1953 Manitoba general election

Summary

The 1953 Manitoba general election was held on June 8, 1953 to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. The election produced a majority government for the Liberal-Progressive party led by Douglas Campbell. His party won thirty-two of fifty-seven seats although with but 39 percent of the vote overall. To date this is the last election in which the Liberal Party won a majority of seats in Manitoba.

1953 Manitoba general election

← 1949 June 8, 1953 (1953-06-08) 1958 →

57 seats of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
29 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Douglas Campbell Errick Willis Lloyd Stinson
Party Liberal–Progressive Progressive Conservative Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader since November 13, 1948 June 9, 1936 December 19, 1952
Leader's seat Lakeside Turtle Mountain Winnipeg
Last election 25 9 7
Seats won 35 12 5
Seat change Increase10 Increase3 Decrease2
Popular vote 117,887 56,278 44,332
Percentage 44.05% 21.03% 16.56%
Swing Increase5.35% Increase2.02% Decrease9.04%

Premier before election

Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Liberal–Progressive

Premier after election

Douglas Lloyd Campbell
Liberal–Progressive

This was the first election held in Manitoba after the breakup of a ten-year coalition government led by the Liberal-Progressives and Progressive Conservatives. The coalition, which began in 1940, was ended in 1950 when the Progressive Conservatives crossed to the opposition side.

Prior to the 1949 election, Winnipeg's single at-large 10-member district was broken up into three four-member districts. The new districts were named Winnipeg Centre, Winnipeg North and Winnipeg South, to elect four members each, through STV. St. Boniface elected two members through STV. (The 1953 election was to be the last provincial election in Manitoba to have multi-member districts and election by STV, because after that election all MLAs in Manitoba were elected through First-past-the-post voting in single-member districts.)

The other districts elected one MLA by Instant-Runoff Voting. This was to be the last provincial election in Manitoba to use Instant-Runoff Voting in these districts.

The result of the election was a convincing victory for the Liberal-Progressive government of Premier Douglas Campbell, which won thirty-two of fifty-seven seats although with but 39 percent of the vote overall.

Three Independent Liberal-Progressives were also elected.

The Progressive Conservatives, led by Errick Willis, saw their representation in the legislature increase from nine to twelve members. This was a disappointing result for many in the party. Willis had been a prominent cabinet minister in the coalition government, and many questioned the sincerity of his new-found opposition to Campbell's ministry. The following year, he lost the leadership of the party to Dufferin Roblin.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) suffered a disappointment under new leader Lloyd Stinson, falling from seven seats to five. Its 17 percent of the vote made it due about eight seats proportionally.

During the campaign, the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper devoted considerable attention to the return of the Social Credit Party in Manitoba. The party had not contested the previous provincial election, but was buoyed by the recent Social Credit victory in British Columbia and ran several candidates. The Free Press, which supported the Liberal-Progressives, and played up the threat of a Social Credit victory to rally popular support for the government. The actual threat posed by Social Credit was minimal: only two of its candidates were elected, although it did receive 13 percent of the vote.

The Communist Labor-Progressive Party also won representation in the legislature, with party incumbent Bill Kardash taking one of the four constituency seats in Winnipeg North. This was the last time that a Communist candidate won election to the Manitoba legislature, or indeed to any provincial legislature in Canada.

Two independent candidates were elected. Stephen Juba, the mayor of Winnipeg, was one of them.

Results edit

Party Party leader # of
candidates
Seats Popular vote
1949 Elected % Change # % % Change
Liberal–Progressive Douglas Campbell 50 25 32   104,976 39.22  
  Independent Liberal-Progressive 7   3   12,911 4.82  
  Total Government 57   35   117,887 44.05  
  Progressive Conservative Errick Willis 38 9 12   56,278 21.03  
  Co-operative Commonwealth Lloyd Stinson 25 7 5   44,332 16.56  
  Social Credit none 43 2 2   35,750 13.36  
Labor–Progressive William Cecil Ross 1 1 1   3,812 1.42  
  Independent 11 5 2   9,577 3.58  
Total 175 57 57   267,636 100  
Popular vote
Liberal-Progressive
44.05%
PC
21.03%
CCF
16.56%
Social Credit
13.36%
Labor-Progressive
1.42%
Others
3.58%
Seats summary
Liberal-Progressive
61.40%
PC
21.05%
CCF
8.77%
Social Credit
3.51%
Labor-Progressive
1.75%
Others
3.51%

See also edit

Constituency results edit

Single-member constituencies edit

Arthur:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative J. Arthur Ross 1,920 57.14
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)John R. Pitt 1,440 42.86
Total valid votes 3,360 100.00
Rejected votes 65
Turnout 3,425 78.88

Assiniboia:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Reginald Wightman 3,359 38.87
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Alvin H. Mackling 3,078 35.62
  Progressive Conservative George E. Fournier 1,528 17.68
  Social Credit Florence M. Bloomfield 677 7.83
Total valid votes 8,642 100.00
Rejected votes 56
Turnout 8,698 57.50

Fournier and Bloomfield were eliminated, and their votes were distributed as follows: Wightman 837, Mackling 768. 600 votes were non-transferable.

Final Count

Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Reginald Wightman 4,196 48.55
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Alvin H. Mackling 3,846 44.50
  Exhausted votes 600 6.94

Birtle:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Francis Bell 2,148 69.18
  Progressive Conservative Francis Macdonald Manwaring 957 30.82
Total valid votes 3,105 100.00
Rejected votes 15
Turnout 3,120 66.97

Brandon City:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Reginald Lissaman 3,514 46.04
Liberal–Progressive James A. Creighton 3,063 40.13
  Social Credit W.A. Wyborn 1,056 13.83
Total valid votes 7,633 100.00
Rejected votes 143
Turnout 7,776 61.82

Wyborn was eliminated, and his votes were distributed as follows: Lissaman 272, Creighton 138. 646 votes were non-transferable.

Second Count

Party Candidate Votes %
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Reginald Lissaman 3,786 49.60
Liberal–Progressive James A. Creighton 3,201 41.94
  Votes Not Transferred 646 8.46

Carillon:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Edmond Prefontaine 3,278 75.48
  Social Credit K.T. Kroeker 1,065 24.52
Total valid votes 4,343 100.00
Rejected votes 111
Turnout 4,454 69.44

Cypress:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive Francis Ferg 1,785 45.39
  Progressive Conservative Dr. Roderick George Hurton 1,198 30.46
  Social Credit Marcel Philippe 950 24.15
Total valid votes 3,933 100.00
Rejected votes 50
Turnout 3,983 70.78

Ferg was subsequently declared elected on transfers from Philippe.

Dauphin:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Social Credit William Bullmore 1,668 32.19
Liberal–Progressive John Potoski 1,494 28.83
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Ernest N. McGirr 1,235 23.83
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Frank Fulbrook 785 15.15
Total valid votes 5,182 100.00
Rejected votes 205
Turnout 5,387 77.48

Bullmore was subsequently elected on transfers.

Deloraine-Glenwood:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)James O. Argue 1,862 53.88
Liberal–Progressive Robert E. Moffat 1,594 46.12
Total valid votes 3,456 100.00
Rejected votes 16
Turnout 3,472 72.76

Dufferin:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Walter McDonald 1,833 45.00
  Social Credit George Loeppky 1,329 32.63
  Progressive Conservative Earl Collins 911 22.37
Total valid votes 4,073 100.00
Rejected votes 163
Turnout 4,236 72.96

McDonald was subsequently elected on transfers from Collins.

Emerson:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)John Solomon 2,329 49.51
Liberal–Progressive Frank Casper 2,155 45.81
  Social Credit George J. Friesen 220 4.68
Total valid votes 4,704 100.00
Rejected votes 93
Turnout 4,797 83.40

Solomon was subsequently declared elected on transfers from Friesen.

Ethelbert:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Michael N. Hryhorczuk 1,948 51.03
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Harry Basaraba 1,368 35.84
  Progressive Conservative John L. Solomon 276 7.23
  Social Credit Harry Dyck 225 5.89
Total valid votes 3,817 100.00
Rejected votes 102
Turnout 3,919 75.99

Fairford:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)James Anderson 1,072 47.27
  Social Credit Fred G. Cook 659 29.06
  Progressive Conservative Daniel McFadyen 288 12.70
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation John A. McDonald 249 10.98
Total valid votes 2,268 100.00
Rejected votes 58
Turnout 2,326 67.26

Joseph H. Kacher entered the contest as an Independent Liberal-Progressive, but withdrew before election day. Anderson was subsequently elected on transfers.

Fisher:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Nicholas Bachynsky 1,554 59.45
  Independent Leon W. Michalchuk 705 26.97
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Elsie Lyon 211 8.07
  Social Credit David Heindrichs 144 5.51
Total valid votes 2,614 100.00
Rejected votes 134
Turnout 2,748 58.87

Gilbert Plains:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Ray Mitchell 1,069 34.12
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Robert J. Wilson 989 31.57
  Social Credit E.P. Brown 695 22.18
  Progressive Conservative Bardette Elliott 380 12.13
Total valid votes 3,133 100.00
Rejected votes 50
Turnout 3,183 78.11

Brown and Elliott were eliminated, and their votes were transferred as follows: Mitchell 239, Wilson 222. 614 votes were non-transferable.

Final Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Ray Mitchell 1,308 41.75
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Robert J. Wilson 1,211 38.65
  Votes Not Transferred 614 19.60

Gimli:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Steinn O. Thompson 2,252 67.97
  Social Credit E.H. Fitch 867 26.17
  Independent John Firman 194 5.86
Total valid votes 3,313 100.00
Rejected votes 48
Turnout 3,361 54.15

Gladstone:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)William Morton accl.

Hamiota:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Charles Shuttleworth 1,599 47.72
  Progressive Conservative Edward P. Venables 1,227 36.62
  Social Credit Fred Charles 525 15.67
Total valid votes 3,351 100.00
Rejected votes 39
Turnout 3,390 65.68

Charles was eliminated, and his votes were distributed as follows: Venables 123, Shuttleworth 88. 314 votes were non-transferable.

Second Count

Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Charles Shuttleworth 1,687 50.34
  Progressive Conservative Edward P. Venables 1,350 40.29
  Votes Not Transferred 314 9.37

Iberville:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)John McDowell 1,442 38.68
Liberal–Progressive C. Henry Jarvis 1,247 33.45
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation John C. Hilgenga 665 17.41
  Social Credit C.F. Rempel 374 9.79
Total valid votes 3,728 100.00
Rejected votes 91
Turnout 3,819 63.13

Hilgenga and Rempel were eliminated, and their votes were distributed as follows: Jarvis 207, McDowell 195. 637 votes were non-transferable.

Final Count

Party Candidate Votes %
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)John McDowell 1,637 43.91
Liberal–Progressive C. Henry Jarvis 1,454 39.00
  Votes Not Transferred 637 17.09

Kildonan—Transcona:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Russell Paulley 5,770 47.68
Liberal–Progressive J. Leslie Bodie 4,394 36.31
  Social Credit Dr. L.G. Carson 1,117 9.23
  Independent Steve Melnyk 820 6.78
Total valid votes 12,101 100.00
Rejected votes 247
Turnout 12,348 61.91

Although Melnyk ran as an independent, he was supported by the local Progressive Conservative association.

Both Carson and Melnyk were eliminated after the first count. Paulley received 275 additional votes on transfers, while Bodie received 163. It is assumed that all of these transfers came from Melynk's total, and that Paulley was declared elected before Carson's ballots were scrutinized. For the purposes of this article, Carson's final vote total is listed under "votes not transferred".

Second Count

Party Candidate Votes %
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Russell Paulley 6,045 49.95
Liberal–Progressive J. Leslie Bodie 4,557 37.66
  Votes Not Transferred 1,499 17.09

Killarney:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Abram Harrison 1,786 48.51
Liberal–Progressive Cliff W. Landerkin 1,230 33.41
  Social Credit G. Glen Paterson 666 18.09
Total valid votes 3,682 100.00
Rejected votes 51
Turnout 3,733 75.70

Harrison was subsequently elected on transfers from Paterson.

Lakeside:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Douglas Campbell 2,290 56.13
  Social Credit James William Lee Tully 786 19.26
  Progressive Conservative Charles H. Spence 662 16.23
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Hazel C. Allan 342 8.38
Total valid votes 4,080 100.00
Rejected votes 79
Turnout 4,159 72.34

Lansdowne:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive Matthew R. Sutherland 2,014 46.99
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Thomas H. Seens 1,563 36.47
  Social Credit R.W. Doherty 709 16.54
Total valid votes 4,286 100.00
Rejected votes 29
Turnout 4,315 65.99

Sutherland was subsequently elected on transfers from Doherty. The Winnipeg Free Press of June 12, 1953, indicates that Sutherland had 2,160 votes on the second count.

La Verendrye:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Edmond Brodeur 2,203 58.30
  Social Credit Damase Dufresne 1,576 41.70
Total valid votes 3,779 100.00
Rejected votes 53
Turnout 3,832 62.93

Manitou-Morden:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Hugh Morrison 1,606 46.99
Liberal–Progressive Chris D. McLean 1,054 30.84
  Social Credit Albert O'Donnell 758 22.18
Total valid votes 3,418 100.00
Rejected votes 68
Turnout 3,486 64.20

Morrison was subsequently elected on transfers from O'Donnell.

Minnedosa:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Henry S. Rungay 1,433 36.92
  Social Credit Gilbert Hutton 1,401 36.10
  Progressive Conservative John A. Burgess 1,047 26.98
Total valid votes 3,881 100.00
Rejected votes 71
Turnout 3,952 77.46

Hutton was subsequently elected on transfers from Burgess.

Morris:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Independent (incumbent)Harry Shewman 1,528 42.89
Liberal–Progressive Arthur S. Beaubien 1,191 33.43
  Social Credit Wilbert James Tinkler 844 23.69
Total valid votes 3,563 100.00
Rejected votes 117
Turnout 3,680 65.27

Tinkler was eliminated, and his votes were distributed as follows: Shewman 432, Beaubien 58. 354 votes were not transferred.

Second Count

Party Candidate Votes %
  Independent (incumbent)Harry Shewman 1,960 55.01
Liberal–Progressive Arthur S. Beaubien 1,249 35.05
  Votes Not Transferred 354 9.94

Mountain:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Ivan Schultz 1,851 58.87
  Social Credit Dollard E. Lafreniere 894 28.44
  Independent John A. Mabon 399 12.69
Total valid votes 3,144 100.00
Rejected votes 25
Turnout 3,169 65.48

Norfolk-Beautiful Plains:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Samuel Burch 2,133 43.60
  Social Credit Charles J. McKinnon 1,394 28.50
  Progressive Conservative Harold A. Nelson 1,365 27.90
Total valid votes 4,892 100.00
Rejected votes 44
Turnout 4,936 59.96

Nelson was eliminated, and his votes were distributed as follows: McKinnon 342, Burch 257. 766 votes were not transferred.

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Samuel Burch 2,390 48.86
  Social Credit Charles J. McKinnon 1,736 35.49
  Votes Not Transferred 766 15.66

Portage la Prairie:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Charles Greenlay 1,653 43.89
  Progressive Conservative William C. Warren 1,329 35.29
  Social Credit Bernie H. Rempel 784 20.82
Total valid votes 3,766 100.00
Rejected votes 121
Turnout 3,887 73.97

Rempel was eliminated, and his votes were transferred as follows: Warren 200, Greenlay 94. 490 votes were non-transferable.

Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Charles Greenlay 1,747 46.39
  Progressive Conservative William C. Warren 1,529 40.60
  Votes Not Transferred 490 13.01

Rhineland:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Wallace C. Miller 1,608 51.26
  Social Credit Victor Peters 964 30.73
  Progressive Conservative Leo A. Recksiedler 565 18.01
Total valid votes 3,137 100.00
Rejected votes 86
Turnout 3,223 67.09

Roblin:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Ronald Robertson 1,474 50.26
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Joseph Perchaluk 866 29.53
  Social Credit Earl D. McIntyre 366 12.48
  Progressive Conservative Fred E. Cowan 227 7.74
Total valid votes 2,933 100.00
Rejected votes 116
Turnout 3,049 75.66

Rockwood:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Robert Bend 1,952 65.13
  Progressive Conservative H.J. Langrell 656 21.89
  Social Credit C.E. Toutant 389 12.98
Total valid votes 2,997 100.00
Rejected votes 47
Turnout 3,044 71.34

Russell:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Rodney S. Clement 1,704 41.28
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Michael Sotas 1,190 28.83
  Progressive Conservative Keith Porter 723 17.51
  Social Credit Charles H. Beswatherick 511 12.38
Total valid votes 4,128 100.00
Rejected votes 56
Turnout 4,184 80.37

Clement was subsequently elected on transfers.

St. Andrews:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Thomas Hillhouse 2,938 57.14
  Progressive Conservative Keith H. Robson 1,366 26.57
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Ernest Draffin 838 16.30
Total valid votes 5,142 100.00
Rejected votes 93
Turnout 5,235 65.08

St. Clements:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive Stanley Copp 2,970 51.19
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Edgar E. Smee 1,495 25.77
  Social Credit Osborne A. Earle 959 16.53
  Progressive Conservative Walter H. Whyte 378 6.51
Total valid votes 5,802 100.00
Rejected votes 259
Turnout 6,061 60.66

Fred Klym entered the contest as an Independent Liberal Progressive candidate, but withdrew before election day.

St. George:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Christian Halldorson 1,695 84.08
  Social Credit E.H. Hartfield 321 15.92
Total valid votes 2,016 100.00
Rejected votes 36
Turnout 2,052 63.10

Halldorson was also supported by the St. George Progressive Conservative Association.

Springfield:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)William Lucko 1,837 47.78
  Social Credit William G. Storsley 1,365 35.50
  Progressive Conservative A.H. Watt 643 16.72
Total valid votes 3,845 100.00
Rejected votes 215
Turnout 4,060 51.68

Watt was eliminated, and his votes were distributed as follows: Storsley 206, Lucko 128. 309 votes were not transferred.

Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)William Lucko 1,965 51.11
  Social Credit William G. Storsley 1,571 40.86
  Votes Not Transferred 309 8.04

Swan River:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)George Renouf 2,383 49.32
  Social Credit Delbert L. Downs 1,508 31.21
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Sam Einarson 757 15.67
  Independent George E. Scalf 184 3.81
Total valid votes 4,832 100.00
Rejected votes 64
Turnout 4,896 65.00

Renouf was subsequently elected on transfers.

The Pas:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Francis Jobin 4,875 60.42
  Social Credit William H. Calvert 1,668 20.67
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Arthur W. Thompson 1,526 18.91
Total valid votes 8,069 100.00
Rejected votes 177
Turnout 8,246 61.42

Turtle Mountain:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Errick Willis 1,777 56.11
Liberal–Progressive Charles Gorrie 883 27.88
  Social Credit C.A. Ferguson 507 16.01
Total valid votes 3,167 100.00
Rejected votes 57
Turnout 3,224 78.61

Virden:

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  Progressive Conservative John Thompson 2,182 57.38
Liberal–Progressive Gordon A. Mooney 1,621 42.62
Total valid votes 3,803 100.00
Rejected votes 31
Turnout 3,834 75.40

Eric Bailey was nominated for the Social Credit Party, but withdrew before election day. Herman Scheel was nominated in his place, but also withdrew after discovering that some electors who had signed his nomination papers believed they were endorsing Bailey.

Multi-member constituencies edit

St. Boniface edit

Two members elected

Valid votes in total = 19,557

Quota (amount that ensures election but not necessary to be elected) = 6,519

St. Boniface
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Liberal–Progressive Roger Teillet 23.16 4,530 4,607 4,687 4,923 5,087 6,220
Liberal–Progressive L. Raymond Fennell 18.31 3,580 3,626 3,706 3,783 4,278 4,886
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Joseph G. Van Belleghem 16.31 3,189 3,264 3,325 3,581 3,932  
Co-operative Commonwealth David Turner 13.84 2,707 2,745 3,563 3,782 4,113 4,497
Progressive Conservative Raymond Hughes 10.74 2,101 2,397 2,465 2,568    
Social Credit Tony Lemoine 7.26 1,420 1,481 1,537      
Co-operative Commonwealth Kay E. McKinnon 6.61 1,293 1,329        
Progressive Conservative Louis Leger 3.77 737          
Electorate: 32,557   Valid: 19,557   Spoilt: 456   Quota: 6,519   Turnout: 20,013 (61.47%)  

At the end there were 3954 exhausted votes, votes that were no longer in play, either because there were no back-up preferences marked or because the candidates that were marked had already been eliminated.

Two Liberal-Progressive candidates were declared elected when the field of candidates narrowed through eliminations of lowest-ranking candidates to the point where these two were the last remaining candidates to fill the two seats, which had still not been filled by that point. Being the last ones remaining, they were elected even though they did not have quota.

St. Boniface (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Liberal-Progressive Roger Teillet 6 6,220 39.9%
Liberal-Progressive L. Raymond Fennell 6 4,886 31.3%
Liberal-Progressive Joseph G. Van Belleghem 5 3,932 22.5%
Co-operative Commonwealth David Turner 6 4,497 28.8%
Progressive Conservative Raymond Hughes 4 2,568 13.8%
Social Credit Tony Lemoine 3 1,537 8.0%
Co-operative Commonwealth Kay E. McKinnon 2 1,329 6.8%
Progressive Conservative Louis Leger 1 737 3.8%
Exhausted votes 3,954 20.2%

Winnipeg Centre edit

Winnipeg Centre
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Donovan Swailes 19.01 3,910 3,921 3,929 3,950 4,204 4,204 4,204 4,204 4,204 4,204
Independent Stephen Juba 17.59 3,619 3,668 3,689 3,783 3,826 3,894 3,992 4,172 4,172 4,172
Liberal–Progressive Jack St. John 15.92 3,276 3,311 3,311 3,344 3,360 3,694 3,760 3,810 5,119 4,115
Progressive Conservative Hank Scott 10.13 2,085 2,095 2,117 2,312 2,318 2,363 2,459 2,513 2,718 3,108
Independent Lewis Stubbs 8.46 1,741 1,756 1,771 1,820 1,847 1,904 1,978 2,181 2,344 2,556
Liberal–Progressive Nan Murphy 7.51 1,546 1,565 1,578 1,596 1,600 1,885 1,938 1,991    
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Gordon R. Fines 5.25 1,080 1,085 1,094 1,095 1,246 1,265 1,339      
Liberal–Progressive David Graham 4.04 831 848 857 873 879          
Social Credit Percival Ward Brown 3.71 763 826 1,095 1,102 1,117 1,132        
Co-operative Commonwealth G.S. Borgford 2.63 541 545 553 558            
Progressive Conservative Joseph Stepnuk 2.32 478 488 489              
Social Credit Emil A. Johnson 1.72 354 449                
Social Credit Patrick J. Mulgrew 1.39 286                  
Independent E.L. Colson 0.31 63                  
Electorate: 47,122   Valid: 20,573   Spoilt: 406   Quota: 4,115   Turnout: 20,979 (44.52%)  

The surpluses of Swailes and Juba were not transferred, as they were too small to affect the final candidate order. Scott was declared elected to the fourth position, despite finishing below the quota.

Winnipeg Centre (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Co-operative Commonwealth Donovan Swailes 10 4,204 23.16%
Independent Stephen Juba 10 4,172 22.98%
Liberal-Progressive Jack St. John 9 5,119 27.58%
Progressive Conservative Hank Scott 10 3,108 17.12%
Independent Lewis Stubbs 10 2,556 14.08%
Liberal-Progressive Nan Murphy 8 1,991 10.55%
Co-operative Commonwealth Gordon R. Fines 7 1,339 6.81%
Liberal-Progressive David Graham 5 879 4.31%
Social Credit Percival Ward Brown 6 1,132 5.57%
Co-operative Commonwealth G.S. Borgford 4 558 2.73%
Progressive Conservative Joseph Stepnuk 3 489 2.39%
Social Credit Emil A. Johnson 2 449 2.19%
Social Credit Patrick J. Mulgrew 1 286 1.39%
Independent E.L. Colson 1 63 0.31%
Exhausted votes 1402 7.2%

Winnipeg North edit

Winnipeg North
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Morris Gray 21.48 4,642 4,323 4,323 4,323 4,323 4,323 4,323 4,323
Labor–Progressive (incumbent)Bill Kardash 17.64 3,812 3,830 3,872 3,903 3,949 4,102 4,212 4,271
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)John Hawryluk 13.27 2,857 2,946 3,165 3,207 3,974 4,218 4,793 4,323
Liberal–Progressive John M. Kozoriz 8.62 1,863 1,866 1,939 2,370 2,397 2,581 2,879 3,082
Progressive Conservative Stan Carrick 8.31 1,795 1,804 1,940 2,004 2,076 2,373    
Liberal–Progressive E.A. Brotman 7.74 1,672 1,780 1,838 1,969 2,042      
Liberal–Progressive Alexander Turk 7.50 1,622 1,629 1,712 2,124 2,164 2,603 3,068 3,134
Liberal–Progressive John J. Kelsch 5.43 1,173 1,176 1,282          
Co-operative Commonwealth Len Aylen 5.19 1,122 1,192 1,293 1,325        
Social Credit Nicholas Hallas 4.24 917 928            
Independent John Zuzyk 0.64 138 139            
Electorate: 44,887   Valid: 21,613   Spoilt: 503   Quota: 4,323   Turnout: 22,116 (49.27%)  

Kardash and Turk were declared elected to the third and fourth positions, even though both finished below the quota.

Winnipeg North (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Co-operative Commonwealth Morris Gray 1 4,642 21.48%
Labor-Progressive Bill Kardash 8 4,271 22.98%
Co-operative Commonwealth John Hawryluk 7 4,793 22.32%
Liberal-Progressive John M. Kozoriz 8 3,082 16.11%
Progressive Conservative Stan Carrick 6 2,373 11.75%
Liberal-Progressive E.A. Brotman 5 2,042 9.76%
Liberal-Progressive Alexander Turk 8 3,134 16.38%
Liberal-Progressive John J. Kelsch 3 1,282 6.00%
Co-operative Commonwealth Len Aylen 4 1,325 6.24%
Social Credit Nicholas Hallas 2 928 4.29%
Independent John Zuzyk 2 139 0.64%
Exhausted votes 2,480 11.47%

Winnipeg South edit

Winnipeg South
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Liberal–Progressive (incumbent)Ronald Turner 27.49 8,007 5,826 5,826 5,826 5,826 5,826 5,826
Progressive Conservative (incumbent)Dufferin Roblin 20.75 6,045 6,045 5,826 5,826 5,826 5,826 5,826
Co-operative Commonwealth (incumbent)Lloyd Stinson 16.94 4,934 5,030 5,042 5,067 5,281 5,972 5,972
Progressive Conservative Gurney Evans 14.49 4,221 4,557 4,699 4,716 4,829 4,949 6,197
Progressive Conservative Maude McCreery 6.25 1,820 2,041 2,090 2,110 2,241 2,318  
Liberal–Progressive George P. Macleod 6.20 1,806 3,243 3,254 3,273 3,349 3,460 3,889
Co-operative Commonwealth A. Montague Israels 3.83 1,117 1,165 1,167 1,175 1,234    
Social Credit Doreen Benjamin 2.10 612 629 630 1,068      
Social Credit Jemima F. Webster 1.94 566 592 594        
Electorate: 56,065   Valid: 29,447   Spoilt: 319   Quota: 5,826   Turnout: 29,128 (52.52%)  

Stinson's surplus of 146 was not transferred, as it would not have affected the candidate order.

Winnipeg South (analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votes)
Party Candidate Maximum
round
Maximum
votes
Share in
maximum
round
Maximum votes
First round votesTransfer votes


Liberal-Progressive Ronald Turner 1 8,007 27.49%
Progressive Conservative Dufferin Roblin 1 6,045 20.75%
Co-operative Commonwealth Lloyd Stinson 6 5,972 21.06%
Progressive Conservative Gurney Evans 7 6,197 25.08%
Progressive Conservative Maude McCreery 6 2,318 8.18%
Liberal-Progressive George P. Macleod 7 3,889 15.74%
Co-operative Commonwealth A. Montague Israels 5 1,234 4.32%
Social Credit Doreen Benjamin 4 1,068 4.29%
Social Credit Jemima F. Webster 3 594 2.04%
Exhausted votes 1,737 5.90%

Deferred elections edit

The election in Rupertsland was deferred to July 6, due to the difficulties of enumeration in this vast northern constituency. The election in Ste. Rose was also deferred to July 6, after incumbent Liberal-Progressive candidate Maurice Dane MacCarthy died on the eve of the general election.

The election did not technically end until July 21, 1953, when the final results for Rupertsland were announced.

Rupertsland (deferred to July 6, 1953):

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive Roy Brown 1,136 49.31
Liberal–Progressive Harry Boulette 982 42.62
  Independent Charles Leo Abbott 186 8.07
Total valid votes 2,304 100.00
Rejected votes 92
Turnout 2,396 57.10

The Progressive Conservatives initially nominated E.G. Perry, but he withdrew from the contest and endorsed Brown. Brown was declared elected following transfers from Abbott. The official Elections Manitoba report of this constituency lists Boulette as an official Liberal-Progressive candidate, but newspaper reports from the period indicate that he was an Independent Liberal-Progressive.

Ste. Rose:

First Count

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive Gildas Molgat 1,369 40.95
Liberal–Progressive James Albert Fletcher 1,083 32.40
  Social Credit Antoine Pineau 891 26.65
Total valid votes 3,343 100.00
Rejected votes 76
Turnout 3,419 69.32

Pineau was eliminated, and his votes were transferred as follows: Molgat 192, Fletcher 83. 616 votes were not transferred.

Second Count

Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal–Progressive Gildas Molgat 1,561 46.69
Liberal–Progressive James Albert Fletcher 1,166 34.88
  Votes Not Transferred 616 18.43

Sources edit

Results for the first ballot counts for all constituencies are taken from the 1954 Canadian Parliamentary Guide, and from Election Manitoba's "Historical Summaries" (printed as an appendix to the 2003 election results).

There are minor discrepancies between these sources for the Social Credit vote count in Brandon City, Manitou-Morden, Rockwood and Swan River. The sources also disagree as to the candidate order for Minnedosa on the first count (although both agree that Gilbert Hutton was subsequently elected). In each case, the "Historical Summaries" entry has been taken as more reliable.

All results after the first ballot are taken from reports in the Winnipeg Free Press. This paper made an obvious error in reporting Lloyd Stinson's fifth-vote count, which has been corrected here. Other than this, the results for multi-member constituencies may be taken as accurate and verifiable. For the single-member constituencies, it possible that Free Press reports differed from the final results in some particulars.

Post-election changes edit

Ivan Schultz (Mountain, LP) resigned his seat in the first half of 1955, while James O. Argue (Deloraine-Glenwood, PC) died in the same period. By-elections for both constituencies were held on June 27, 1955. The CCF concluded that it did not have a chance of victory in either seat, and declined to nominate candidates. Social Credit also planned to stay out of the elections, until Roger Poiron entered the Mountain poll without consulting the provincial party. Although not technically an official candidate, he still received support from the Social Credit organization.[1]


Manitoba provincial by-election, June 27, 1955: Deloraine—Glenwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Albert Draper 2,056 59.89 +6.01
Liberal–Progressive Robert E. Moffat 1,377 40.11 −6.01
Total valid votes 3,433 100


Manitoba provincial by-election, June 27, 1955: Mountain
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal–Progressive Walter Clark 1,846 51.04 −7.83
Progressive Conservative Marcel Boulic 1,570 43.41
Social Credit Roger Poiron 201 5.56
Total valid votes 3,617

The Winnipeg Free Press's coverage indicates that the Campbell government was concerned with the results of the 1955 by-elections. Mountain had previously been regarded as one of the safest Liberal-Progressive seats in the province, and Boulic's performance was unexpectedly strong. Many leading government figures had campaigned for Clark in the campaign's final days, to ensure his victory. Clark received most of his support from Mountain's Anglophone majority and large Flemish community, while Boulic did well among French Canadians, who made up about one third of the voters.[2]

St. George (dec. Christian Halldorson, 1956), December 30, 1956:

Emerson (res. John Solomon, 1957), November 14, 1957:

[Note: These figures are taken from the Winnipeg Free Press, with 31 of 32 polls reporting. The outstanding poll was too small to affect the final result.]

Manitou-Morden (dec. Hugh Morrison, 1957), November 14, 1957:

Gladstone (dec. William Morton, early 1958)

Dauphin (William Bullmore left the Social Credit party in either 1957 or 1958)

Arthur (dec. J. Arthur Ross, April 1, 1958)

Further reading edit

  • "Historical Summaries" (PDF). Elections Manitoba. 2007.

References edit

  1. ^ Winnipeg Free Press, 28 June 1955, pp. 1, 4.
  2. ^ Winnipeg Free Press, 28 June 1955, pp. 1, 4.