# 1883 Ontario general election

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

Elections to the 5th Parliament of Ontario (1883) :
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | MNAs | MNAs | MNAs | MNAs | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | Candidates | 1879 | 1883 | ± | # | ± | % | ± (pp) |
| | Liberal | Oliver Mowat | 87 | 57 | 48 | 9 | 125,017 | 5,869 | 48.20% | 0.13 |
| | Conservative | William Ralph Meredith | 80 | 29 | 37 | 8 | 120,853 | 2,340 | 46.59% | 1.23 |
| | Independent Liberal | | 3 | – | 2 | 2 | 3,239 | 3,239 | 1.25% | New |
| | Independent | | 8 | – | 1 | 1 | 3,956 | 3,071 | 1.53% | 1.73 |
| | Independent Conservative | | 4 | 2 | – | 2 | 2,354 | 243 | 0.91% | 0.06 |
| | Labour | | 3 | – | – | – | 3,957 | 3,957 | 1.53% | New |
| Total | Total | Total | 185 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 259,376 | 259,376 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1,722 | 1,722 | | |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 261,098 | 13,241 | 67.95 | 4.73 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 384,255 | 7,830 | | |
| Acclamations | Acclamations | Acclamations | █ Liberal | █ Liberal | 4 |
| Acclamations | Acclamations | Acclamations | █ Conservative | █ Conservative | 1 |
Seats and popular vote by party :
| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | Change (pp) |
| █ Liberal | 48 / 88 | 48.20% | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| █ Conservative | 37 / 88 | 46.59% | -1.23 | |
| █ Independent Liberal | 2 / 88 | 1.25% | 1.25 | 1.25 |
| █ Independent | 1 / 88 | 1.53% | -1.73 | |
| █ Independent Conservative | 0 / 88 | 0.91% | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| █ Labour | 0 / 88 | 1.53% | 1.53 | 1.53 |

### Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1879 Ontario general election :
| Riding | Winning party | Winning party | Winning party | Winning party | Winning party | Winning party | Winning party | Winning party | Turnout | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Name | 1879 | 1879 | Party | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # | Margin % | Turnout | Lib | Con | Lab | I-Lib | I-Con | Ind | 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 | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| 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 | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| 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 | 1,784 | – | – | – | 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 | – | – | 1,179 | – | 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 | 1,671 | – | – | – | – | 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 | – | – | – | – | 1,151 | 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 | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| London | | Con | | Con | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| 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 | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| 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% | 2,552 | – | – | – | – | – | 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% | 1,108 | 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 | 1,382 | – | – | – | – | 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 |
* ↑ order is as given in EO reports
* ↑ the incumbent George William Monk was the winning candidate
* ↑ the incumbent William Jelly ran as an Independent Conservative, getting 682 votes
* 1 2 Solomon White campaigned in two ridings
* ↑ the incumbent William Lees ran and won as an Independent candidate
* ↑ the incumbent Albert Peter Hagar, having won in an 1881 byelection, was the winning candidate
* ↑ Thomas 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.
* ↑ Franklin Metcalfe Carpenter had previously won in 1879, but his election was overturned on petition to the court.
    = 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 1st place | Party in 2nd place | Party in 2nd place | Party in 2nd place | Party in 2nd place | Party in 2nd place | Party in 2nd place | Total |
| Party in 1st place | Party in 1st place | Accl | Lib | Con | I-Con | Lab | Ind | Total |
| | Liberal | 4 | 1 | 42 | 1 | | | 48 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 37 |
| | Independent Liberal | | 2 | | | | | 2 |
| | Independent | | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 5 | 36 | 43 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 88 |
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party :
| Parties | Accl | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| █ Liberal | 4 | 44 | 36 | 1 | 2 | |
| █ Conservative | 1 | 36 | 43 | | | |
| █ Independent Liberal | | 2 | 1 | | | |
| █ Independent | | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| █ Independent Conservative | | | 2 | 2 | | |
| █ Labour | | | 1 | 2 | | |
Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario :
| Source | Source | Party | Party | Party | Party | Party |
| Source | Source | Lib | Con | I-Lib | Ind | Total |
| Seats retained | Incumbents returned | 32 | 13 | | | 45 |
| Seats retained | Returned by acclamation | 4 | 1 | | | 5 |
| Seats retained | Open seats held | 3 | 6 | | | 9 |
| Seats retained | Byelection loss reversed | 1 | | | | 1 |
| Seats retained | Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance | | 1 | | | 1 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated | 1 | 14 | 1 | | 16 |
| Seats changing hands | Open seats gained | 3 | 2 | 1 | | 6 |
| Seats changing hands | Byelection gains held | 3 | | | | 3 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbent changing allegiance | | | | 1 | 1 |
| Seats changing hands | Retention of seat overturned in previous election | 1 | | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 48 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 88 |

### MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows: