# 1879 Ontario general election

The 1879 Ontario general election was the fourth general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 5, 1879, to elect the 88 members of the 4th Legislative Assembly ("MLAs").
The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Oliver Mowat, won a third term in government with a larger majority in the legislature.
The Ontario Conservative Party, led by William Ralph Meredith, continued to lose seats.

## Results

Elections to the 4th Parliament of Ontario (1879) :
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | MLAs | MLAs | MLAs | MLAs | Votes | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | Candidates | 1875 | 1879 | ± | # | ± | % | ± (pp) |
| | Liberal | Oliver Mowat | 81 | 50 | 57 | 7 | 119,148 | 28,339 | 48.07% | 0.52 |
| | Conservative | William Ralph Meredith | 87 | 34 | 29 | 5 | 118,513 | 31,693 | 47.82% | 2.35 |
| | Liberal–Conservative | William Ralph Meredith | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1,553 | – | 0.81 |
| | Independent Conservative | | 2 | 2 | 2 | | 2,111 | 18 | 0.85% | 0.26 |
| | Independent Liberal | | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1,125 | – | 0.59 |
| | Independent | | 19 | – | – | – | 8,085 | 1,328 | 3.26% | 0.28 |
| Total | Total | Total | 189 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 247,857 | 247,857 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 247,857 | 56,891 | 63.22 | 4.06 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 392,085 | 108,229 | | |
| Acclamations | Acclamations | Acclamations | █ Liberal | █ Liberal | 1 |
| Acclamations | Acclamations | Acclamations | █ Conservative | █ Conservative | 1 |
Seats and popular vote by party :
| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | Change (pp) |
| █ Liberal | 57 / 88 | 48.07% | 0.52 | 0.52 |
| █ Conservative | 29 / 88 | 47.82% | 2.35 | 2.35 |
| █ Other | 2 / 88 | 4.11% | -2.87 | |

### 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 |
| Name | 1875 | 1875 | Party | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # | Margin % | Turnout | Lib | Con | I-Con | Ind | Total |
| Addington | | Lib | | Lib | 1,531 | 50.75% | 45 | 1.49% | 66.76% | 1,531 | 1,486 | – | – | 3,017 |
| Algoma | | Lib | | Lib | 1,081 | 53.86% | 155 | 7.72% | 96.58% | 1,081 | 926 | – | – | 2,007 |
| Brant North | | Lib | | Lib | 990 | 60.37% | 340 | 20.73% | 66.80% | 990 | 650 | – | – | 1,640 |
| Brant South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,622 | 56.87% | 392 | 13.74% | 60.93% | 1,622 | 1,230 | – | – | 2,852 |
| Brockville | | Lib | | Lib | 1,379 | 52.14% | 113 | 4.27% | 60.33% | 1,379 | 1,266 | – | – | 2,645 |
| Bruce North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,686 | 56.77% | 402 | 13.54% | 63.41% | 1,686 | 1,284 | – | – | 2,970 |
| Bruce South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,866 | 50.62% | 70 | 1.24% | 72.67% | 2,866 | 2,796 | – | – | 5,662 |
| Cardwell | | Con | | Lib | 1,261 | 50.60% | 30 | 1.20% | 70.94% | 1,261 | 1,231 | – | – | 2,492 |
| Carleton | | Con | | Con | 2,074 | 79.74% | 1,547 | 59.48% | 55.47% | 527 | 2,074 | – | – | 2,601 |
| Cornwall | | Con | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Dufferin | | Con | | Con | 1,357 | 55.32% | 261 | 10.64% | 58.18% | – | 1,357 | – | 1,096 | 2,453 |
| Dundas | | Con | | Con | 1,674 | 51.24% | 81 | 2.48% | 77.29% | 1,593 | 1,674 | – | – | 3,267 |
| Durham East | | Con | | Con | 1,292 | 52.33% | 200 | 8.10% | 55.58% | – | 1,292 | – | 1,177 | 2,469 |
| Durham West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,467 | 52.66% | 148 | 5.31% | 72.89% | 1,467 | 1,319 | – | – | 2,786 |
| Elgin East | | Lib | | Lib | 2,275 | 51.49% | 132 | 2.99% | 66.71% | 2,275 | 2,143 | – | – | 4,418 |
| Elgin West | | Con | | Lib | 1,257 | 50.22% | 11 | 0.44% | 70.27% | 1,257 | 1,246 | – | – | 2,503 |
| Essex North | | Con | | Con | 1,062 | 56.04% | 229 | 12.08% | 42.68% | 833 | 1,062 | – | – | 1,895 |
| Essex South | | Con | | Con | 1,418 | 52.93% | 157 | 5.86% | 74.29% | 1,261 | 1,418 | – | – | 2,679 |
| Frontenac | | Con | | Con | 710 | 45.57% | 204 | 13.09% | 55.86% | 506 | 710 | – | 342 | 1,558 |
| Glengarry | | I-Lib | | Con | 1,331 | 50.78% | 41 | 1.56% | 74.31% | 1,290 | 1,331 | – | – | 2,621 |
| Grenville South | | Lib | | Con | 1,205 | 53.01% | 137 | 6.03% | 70.20% | 1,068 | 1,205 | – | – | 2,273 |
| Grey East | | Con | | Con | 1,294 | 55.70% | 566 | 24.37% | 49.64% | – | 1,595 | – | 728 | 2,323 |
| Grey North | | Con | | Con | 1,660 | 50.27% | 18 | 0.55% | 60.98% | 1,642 | 1,660 | – | – | 3,302 |
| Grey South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,694 | 61.49% | 633 | 22.98% | 73.72% | 1,694 | 1,061 | – | – | 2,755 |
| Haldimand | | Lib | | Lib | 1,612 | 51.01% | 64 | 2.03% | 76.44% | 1,612 | 1,548 | – | – | 3,160 |
| Halton | | Lib | | Lib | 1,765 | 50.46% | 32 | 0.91% | 66.63% | 1,765 | 1,733 | – | – | 3,498 |
| Hamilton | | Lib | | Lib | 2,240 | 50.70% | 62 | 1.40% | 59.07% | 2,240 | 2,178 | – | – | 4,418 |
| Hastings East | | I-Con | | I-Con | 1,204 | 51.52% | 71 | 3.04% | 67.82% | – | 1,133 | 1,204 | – | 2,337 |
| Hastings North | | Con | | Con | 1,081 | 51.35% | 57 | 2.71% | 63.27% | – | 1,081 | – | 1,024 | 2,105 |
| Hastings West | | Con | | Con | 1,402 | 56.60% | 327 | 13.20% | 68.92% | 1,075 | 1,402 | – | – | 2,477 |
| Huron East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,924 | 50.74% | 56 | 1.48% | 68.76% | 1,924 | 1,868 | – | – | 3,792 |
| Huron South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,893 | 52.21% | 160 | 4.41% | 70.75% | 1,893 | 1,733 | – | – | 3,626 |
| Huron West | | Lib | | Lib | 2,064 | 55.57% | 414 | 11.15% | 62.70% | 2,064 | 1,650 | – | – | 3,714 |
| Kent East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,774 | 54.91% | 317 | 9.81% | 58.60% | 1,774 | 1,457 | – | – | 3,231 |
| Kent West | | Con | | Lib | 1,343 | 52.69% | 137 | 5.37% | 46.87% | 1,343 | 1,206 | – | – | 2,549 |
| Kingston | | Con | | Con | 955 | 55.82% | 199 | 11.63% | 59.53% | 756 | 955 | – | – | 1,711 |
| Lambton East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,840 | 50.88% | 64 | 1.77% | 73.23% | 1,840 | 1,776 | – | – | 3,616 |
| Lambton West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,759 | 53.47% | 228 | 6.93% | 63.24% | 1,759 | 1,531 | – | – | 3,290 |
| Lanark North | | Con | | Lib | 1,309 | 56.04% | 282 | 12.07% | 73.44% | 1,309 | 1,027 | – | – | 2,336 |
| Lanark South | | Con | | I-Con | 907 | 49.64% | 53 | 2.90% | 56.60% | – | 854 | 907 | 66 | 1,827 |
| Leeds North and Grenville North | | Con | | Con | 1,084 | 59.53% | 347 | 19.06% | 64.90% | 737 | 1,084 | – | – | 1,821 |
| Leeds South | | Con | | Con | 1,362 | 56.92% | 331 | 13.83% | 57.41% | – | 1,362 | – | 1,031 | 2,393 |
| Lennox | | I-Con | | Lib | 1,231 | 50.20% | 10 | 0.41% | 62.71% | 1,231 | 1,221 | – | – | 2,452 |
| Lincoln | | Lib | | Lib | 2,222 | 50.79% | 69 | 1.58% | 68.25% | 2,222 | 2,153 | – | – | 4,375 |
| London | | Con | | Con | 1,578 | 58.25% | 447 | 16.50% | 55.24% | 1,131 | 1,578 | – | – | 2,709 |
| Middlesex East | | Con | | Con | 2,546 | 51.86% | 183 | 3.73% | 66.82% | 2,363 | 2,546 | – | – | 4,909 |
| Middlesex North | | Con | | Lib | 1,917 | 53.22% | 232 | 6.44% | 72.87% | 1,917 | 1,685 | – | – | 3,602 |
| Middlesex West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,575 | 50.82% | 51 | 1.65% | 69.80% | 1,575 | 1,524 | – | – | 3,099 |
| Monck | | Lib | | Lib | 1,486 | 52.64% | 149 | 5.28% | 81.42% | 1,486 | 1,337 | – | – | 2,823 |
| Muskoka and Parry Sound | | Lib | | Lib | 1,704 | 57.98% | 469 | 15.96% | 74.90% | 1,704 | 1,235 | – | – | 2,939 |
| Norfolk North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,490 | 52.12% | 121 | 4.23% | 71.55% | 1,490 | 1,369 | – | – | 2,859 |
| Norfolk South | | Con | | Con | 1,386 | 50.36% | 20 | 0.73% | 76.23% | 1,366 | 1,386 | – | – | 2,752 |
| Northumberland East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,887 | 50.64% | 48 | 1.29% | 71.32% | 1,887 | 1,839 | – | – | 3,726 |
| Northumberland West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,333 | 50.40% | 21 | 0.79% | 65.54% | 1,333 | 1,312 | – | – | 2,645 |
| Ontario North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,244 | 52.21% | 190 | 4.42% | 63.85% | 2,244 | 2,054 | – | – | 4,298 |
| Ontario South | | Con | | Lib | 1,721 | 56.24% | 382 | 12.48% | 60.59% | 1,721 | 1,339 | – | – | 3,060 |
| Ottawa | | Lib | | Con | 1,064 | 39.72% | 64 | 2.39% | 47.99% | 606 | 1,064 | – | 1,009 | 2,679 |
| Oxford North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,731 | 75.10% | 1,157 | 50.20% | 41.71% | 1,731 | 574 | – | – | 2,305 |
| Oxford South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,775 | 66.73% | 940 | 35.34% | 48.33% | 1,775 | – | – | 885 | 2,660 |
| Peel | | Lib | | Lib | 1,519 | 52.69% | 155 | 5.38% | 76.09% | 1,519 | 1,364 | – | – | 2,883 |
| Perth North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,396 | 50.18% | 17 | 0.36% | 67.44% | 2,396 | 2,379 | – | – | 4,775 |
| Perth South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,759 | 55.00% | 320 | 10.01% | 65.67% | 1,759 | 1,439 | – | – | 3,198 |
| Peterborough East | | Con | | Lib | 1,078 | 53.21% | 130 | 6.42% | 65.38% | 1,078 | 948 | – | – | 2,026 |
| Peterborough West | | Lib | | Con | 1,130 | 52.68% | 252 | 11.75% | 55.99% | 878 | 1,130 | – | 137 | 2,145 |
| Prescott | | Con | | Con | 900 | 47.62% | 278 | 14.71% | 58.77% | 622 | 900 | – | 368 | 1,890 |
| Prince Edward | | Lib | | Lib | 1,894 | 50.47% | 35 | 0.93% | 73.78% | 1,894 | 1,859 | – | – | 3,753 |
| Renfrew North | | Con | | Lib | 1,066 | 52.56% | 104 | 5.13% | 72.07% | 1,066 | 962 | – | – | 2,028 |
| Renfrew South | | Lib | | Lib | 837 | 54.28% | 132 | 8.56% | 67.72% | 837 | 705 | – | – | 1,542 |
| Russell | | Con | | Lib | 696 | 37.30% | 27 | 1.45% | 38.86% | 975 | 669 | – | 222 | 1,866 |
| Simcoe East | | Con | | Lib | 1,324 | 56.82% | 318 | 13.65% | 61.72% | 1,324 | 1,006 | – | – | 2,330 |
| Simcoe South | | Con | | Con | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Simcoe West | | Con | | Con | 1,483 | 51.10% | 64 | 2.21% | 55.06% | 1,419 | 1,483 | – | – | 2,902 |
| Stormont | | Lib | | Con | 950 | 50.29% | 11 | 0.58% | 71.47% | 939 | 950 | – | – | 1,889 |
| Toronto East | | Con | | Con | 2,132 | 50.68% | 57 | 1.35% | 51.12% | 2,075 | 2,132 | – | – | 4,207 |
| Toronto West | | Con | | Con | 2,324 | 50.74% | 68 | 1.48% | 45.24% | 2,256 | 2,324 | – | – | 4,580 |
| Victoria North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,217 | 56.34% | 274 | 12.69% | 65.04% | 1,217 | 943 | – | – | 2,160 |
| Victoria South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,644 | 51.81% | 115 | 3.62% | 68.27% | 1,644 | 1,529 | – | – | 3,173 |
| Waterloo North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,351 | 53.29% | 167 | 6.59% | 71.37% | 1,351 | 1,184 | – | – | 2,535 |
| Waterloo South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,699 | 57.38% | 437 | 14.76% | 72.06% | 1,699 | 1,262 | – | – | 2,961 |
| Welland | | Lib | | Con | 1,966 | 50.97% | 75 | 1.94% | 66.49% | 1,891 | 1,966 | – | – | 3,857 |
| Wellington Centre | | Lib | | Lib | 1,405 | 65.35% | 660 | 30.70% | 50.05% | 1,405 | 745 | – | – | 2,150 |
| Wellington South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,430 | 52.15% | 118 | 4.30% | 65.83% | 1,430 | 1,312 | – | – | 2,742 |
| Wellington West | | L-Con | | Lib | 2,026 | 56.00% | 434 | 12.00% | 64.61% | 2,026 | 1,592 | – | – | 3,618 |
| Wentworth North | | Con | | Lib | 1,223 | 85.41% | 1,014 | 70.81% | 38.23% | 1,223 | 209 | – | – | 1,432 |
| Wentworth South | | Lib | | Con | 1,231 | 50.02% | 1 | 0.04% | 66.19% | 1,230 | 1,231 | – | – | 2,461 |
| York East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,825 | 53.58% | 244 | 7.16% | 58.93% | 1,825 | 1,581 | – | – | 3,406 |
| York North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,200 | 56.54% | 509 | 13.08% | 68.77% | 2,200 | 1,691 | – | – | 3,891 |
| York West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,268 | 51.21% | 60 | 2.42% | 63.16% | 1,268 | 1,208 | – | – | 2,476 |
* ↑ order is as given in EO reports
* ↑ the incumbent Abram William Lauder was reelected
    = 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 | Total |
| Party in 1st place | Party in 1st place | Accl | Lib | Con | Ind | Total |
| | Liberal | 1 | | 55 | 1 | 57 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 22 | | 6 | 29 |
| | Independent Conservative | | | | | 2 |
| Total | Total | | 22 | 57 | 7 | 88 |
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party :
| Parties | Accl | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| █ Liberal | 1 | 56 | 22 | 2 | | |
| █ Conservative | 1 | 28 | 57 | 1 | | |
| █ Independent Conservative | | 2 | | | | |
| █ Independent | | | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario :
| Source | Source | Party | Party | Party | Party |
| Source | Source | Lib | Con | I-Con | Total |
| Seats retained | Incumbents returned | 30 | 17 | 1 | 48 |
| Seats retained | Returned by acclamation | | 1 | | 1 |
| Seats retained | Open seats held | 13 | 3 | | 16 |
| Seats retained | Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance | | 1 | | 1 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated | 8 | 3 | | 11 |
| Seats changing hands | Open seats gained | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Seats changing hands | Byelection gains held | 2 | 1 | | 3 |
| Total | Total | 57 | 29 | 2 | 88 |

### MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows: