% 247 7.14% 66.03% 1,606 1,853 – – – 3,459 Lambton East Lib Lib 2,270 52.78% 239 5.56% 70.43% 2,270 2,031 – – – 4,301 Lambton West Lib Lib 2,541 54.88% 452 9.76% 60.90% 2,541 – 2,089 – – 4,630 Lanark North Lib Lib 1,392 51.71% 92 3.42% 67.24% 1,392 1,300 – – – 2,692 Lanark South Ind Con 1,836 56.44% 419 12.88% 72.99% 1,417 1,836 – – – 3,253 Leeds New Con 1,964 54.86% 348 9.72% 70.27% 1,616 1,964 – – – 3,580 Lennox Con Con 1,627 51.63% 103 3.27% 74.89% 1,524 1,627 – – – 3,151 Lincoln Lib Lib 2,242 50.17% 15 0.34% 63.58% 2,242 2,227 – – – 4,469 London Con Con 1,679 53.56% 223 7.11% 40.48% – 1,679 1,456 – – 3,135 Middlesex East Lib Con 2,621 51.04% 107 2.08% 70.38% 2,514 2,621 – – – 5,135 Middlesex North Lib Lib 2,044 50.88% 71 1.77% 74.22% 2,044 1,973 – – – 4,017 Middlesex West Con Lib 2,021 52.53% 195 5.07% 72.05% 2,021 1,826 – – – 3,847 Monck Lib Lib 1,643 51.78% 113 3.56% 72.06% 1,643 1,530 – – – 3,173 Muskoka New Con 1,565 53.84% 223 7.67% 72.90% 1,342 1,565 – – – 2,907 Norfolk North Lib Lib 1,640 56.51% 378 13.03% 70.14% 1,640 1,262 – – – 2,902 Norfolk South Con Con 1,528 52.11% 124 4.23% 78.29% 1,404 1,528 – – – 2,932 Northumberland East Lib Con 2,204 50.59% 51 1.17% 72.55% 2,153 2,204 – – – 4,357 Northumberland West Con Lib 1,710 58.06% 475 16.13% 69.90% 1,710 1,235 – – – 2,945 Ontario North Lib Lib 2,006 51.86% 144 3.72% 72.89% 2,006 1,862 – – – 3,868 Ontario South Lib Lib 2,651 52.30% 233 4.60% 69.31% 2,651 2,418 – – – 5,069 Ottawa Con Lib 1,815 53.97% 277 8.24% 53.32% 1,815 1,538 – – 10 3,363 Oxford North Lib Lib 1,981 63.31% 833 26.62% 49.29% 1,981 1,148 – – – 3,129 Oxford South Lib Lib 2,216 54.23% 590 14.44% 65.85% 2,460the incumbent George Atwell Cooke received 244 votes 1,626 – – – 4,086 Parry Sound New Ind 1,199 51.88% 87 3.76% 58.48% – 1,112 – – 1,199 2,311 Peel Lib Lib 2,102 52.76% 220 5.52% 73.63% 2,102 1,882 – – – 3,984 Perth North Con Con 2,445 50.43% 42 0.87% 69.96% 2,403 2,445 – – – 4,848 Perth South Lib Lib 2,385 55.26% 454 10.52% 72.27% 2,385 1,931 – – – 4,316 Peterborough East Lib Lib 1,438 56.15% 340 13.28% 67.49% 1,438 1,098 – – 25 2,561 Peterborough West Con Lib 1,555 50.54% 33 1.07% 73.94% 1,555 1,522 – – – 3,077 Prescott Lib Lib 1,665 52.24% 143 4.49% 69.25% 3,187Alfred Évanturel was the winning candidate – – – – 3,187 Prince Edward I-Lib Lib 2,155 50.96% 81 1.92% 72.58% 2,155 2,074 – – – 4,229 Renfrew North Lib Lib 1,515 51.46% 86 2.92% 72.90% 1,515 1,429 – – – 2,944 Renfrew South Lib Lib 1,050 45.85% 9 0.39% 59.20% 2,091the incumbent John Francis Dowling received 1,041 votes 199 – – – 2,290 Russell Con Lib 1,908 51.41% 148 3.99% 61.05% 1,908 1,760 – – 43 3,711 Simcoe Centre New Lib 1,366 54.10% 207 8.20% 62.48% 1,366 1,159 – – – 2,525 Simcoe East Lib Lib 1,805 53.15% 214 6.30% 62.16% 1,805 1,591 – – – 3,396 Simcoe West Lib Con 1,498 56.70% 354 13.40% 56.82% 1,144 1,498 – – – 2,642 Victoria East New Con 1,733 55.16% 324 10.31% 67.66% 1,409 1,733 – – – 3,142 Victoria West New Con 1,438 50.17% 10 0.35% 65.49% 1,428 1,438 – – – 2,866 Waterloo North Lib Libacclaimed Waterloo South Lib Lib 2,353 55.27% 449 10.55% n/a 2,353 1,904 – – – 4,257 Welland Lib Lib 2,462 53.16% 293 6.33% 68.00% 2,462 2,169 – – – 4,631 Wellington East Lib Libacclaimed Wellington South Lib Lib 2,120 59.40% 671 18.80% 62.34% 2,120 1,449 – – – 3,569 Wellington West Lib Lib 1,633 55.00% 297 10.00% 62.08% 1,633 1,336 – – – 2,969 Wentworth North Lib Lib 1,480 59.82% 486 19.64% 67.13% 1,480 994 – – – 2,474 Wentworth South Lib Lib 1,476 51.92% 109 3.83% 82.48% 1,476 1,367 – – – 2,843 York East Lib Lib 1,633 65.29% 765 30.59% 56.51% 1,633 – – – 868 2,501 York North Lib Lib 2,220 62.41% 883 24.82% 56.54% 2,220 1,337 – – – 3,557 York West Con Lib 1,539 53.12% 181 6.25% 62.51% 1,539 1,358 – – – 2,897

= 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

! colspan=2 | Political party ! Candidate ! Votes ! % ! Elected ! Incumbent

|style="text-align:left;"|Edward Frederick Clarke |7,032 ||26.28 |style="text-align:center;"|

|style="text-align:left;"|Henry Edward Clarke |6,883 ||25.72 |style="text-align:center;"| |style="text-align:center;"|

|style="text-align:left;"|John Leys |5,380 ||20.11 |style="text-align:center;"|

|style="text-align:left;"|Charles March |4,055 ||15.15

|style="text-align:left;"|John Roney |3,408 ||12.74 |- !colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|Majorityplurality for third winning candidate |1,325 ||4.96 |- !colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|Turnoutactual number of voters per returns |14,916 ||44.80 |- !colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|Registered voters |33,296

Analysis

+ Party candidates in 2nd placeexcluding Toronto seats Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total Lib Con Lab Ind4 2 48 1 1 561 28 1 30 1 1 Total5 30 49 2 1 87

+ Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party Parties Accl 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th4 52 30 2 1 30 50 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1

+ Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario Source PartyLibConIndTotalSeats retained Incumbents returned 30 13 44Returned by acclamation2 1 3Open seats held7 2 9Byelection loss reversed 1 1Defeated by same-party candidate2 1 3Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated3 3 6Open seats gained6 3 9Byelection gains held1 1Incumbent changed allegiance 1 1New seats Acclaimed2 2New MLAs2 2 1 5Previously incumbent in another riding1 3 4Toronto seats MLA returned 1 1New MLAs1 1 2Total57 32 1 90

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