# Comox (electoral district)

Comox was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was one of the first twelve ridings representing that province upon its joining Confederation, and was a one-member constituency. The core of this once-vast riding, which at its inception stretched to the Yukon border, is now named Comox Valley.

## Demographics

* Population, 1986
* Population change, 1903–1986
* Area (km²)
* Population density (people per km²)

## Political geography

Nominally this riding included most of the Central Coast as well as all of northern Vancouver Island, but in practicality there were very few eligible voters as the vast majority of the area's population was from one of the many First Nations in the district.

## MLAs

Comox :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 1st | 1871–1875 | John Ash | Independent |
| 2nd | 1875–1878 | John Ash | Government |
| 3rd | 1878–1882 | John Ash | Government |
| 4th | 1882–1886 | William Munro Dingwall | Government |
| 5th | 1886–1890 | Anthony Maitland Stenhouse | Opposition |
| 6th | 1890–1894 | Joseph Hunter | Government |
| 7th | 1894–1898 | Joseph Hunter | Government |
| 8th | 1898–1900 | James Dunsmuir | Government |
| 9th | 1900–1903 | Lewis Alfred Mounce | Opposition |
| 11th | 1903–1907 | Robert Grant | Conservative |
| 12th | 1907–1909 | Robert Grant | Conservative |
| 12th | 1909–1912 | Michael Manson | Conservative |
| 13th | 1912–1916 | Michael Manson | Conservative |
| 14th | 1916–1920 | Hugh Stewart | Liberal |
| 15th | 1920–1924 | Thomas Menzies | Farmer–Labour |
| 16th | 1924–1928 | Paul Phillips Harrison | Independent Liberal |
| 17th | 1928–1933 | George Kerr McNaughton | Conservative |
| 18th | 1933–1937 | Laurence Arnold Hanna | Liberal |
| 19th | 1937–1941 | Colin Cameron | Co-operative Commonwealth |
| 20th | 1941–1945 | Colin Cameron | Co-operative Commonwealth |
| 21st | 1945–1949 | Herbert John Welch | Coalition |
| 22nd | 1949–1952 | Herbert John Welch | Coalition |
| 23rd | 1952–1952 | William Campbell Moore | Co-operative Commonwealth |
| 24th | 1953–1956 | William Campbell Moore | Co-operative Commonwealth |
| 25th | 1956–1960 | Daniel Robert John Campbell | Social Credit |
| 26th | 1960–1963 | Daniel Robert John Campbell | Social Credit |
| 27th | 1963–1966 | Daniel Robert John Campbell | Social Credit |
| 28th | 1966–1969 | Daniel Robert John Campbell | Social Credit |
| 29th | 1969–1972 | Daniel Robert John Campbell | Social Credit |
| 30th | 1972–1975 | Karen Sanford | New Democratic |
| 31st | 1975–1979 | Karen Sanford | New Democratic |
| 32nd | 1979–1983 | Karen Sanford | New Democratic |
| 33rd | 1983–1986 | Karen Sanford | New Democratic |
| 34th | 1986–1991 | Stan Hagen | Social Credit |
| Riding dissolved into Comox Valley, North Island and Parksville-Qualicum |||||

## Electoral history

Note: Winners in each election are in bold.
1st British Columbia election, 1871 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Independent | John Ash | 16 | 66.67% | unknown |
| | Independent | Robert Cameron Coleman | 8 | 33.33% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 24 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
British Columbia Byelection: Comox January 11, 1873$^1$ :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Independent | John Ash | Acclaimed | -.- % | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | n/a | -.- % |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
| $^1$ The byelection was called due to J. Ash's resignation upon appointment to the Executive Council (cabinet) on December 23, 1872. This byelection was one of a series held to confirm appointments to the Executive Council, which was the old parliamentary convention. As this byelection writ was filled by acclamation, no polling day was required and the seat was filled within two weeks. The stated date is the date the return of writs was received by the Chief Electoral Officer. |||||||
2nd 1875 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | John Ash | 36 | 78.26% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Robb James | 10 | 21.74% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 46 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
3rd 1878 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Opposition | John Ash | 31 | 59.62% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Reginald Terry Carwithen | 21 | 40.38% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 52 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
4th 1882 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Opposition | Andrew Byron Crawford | 14 | 16.87% |
| | Government | William Munro Dingwall | 67 | 80.72% |
| | Unknown | Thomas Robson$^2$ | 2 | 2.41% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 83 |
| $^2$ Withdrew before polling day. |||||||
5th 1886 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | William Munro Dingwall | 40 | 31.25% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Stafford McKelvey | 10 | 7.81% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Robb James | 33 | 25.78% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Anthony Maitland Stenhouse | 45 | 35.16% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 128 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
6th 1890 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Joseph Hunter | 115 | 61.17% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Joseph McPhee | 73 | 38.83% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 188 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
7th 1894 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Joseph Hunter | 239 | 64.95% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Percy Fremlin Scharschmidt | 129 | 35.05% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 368 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
8th 1898 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | James Dunsmuir$^3$ | 297 | 64.71% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | William James McAllan | 162 | 35.29% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 459 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^3$ Later 14th Premier of British Columbia 1900-1902 |||||||
9th 1900 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Joseph McPhee$^4$ | 279 | 45.22% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Lewis Alfred Mounce | 338 | 54.78% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 617 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^4$ 3. McPhee was nominated as a Liberal candidate in opposition to Mounce who campaigned as a Conservative Party supporter. According to the Nanaimo Herald both were anti-Martin but the Vancouver Province and Victoria Times listed both as Government. |||||||
10th 1903 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Robert Grant | 361 | 53.24% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Frederick McBain Young | 317 | 46.76% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 678 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
11th British Columbia election, 1907 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John Bertram Bennett | 292 | 43.98% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Robert Grant | 372 | 56.02% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 664 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
12th British Columbia election, 1909 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Socialist | James Cartwright | 206 | 20.96% |
| | Independent Conservative | William Duncan | 154 | 15.67% |
| | Liberal | James McKelvey Forrest | 172 | 17.50% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Michael Manson | 451 | 45.88% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 983 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
13th British Columbia election, 1912 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Socialist | Wallis Walter Lefeaux | 355 | 33.84% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Michael Manson | 694 | 66.16% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,049 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
14th British Columbia election, 1916 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Michael Manson | 882 | 41.47% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | William Arthur Pritchard | 246 | 11.57% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Hugh Stewart | 916 | 43.07% | | unknown |
| | Social Democratic | George Edgar Winkler | 83 | 3.90% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 812 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
15th British Columbia election, 1920 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | William Edward Anderson | 1,233 | 29.90% | unknown |
| | Independent Liberal | William Wallace Burns McInnes | 731 | 17.73% |
| | Peoples Party (Farmer-Labour) | Thomas Menzies | 1,354 | 32.83% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Patrick Daly | 806 | 19.54% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,124 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
16th British Columbia election, 1924 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | William Duncan | 815 | 28.41% | | unknown |
| | Provincial | George Every-Clayton | 793 | 27.64% | – | unknown |
| | Independent Liberal | Paul Phillips Harrison | 1,261 | 43.95% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,869 | 100.00% |
vte1928 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Kerr McNaughton | 2,058 | 53.85 |
| | Liberal | John William McKenzie | 1,497 | 39.17 |
| | Independent Labour | William Law | 267 | 6.99 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3,822 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 70 |
18th British Columbia election, 1933 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Harold Tuttle Allen | 1,590 | 36.03% | unknown |
| | Independent Co-operative Commonwealth | George Robert Bates | 276 | 6.25% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Laurence Arnold Hanna | 2,204 | 49.94% | unknown |
| | United Front (Workers and Farmers) | Hugh Gray Russell | 259 | 5.87% |
| | Independent | Ernest Richard Tarling | 84 | 1.90% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,413 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 34 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
19th British Columbia election, 1937 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Colin Cameron | 2,336 | 44.83% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Laurence Arnold Hanna | 1,876 | 36.00% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Gordon Noel Money | 999 | 19.17% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,211 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 80 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
20th British Columbia election, 1941 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Colin Cameron | 3,126 | 45.31% | unknown |
| | Liberal | William Edward Mantle | 2,158 | 31.28% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Edward Roger Gibson Richardson | 1,615 | 23.41% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,899 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 166 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
21st British Columbia election, 1945 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Colin Cameron | 3,362 | 44.69% | | unknown |
| | Labor-Progressive | Thomas McEwen | 729 | 9.69% | | unknown |
| | Coalition | Herbert John Welch | 3,432 | 45.62% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,523 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 161 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
22nd British Columbia election, 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Colin Cameron | 5,238 | 40.81% | | unknown |
| | Coalition | Herbert John Welch | 7,596 | 59.19% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 12,834 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 435 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
23rd British Columbia election, 1952 $^5$ :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | W. Bruce Gordon | 1,868 | 13.58% | -- | --.--% | unknown |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | William Campbell Moore | 5,369 | 39.03% | 7,098 | 57.67% | unknown |
| | Social Credit League | Cyril Hugh Poole | 2,987 | 21.71% |
| | Liberal | Herbert John Welch | 3,532 | 25.68% | 5,210 | 42.33% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 13,756 | 100.00% | 12,308 | % | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 446 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.94% | | |
| $^5$(Preferential ballot: 1st and 3rd counts of three shown only) |||||||
24th British Columbia election, 1953 $^6$ :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Wesley Baikie | 2,944 | 21.71% | - | -.-% | unknown |
| | Labor-Progressive | John Higgin | 357 | 2.63% | - | -.-% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | William Campbell Moore | 5,462 | 40.28% | 6,717 | 53.83% | unknown |
| | Social Credit League | Cyril Hugh Poole | 4,420 | 32.59% | 5,762 | 46.17% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Nugent Watson Spinks | 378 | 2.79% | -- | --.--% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 13,561 | 100.00% | 12,479 | % | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 717 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.94% | | |
| $^6$Preferential ballot: 1st and 4th counts of four shown only) |||||||
25th British Columbia election, 1956 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Robert John Campbell | 4,916 | 41.63% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Robert George McPhee | 2,339 | 19.81% | | unknown |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Cyril Newman | 4,555 | 38.57% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,810 | 100.00% | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,810 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 183 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
26th British Columbia election, 1960 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | William Wallace Baikie | 2,759 | 17.47% | | unknown |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Robert John Campbell | 6,100 | 38.63% | – | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Alan Gray | 653 | 4.14% | | unknown |
| | Communist | John Higgin | 207 | 1.31% | | unknown |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Frederick Charles Wood | 6,072 | 38.45% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,791 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 248 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
27th British Columbia election, 1963 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Robert John Campbell | 6,598 | 42.38% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | David Alexander Elrix | 1,259 | 8.09% | | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Duncan McIntyre Fraser | 1,475 | 9.47% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Frederick Sidney Williams | 6,238 | 40.06% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,570 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 150 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
28th British Columbia election, 1966 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Robert John Campbell | 5,449 | 49.39% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Joseph J. Cvetkovich | 1,276 | 11.57% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Neville Shanks | 4,308 | 39.05% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,033 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 104 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
29th British Columbia election, 1969 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Robert John Campbell | 7,910 | 45.61% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Olga Ruth Henrietta Chown | 2,303 | 13.28% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Harry Harris | 7,131 | 41.12% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 17,344 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 194 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
30th British Columbia election, 1972 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Robert John Campbell | 6,376 | 29.00% | – | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Lawrence Foort | 1,166 | 5.30% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Karen Sanford | 12,540 | 57.40% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Patrick Melvin Thompson | 1,903 | 8.66% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 21,985 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 135 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
31st British Columbia election, 1975 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Daniel Edgard Hanuse | 10,171 | 38.90% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Norman L. McLaren | 1,381 | 5.28% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Karen Sanford | 10,650 | 40.73% | | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Victor Albert Stephens | 3,906 | 15.09% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 26,148 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 454 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
32nd British Columbia election, 1979 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Delbert Keith Doll | 9,390 | 42.57% | – | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Eric Harry Kellow | 2,251 | 10.20% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Karen Sanford | 10,420 | 47.23% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 22,061 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 315 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
33rd British Columbia election, 1983 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Thomas John Finnie | 502 | 1.71% | | unknown |
| | Western Canada Concept | Allan Wayne Griffiths | 1,104 | 3.75% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Karen Sanford | 13,719 | 46.58% | | unknown |
| | Social Credit | George Herbert Parke Smith | 13,422 | 45.57% | – | unknown |
| | Independent | Victor Albert Stephens | 705 | 2.39% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 29,452 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 258 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
44th British Columbia election, 1986 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Stan Hagen | 15,833 | 51.15 |
| | New Democratic | Karen Sanford | 13,562 | 43.82% | unknown |
| | Liberal | John G. (Jack) Setter | 985 | 3.18% | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Terry Ian | 573 | 1.85% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 30,953 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 276 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |

## Sources

Elections BC historical returns