# 1894 Ontario prohibition plebiscite

A plebiscite on the legality of alcoholic beverages was held in Ontario, Canada on January 1, 1894. Per the terms of the Prohibition Plebiscite Act passed in 1893, a plebiscite was held on the issue of prohibition in conjunction with the 1894 municipal elections. Though a majority of voters indicated support for prohibition, the results were non-binding and prohibition would not occur in Ontario until 1916.

## Plebiscite question

An Act of the Legislature specified the form of the question posed:
   Are you in favour of the immediate prohibition by law, of the importation, manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
Voting only occurred within the various constituted municipalities. Anyone who lived in unorganized areas of the Province was unable to participate.

## Results

| Response | # of votes polled | % of votes polled |
| Yes | 192,489 | 63.5 |
| No | 110,720 | 36.5 |
| Total | 303,209 | 100.0 |
Unmarried women and widows were permitted to vote in the plebiscite, though they voted in a ballot of a different colour (blue for women, yellow for men). Though the plebiscite passed, the results were non-binding and prohibition would not occur in Ontario until 1916. Provincial prohibition, though having majority support, would face another roadblock in 1896 when the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council determined that provinces do not have the authority to prohibit the importation of alcohol.

### Analysis

1894 Ontario plebiscite - analysis of results by municipality :
| Type | Choice | All municipalities | All municipalities | All municipalities | All municipalities | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Type | Choice | Male | Female | Total | % | Municipalities | Male | Female | Total | % | Municipalities | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Counties | Yes | 145,504 | 8,736 | 154,240 | 64.75 | 35 | 137,838 | 8,182 | 146,020 | 66.60 | 3 | 7,666 | 554 | 8,220 | 43.39 |
| Counties | No | 82,578 | 1,382 | 83,960 | 35.25 | 35 | 72,049 | 1,187 | 73,236 | 33.40 | 3 | 10,529 | 195 | 10,724 | 56.61 |
| Counties | Total | 228,082 | 10,118 | 238,200 | 100.00 | 35 | 209,887 | 9,369 | 219,256 | 100.00 | 3 | 18,195 | 749 | 18,944 | 100.00 |
| Counties | Majority | 62,926 | 7,354 | 70,280 | 29.50 | 35 | 65,789 | 6,995 | 72,784 | 33.20 | 3 | 2,863 | (359) | 2,504 | 13.22 |
| Counties | Turnout | 59.55% | 59.55% | 59.55% | 59.55% | 35 | 59.62% | 59.62% | 59.62% | 59.62% | 3 | 58.76% | 58.76% | 58.76% | 58.76% |
| Districts | Yes | 5,136 | 209 | 5,345 | 64.10 | 7 | 5,136 | 209 | 5,345 | 64.10 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Districts | No | 2,951 | 42 | 2,993 | 35.90 | 7 | 2,951 | 42 | 2,993 | 35.90 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Districts | Total | 8,087 | 251 | 8,338 | 100.00 | 7 | 8,087 | 251 | 8,338 | 100.00 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Districts | Majority | 2,185 | 167 | 2,352 | 28.20 | 7 | 2,185 | 167 | 2,352 | 28.20 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Districts | Turnout | 45.49% | 45.49% | 45.49% | 45.49% | 7 | 45.49% | 45.49% | 45.49% | 45.49% | | | | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Cities | Yes | 27,045 | 3,091 | 30,136 | 57.87 | 11 | 26,447 | 3,015 | 29,462 | 58.19 | 1 | 598 | 76 | 674 | 46.42 |
| Cities | No | 21,219 | 724 | 21,943 | 42.13 | 11 | 20,495 | 670 | 21,165 | 41.81 | 1 | 724 | 54 | 778 | 53.58 |
| Cities | Total | 48,264 | 3,815 | 52,079 | 100.00 | 11 | 46,942 | 3,685 | 50,627 | 100.00 | 1 | 1,322 | 130 | 1,452 | 100.00 |
| Cities | Majority | 5,826 | 2,367 | 8,193 | 15.74 | 11 | 5,952 | 2,345 | 8,297 | 16.38 | 1 | 126 | (22) | 104 | 7.16 |
| Cities | Turnout | 50.96% | 50.96% | 50.96% | 50.96% | 11 | 51.15% | 51.15% | 51.15% | 51.15% | 1 | 45.39% | 45.39% | 45.39% | 45.39% |
| Separated towns | Yes | 2,402 | 366 | 2,768 | 60.28 | 6 | 2,201 | 340 | 2,541 | 62.71 | 2 | 201 | 26 | 227 | 42.04 |
| Separated towns | No | 1,746 | 78 | 1,824 | 39.72 | 6 | 1,437 | 74 | 1,511 | 37.29 | 2 | 309 | 4 | 313 | 57.96 |
| Separated towns | Total | 4,148 | 444 | 4,592 | 100.00 | 6 | 3,638 | 414 | 4,052 | 100.00 | 2 | 510 | 30 | 540 | 100.00 |
| Separated towns | Majority | 656 | 288 | 944 | 20.56 | 6 | 764 | 266 | 1,030 | 25.42 | 2 | 108 | (22) | 86 | 15.92 |
| Separated towns | Turnout | 51.84% | 51.84% | 51.84% | 51.84% | 6 | 51.56% | 51.56% | 51.56% | 51.56% | 2 | 54.04% | 54.04% | 54.04% | 54.04% |
Only three counties, one city and two separated towns voted No:
1894 Ontario plebiscite - analysis of total results :
| Choice | Group of municipalities | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Yes | Counties | 145,504 | 8,736 | 154,240 | |
| Yes | Districts | 5,136 | 209 | 5,345 | |
| Yes | Cities | 27,045 | 3,091 | 30,136 | |
| Yes | Separated towns | 2,402 | 366 | 2,768 | |
| Yes | Total | 180,087 | 12,402 | 192,489 | 63.48 |
| No | Counties | 82,578 | 1,382 | 83,960 | |
| No | Districts | 2,951 | 42 | 2,993 | |
| No | Cities | 21,219 | 724 | 21,943 | |
| No | Separated towns | 1,746 | 78 | 1,824 | |
| No | Total | 108,494 | 2,226 | 110,720 | 36.52 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 288,581 | 14,628 | 303,209 | 100.00 |
| Majority | Majority | 71,593 | 10,176 | 81,769 | 26.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 57.26% | 57.26% | 57.26% | 57.26% |