# 1875 Ontario general election

The 1875 Ontario general election was the third general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on January 18, 1875, to elect the 88 Members of the 3rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").
The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Oliver Mowat, increased its majority in the Legislature for its second term in government.
The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Matthew Crooks Cameron lost four of its seats.

## Electoral reforms

The Legislative Assembly had passed several pieces of legislation that impacted on the current election:
* Members of the House of Commons of Canada were disqualified from holding a provincial seat.
* The prior practice of voting by open declaration was abolished in favour of holding a secret ballot.

## Redistribution of ridings

The Assembly was increased from 82 to 88 members, through the following changes:
| Abolished ridings | New ridings |
| Divisions of ridings ||
| Essex | Essex North Essex South |
| Lambton | Lambton East Lambton West |
| Creation of riding from parts of others ||
| | Dufferin |
| | Muskoka and Parry Sound |
| Mergers of ridings ||
| Lincoln Niagara | Lincoln |
| Reorganization of ridings ||
| Grey North Grey South | Grey North Grey East Grey South |
| Huron North Huron South | Huron East Huron South Huron West |
| Bothwell Kent | Kent East Kent West |
| Simcoe North Simcoe South | Simcoe East Simcoe South Simcoe West |
| Wellington Centre Wellington North Wellington South | Wellington Centre Wellington South Wellington West |
* ↑ formed from parts of Cardwell, Grey South, Wellington North, Wellington Centre and Simcoe South
* ↑ taken from Simcoe North
Elections to the 3rd Parliament of Ontario (1875) :
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | MLAs | MLAs | MLAs | MLAs | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | Candidates | 1871 | 1875 | ± | # | ± | % | ± (pp) |
| | Liberal | Oliver Mowat | 84 | 43 | 49 | 6 | 90,809 | 22,443 | 47.55% | 4.75 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Crooks Cameron | 81 | 38 | 35 | 3 | 87,802 | 27,876 | 45.98% | 0.13 |
| | Liberal–Conservative | Matthew Crooks Cameron | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1,553 | 1,553 | 0.81% | New |
| | Independent Conservative | | 2 | – | 2 | 2 | 2,129 | 2,129 | 1.11% | New |
| | Independent Liberal | | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1,125 | 1,125 | 0.59% | New |
| | Conservative-Liberal | | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 791 | 325 | 0.41% | 0.44 |
| | Independent | | 11 | – | – | – | 6,757 | 5,454 | 3.54% | 2.54 |
| Total | Total | Total | 181 | 82 | 88 | 88 | 190,966 | 190,966 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 190,966 | 60,255 | 67.28 | 4.35 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 283,856 | 76,139 | | |
| Acclamations | Acclamations | Acclamations | █ Liberal | █ Liberal | 8 |
| Acclamations | Acclamations | Acclamations | █ Conservative | █ Conservative | 1 |
Seats and popular vote by party :
| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | Change (pp) |
| █ Liberal | 49 / 88 | 47.55% | -4.75 | |
| █ Conservative | 36 / 88 | 47.20% | 0.50 | 0.5 |
| █ Other | 3 / 88 | 5.25% | 4.25 | 4.25 |

### Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1875 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 | Votes |
| Name | 1871 | 1871 | Party | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # | Margin % | Turnout | Lib | Con | LC | CL | I-Lib | I-Con | Ind | Total |
| Addington | | Lib | | Lib | 1,453 | 60.77% | 515 | 21.54% | 67.91% | 1,453 | 938 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,391 |
| Algoma | | Con | | Lib | 510 | 64.31% | 227 | 28.63% | 91.25% | 510 | 283 | – | – | – | – | – | 793 |
| Brant North | | Lib | | Lib | 747 | 54.17% | 115 | 8.34% | 62.54% | 747 | 632 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,379 |
| Brant South | | Con | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Brockville | | Con | | Lib | 1,247 | 51.51% | 73 | 3.02% | 71.35% | 1,247 | 1,174 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,421 |
| Bruce North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,232 | 55.95% | 262 | 11.90% | 68.75% | 1,232 | – | – | – | – | – | 970 | 2,202 |
| Bruce South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,864 | 65.87% | 898 | 31.73% | 49.26% | 1,864 | 966 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,830 |
| Cardwell | | CL | | Con | 1,208 | 52.80% | 128 | 5.59% | 66.82% | 1,080 | 1,208 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,288 |
| Carleton | | Con | | Con | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Cornwall | | Con | | Con | 499 | 50.25% | 5 | 0.50% | 68.44% | 494 | 499 | – | – | – | – | – | 993 |
| Dufferin | New | New | | Con | 982 | 46.06% | 255 | 11.96% | 66.23% | 33 | 2,099 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,132 |
| Dundas | | Lib | | Con | 1,458 | 51.67% | 94 | 3.33% | 74.99% | 1,364 | 1,458 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,822 |
| Durham East | | Con | | Con | 1,454 | 55.22% | 275 | 10.44% | 69.73% | 1,179 | 1,454 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,633 |
| Durham West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,257 | 53.95% | 184 | 7.90% | 71.52% | 1,257 | 1,073 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,330 |
| Elgin East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,924 | 50.31% | 24 | 0.63% | 73.85% | 1,924 | 1,900 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,824 |
| Elgin West | | Lib | | Con | 1,101 | 50.23% | 10 | 0.46% | 78.01% | 1,091 | 1,101 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,192 |
| Essex North | New | New | | Con | 1,209 | 61.56% | 454 | 23.12% | 54.37% | – | 1,209 | – | – | – | – | 755 | 1,964 |
| Essex South | New | New | | Con | 1,014 | 51.19% | 47 | 2.37% | 69.61% | 967 | 1,014 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,981 |
| Frontenac | | Con | | Con | 884 | 59.61% | 285 | 19.22% | 55.92% | 599 | 884 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,483 |
| Glengarry | | Con | | I-Lib | 1,125 | 51.07% | 47 | 2.13% | 74.08% | 1,078 | – | – | – | 1,125 | – | – | 2,203 |
| Grenville South | | Con | | Lib | 1,136 | 53.36% | 143 | 6.72% | 71.04% | 1,136 | 993 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,129 |
| Grey East | New | New | | Con | 1,297 | 67.55% | 674 | 35.10% | 53.42% | 623 | 1,297 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,920 |
| Grey North | | Con | | Con | 1,431 | 53.40% | 182 | 6.79% | 67.59% | 1,249 | 1,431 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,680 |
| Grey South | | Con | | Lib | 1,017 | 46.27% | 293 | 13.33% | 69.29% | 1,017 | 457 | – | – | – | – | 724 | 2,198 |
| Haldimand | | Lib | | Lib | 1,476 | 53.87% | 212 | 7.74% | 75.84% | 1,476 | 1,264 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,740 |
| Halton | | Lib | | Lib | 1,609 | 52.58% | 158 | 5.16% | 68.18% | 1,609 | 1,451 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,060 |
| Hamilton | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Hastings East | | Con | | I-Con | 1,064 | 63.37% | 493 | 29.36% | 58.20% | – | 615 | – | – | – | 1,064 | – | 1,679 |
| Hastings North | | Con | | Con | 960 | 55.14% | 179 | 10.28% | 74.62% | 781 | 960 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,741 |
| Hastings West | | Con | | Con | 720 | 36.87% | 102 | 5.22% | 65.94% | 615 | 720 | – | – | – | – | 618 | 1,953 |
| Huron East | New | New | | Lib | 1,530 | 52.92% | 169 | 5.85% | 70.89% | 1,530 | 1,361 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,891 |
| Huron South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,440 | 51.39% | 78 | 2.78% | 72.53% | 1,440 | 1,362 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,802 |
| Huron West | New | New | | Lib | 1,595 | 51.48% | 92 | 2.97% | 68.59% | 1,595 | 1,503 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,098 |
| Kent East | New | New | | Lib | 1,425 | 51.76% | 97 | 3.52% | 66.27% | 1,425 | 1,328 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,753 |
| Kent West | New | New | | Con | 1,440 | 52.67% | 146 | 5.34% | 58.64% | 1,294 | 1,440 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,734 |
| Kingston | | Con | | Con | 935 | 54.17% | 144 | 8.34% | 64.55% | – | 935 | – | 791 | – | – | – | 1,726 |
| Lambton East | New | New | | Lib | 1,443 | 53.35% | 181 | 6.69% | 70.74% | 1,443 | 1,262 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,705 |
| Lambton West | New | New | | Lib | 1,372 | 64.53% | 618 | 29.07% | 57.23% | 1,372 | 754 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,126 |
| Lanark North | | Lib | | Con | 913 | 50.72% | 26 | 1.44% | 80.07% | 887 | 913 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,800 |
| Lanark South | | Con | | Con | 1,234 | 53.68% | 169 | 7.35% | 72.57% | 1,065 | 1,234 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,299 |
| Leeds North and Grenville North | | Con | | Con | 1,035 | 61.57% | 389 | 23.14% | 66.63% | – | 1,035 | – | – | – | – | 646 | 1,681 |
| Leeds South | | Con | | Con | 1,481 | 58.70% | 439 | 17.40% | 79.87% | 1,042 | 1,481 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,523 |
| Lennox | | Con | | I-Con | 1,065 | 54.36% | 555 | 28.33% | 53.47% | 510 | – | – | – | – | 1,065 | 384 | 1,959 |
| Lincoln | New | New | | Lib | 2,065 | 51.38% | 111 | 2.76% | 75.25% | 2,065 | 1,954 | – | – | – | – | – | 4,019 |
| London | | Con | | Con | 1,311 | 52.84% | 141 | 5.68% | 60.39% | 1,170 | 1,311 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,481 |
| Middlesex East | | Con | | Con | 2,185 | 53.11% | 256 | 6.22% | 72.87% | 1,929 | 2,185 | – | – | – | – | – | 4,114 |
| Middlesex North | | Lib | | Con | 1,565 | 54.89% | 279 | 9.79% | 72.77% | 1,286 | 1,565 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,851 |
| Middlesex West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,415 | 54.30% | 224 | 8.60% | 71.36% | 1,415 | 1,191 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,606 |
| Monck | | Con | | Lib | 1,412 | 56.21% | 312 | 12.42% | 74.47% | 1,412 | 1,100 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,512 |
| Muskoka and Parry Sound | New | New | | Lib | 839 | 58.63% | 247 | 17.26% | 65.52% | 839 | 592 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,431 |
| Norfolk North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,417 | 52.19% | 119 | 4.38% | 75.77% | 1,417 | 1,298 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,715 |
| Norfolk South | | Lib | | Con | 1,293 | 58.27% | 367 | 16.54% | 64.71% | – | 1,293 | – | – | – | – | 926 | 2,219 |
| Northumberland East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,551 | 48.27% | 103 | 3.21% | 74.62% | 1,765 | 1,448 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,213 |
| Northumberland West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,251 | 52.59% | 123 | 5.17% | 70.78% | 1,251 | 1,128 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,379 |
| Ontario North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,858 | 51.84% | 132 | 3.68% | 68.24% | 1,858 | 1,726 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,584 |
| Ontario South | | Lib | | Con | 1,614 | 50.52% | 33 | 1.03% | 72.91% | 1,581 | 1,614 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,195 |
| Ottawa | | Lib | | Lib | 852 | 35.35% | 52 | 2.16% | 54.25% | 1,652 | 758 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,410 |
| Oxford North | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Oxford South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,305 | 44.27% | 43 | 1.46% | 66.05% | 1,305 | 1,262 | – | – | – | – | 381 | 2,948 |
| Peel | | Con | | Lib | 1,349 | 51.98% | 103 | 3.97% | 72.95% | 1,349 | 1,246 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,595 |
| Perth North | | Con | | Lib | 1,847 | 51.69% | 140 | 3.92% | 68.16% | 1,847 | 1,726 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,573 |
| Perth South | | Con | | Lib | 1,508 | 53.23% | 183 | 6.46% | 70.98% | 1,508 | 1,325 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,833 |
| Peterborough East | | Con | | Con | 759 | 52.13% | 62 | 4.26% | 67.47% | 697 | 759 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,456 |
| Peterborough West | | Lib | | Lib | 970 | 51.19% | 45 | 2.37% | 71.27% | 970 | 925 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,895 |
| Prescott | | Con | | Con | 988 | 62.57% | 397 | 25.14% | 59.61% | 591 | 988 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,579 |
| Prince Edward | | Lib | | Lib | 1,762 | 50.91% | 63 | 1.82% | 77.90% | 1,762 | 1,699 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,461 |
| Renfrew North | | Con | | Con | 894 | 53.44% | 115 | 6.87% | 76.71% | 779 | 894 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,673 |
| Renfrew South | | Con | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Russell | | Con | | Con | 1,066 | 61.30% | 393 | 22.60% | 49.10% | 673 | 1,066 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,739 |
| Simcoe East | New | New | | Con | 1,133 | 54.00% | 168 | 8.01% | 73.90% | 965 | 1,133 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,098 |
| Simcoe South | | Con | | Con | 1,057 | 58.17% | 297 | 16.35% | 67.15% | 760 | 1,057 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,817 |
| Simcoe West | New | New | | Con | 1,353 | 51.15% | 61 | 2.31% | 67.63% | 1,292 | 1,353 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,645 |
| Stormont | | Con | | Lib | 948 | 53.77% | 133 | 7.54% | 77.19% | 948 | 815 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,763 |
| Toronto East | | Con | | Con | 1,849 | 53.83% | 270 | 7.86% | 54.42% | 1,579 | 1,849 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,435 |
| Toronto West | | Lib | | Con | 2,145 | 50.71% | 60 | 1.42% | 55.31% | 2,085 | 2,145 | – | – | – | – | – | 4,230 |
| Victoria North | | Con | | Lib | 724 | 50.14% | 4 | 0.28% | 68.60% | 724 | 720 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,444 |
| Victoria South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,326 | 56.38% | 300 | 12.76% | 68.29% | 1,326 | 1,026 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,352 |
| Waterloo North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,363 | 67.71% | 713 | 35.42% | 70.31% | 1,363 | 650 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,013 |
| Waterloo South | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Welland | | Lib | | Lib | 1,719 | 51.16% | 78 | 2.32% | 69.48% | 1,719 | 1,641 | – | – | – | – | – | 3,360 |
| Wellington Centre | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Wellington South | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Wellington West | New | New | | L-Con | 1,553 | 51.63% | 98 | 3.26% | 73.82% | 1,455 | – | 1,553 | – | – | – | – | 3,008 |
| Wentworth North | | Lib | | Con | 1,222 | 50.48% | 23 | 0.95% | 73.72% | 1,199 | 1,222 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,421 |
| Wentworth South | | Lib | | Lib | 944 | 71.14% | 561 | 42.28% | 44.70% | 944 | 383 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,327 |
| York East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,266 | 54.26% | 199 | 8.53% | 63.16% | 1,266 | 1,067 | – | – | – | – | – | 2,333 |
| York North | | Con | | Lib | 1,835 | 57.69% | 489 | 15.37% | 65.36% | 1,835 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,346 | 3,181 |
| York West | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
* ↑ order is as given in EO reports
* ↑ the incumbent William Wilson Webb received 214 votes
* ↑ the incumbent Daniel John O'Donoghue was returned
* ↑ the incumbent Thomas Mayne Daly received 1,707 votes
    = 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
    = 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 | Total |
| Party in 1st place | Party in 1st place | Accl | Lib | Con | Ind | Con-L | Total |
| | Liberal | 8 | 1 | 37 | 3 | | 49 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 35 |
| | Independent Conservative | | 1 | 1 | | | 2 |
| | Liberal–Conservative | | 1 | | | | 1 |
| | Independent Liberal | | 1 | | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 9 | 32 | 39 | 7 | 1 | 88 |
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party :
| Parties | Accl | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| █ Liberal | 8 | 41 | 32 | 2 | 1 | |
| █ Conservative | 1 | 34 | 39 | 6 | | 1 |
| █ Independent Conservative | | 2 | | | | |
| █ Liberal–Conservative | | 1 | | | | |
| █ Independent Liberal | | 1 | | | | |
| █ Independent | | | 7 | 3 | 1 | |
| █ Conservative-Liberal | | | 1 | | | |
Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario :
| Source | Source | Party | Party | Party | Party | Party | Party |
| Source | Source | Lib | Con | L-Con | I-Con | I-Lib | Total |
| Seats retained | Incumbents returned | 20 | 9 | | | | 29 |
| Seats retained | Returned by acclamation | 6 | 1 | | | | |
| Seats retained | Open seats held | 1 | 8 | | | | 9 |
| Seats retained | Byelection loss reversed | 2 | 1 | | | | 3 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated | 3 | 7 | | | | 10 |
| Seats changing hands | Open seats gained | 4 | 2 | | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Seats changing hands | Byelection gains held | 5 | | | | | 5 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbent changing allegiance | | | | 1 | | 2 |
| Seats changing hands | Returned by acclamation | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| New seats | New MLAs | 4 | 5 | | | | 9 |
| New seats | Previously incumbent in another riding | 3 | 2 | 1 | | | 6 |
| Total | Total | 49 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 88 |

### MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows:

### Controverted elections

The following constituencies had elections which were declared void, for which writs of election were issued and elections held prior to the opening of the first session of the new Legislature:
New elections held upon previous results declared void :
| Voided result | Voided result | Voided result | Subsequent outcome | Subsequent outcome | Subsequent outcome |
| District | Candidate | Candidate | Date writ returned | Winner | Winner |
| Cornwall | | Alexander Fraser McIntyre | September 20, 1875 | | John Goodall Snetsinger |
| Dundas | | Andrew Broder | September 28, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Essex South | | Lewis Wigle | September 24, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Grey North | | Thomas Scott | November 3, 1875 | | David Creighton |
| Halton | | William Barber | November 8, 1875 | | William Durie Lyon |
| Kent East | | Archibald McKellar | September 22, 1875 | | Daniel McCraney |
| Monck | | Henry Ryan Haney | June 28, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Northumberland East | | James Marshall Ferris | November 18, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Ontario North | | Thomas Paxton | October 30, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Oxford South | | Adam Oliver | September 14, 1875 | | Adam Crooks |
| Peterborough East | | John C. O'Sullivan | September 28, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Peterborough West | | George Albertus Cox | October 30, 1875 | | William Hepburn Scott |
| Russell | | Adam Jacob Baker | August 21, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Simcoe South | | D'Arcy Edward Boulton | June 3, 1875 | | William McDougall |
| Victoria North | | John David Smith | September 29, 1875 | | Duncan McRae |
| Welland | | James George Currie | July 8, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Wellington West | | John McGowan | October 4, 1875 | Reelected | Reelected |
| Wentworth North | | Thomas Stock | November 3, 1875 | | James McMahon |
* ↑ formerly MLA for Toronto West