# 1886 Ontario general election

The 1886 Ontario general election was the sixth general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on December 28, 1886, to elect the 90 Members of the 6th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs"). The election results were characterized a "crushing defeat for the Conservatives.
The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Oliver Mowat, won a fifth consecutive term in government and an increased majority in the Legislature.
The Ontario Conservative Party, led by William Ralph Meredith lost five of its seats.
In Toronto, this and the next election (1890) were held under the Limited Vote system wherein Toronto voters had two votes for the three MPPs in their district. This allowed a degree of minority representation.

## Redistribution of ridings

The Assembly was increased from 88 to 90 members, through the following changes:
| Abolished ridings | New ridings |
| Divisions of ridings ||
| Algoma | Algoma East Algoma West |
| Muskoka and Parry Sound | Muskoka Parry Sound |
| Mergers of ridings ||
| Cornwall Stormont | Cornwall and Stormont |
| Toronto East Toronto West | Toronto |
| Reorganization of ridings ||
| Bruce North Bruce South | Bruce Centre Bruce North Bruce South |
| Grenville South Leeds North and Grenville North Leeds South | Grenville Leeds |
| Simcoe East Simcoe South Simcoe West | Simcoe Centre Simcoe East Simcoe West |
| Victoria North Victoria South | Victoria East Victoria West |
* ↑ Returning three members. Each elector had two votes to cast.

## Results

Elections to the 6th Parliament of Ontario (1886) :
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | MPPs | MPPs | MPPs | MPPs | MPPs | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | Candidates | 1883 | Dissol. | 1886 | ± | # | % | ± (pp) |
| | Liberal | Oliver Mowat | 88 | 48 | | 57 | 9 | 153,282 | 48.41% | 0.21 |
| | Conservative | William Ralph Meredith | 83 | 37 | | 32 | 5 | 148,969 | 47.05% | 0.46 |
| | Independent | | 5 | 1 | | 1 | | 2,145 | 0.68% | 0.85 |
| | Independent-Liberal | | | 2 | | – | 2 | Did not campaign | Did not campaign | Did not campaign |
| | Labour | | 5 | – | – | – | | 12,196 | 3.85% | 2.32 |
| | Temperance | | 1 | – | – | – | | 14 | – | New |
| | Independent-Conservative | | | – | – | – | | Did not campaign | Did not campaign | Did not campaign |
| | Vacant | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 182 | 88 | 88 | 90 | | 316,606 | 100.00% | |
| Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | Blank and invalid ballots | 3,622 | | |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 463,025 | 68.85 | 0.90 |
Seats and popular vote by party :
| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | Change (pp) |
| Liberal | 57 / 90 | 48.41% | 0.21 | 0.21 |
| Conservative | 32 / 90 | 47.05% | 0.46 | 0.46 |
| Labour | 0 / 90 | 3.85% | 2.32 | 2.32 |
| Other | 1 / 90 | 0.69% | -2.99 | |

### Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1886 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 |
| Name | 1883 | 1883 | Party | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # | Margin % | Turnout | Lib | Con | Lab | Tmp | Ind | Total |
| Addington | | Con | | Con | 1,712 | 53.42% | 219 | 6.83% | 70.69% | 1,493 | 1,712 | – | – | – | 3,205 |
| Algoma East | New | New | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Algoma West | New | New | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Brant North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,025 | 60.87% | 366 | 21.73% | 55.41% | 1,025 | 659 | – | – | – | 1,684 |
| Brant South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,881 | 60.58% | 657 | 21.16% | 57.84% | 1,881 | 1,224 | – | – | – | 3,105 |
| Brockville | | Lib | | Lib | 1,844 | 54.19% | 285 | 8.37% | 71.33% | 1,844 | 1,559 | – | – | – | 3,403 |
| Bruce Centre | New | New | | Lib | 1,753 | 50.45% | 31 | 0.89% | 71.55% | 1,753 | 1,722 | – | – | – | 3,475 |
| Bruce North | | I-Lib | | Con | 1,738 | 51.77% | 119 | 3.54% | 68.33% | 1,619 | 1,738 | – | – | – | 3,357 |
| Bruce South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,024 | 54.69% | 347 | 9.38% | 74.63% | 2,024 | 1,677 | – | – | – | 3,701 |
| Cardwell | | Con | | Con | 1,805 | 59.71% | 587 | 19.42% | 57.66% | 1,218 | 1,805 | – | – | – | 3,023 |
| Carleton | | Con | | Con | 1,824 | 75.40% | 1,229 | 50.81% | 45.79% | 595 | 1,824 | – | – | – | 2,419 |
| Cornwall and Stormont | New | New | | Lib | 2,068 | 54.48% | 340 | 8.96% | 69.39% | 2,068 | 1,728 | – | – | – | 3,796 |
| Dufferin | | Con | | Con | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Dundas | | Con | | Lib | 1,977 | 50.32% | 25 | 0.64% | 81.54% | 1,977 | 1,952 | – | – | – | 3,929 |
| Durham East | | Con | | Con | 1,696 | 56.36% | 383 | 12.73% | 63.53% | 1,313 | 1,696 | – | – | – | 3,009 |
| Durham West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,672 | 50.04% | 3 | 0.09% | 73.78% | 1,672 | 1,669 | – | – | – | 3,341 |
| Elgin East | | Con | | Lib | 1,873 | 51.23% | 90 | 2.46% | 67.51% | 1,873 | 1,783 | – | – | – | 3,656 |
| Elgin West | | Lib | | Con | 2,315 | 50.47% | 43 | 0.94% | 69.49% | 2,272 | 2,315 | – | – | – | 4,587 |
| Essex North | | Con | | Lib | 1,729 | 51.17% | 79 | 2.34% | 58.70% | 1,729 | 1,650 | – | – | – | 3,379 |
| Essex South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,497 | 53.80% | 353 | 7.61% | 77.51% | 2,497 | 2,144 | – | – | – | 4,641 |
| Frontenac | | Con | | Con | 1,218 | 58.53% | 355 | 17.06% | 58.79% | 863 | 1,218 | – | – | – | 2,081 |
| Glengarry | | Lib | | Lib | 1,723 | 50.47% | 32 | 0.94% | 76.91% | 1,723 | 1,691 | – | – | – | 3,414 |
| Grenville | New | New | | Con | 1,978 | 57.84% | 550 | 16.08% | 63.64% | 1,428 | 1,978 | – | 14 | – | 3,420 |
| Grey Centre | | Con | | Con | 1,485 | 44.29% | 112 | 3.34% | 59.07% | 1,373 | 1,980 | – | – | – | 3,353 |
| Grey North | | Con | | Con | 2,076 | 50.22% | 18 | 0.44% | 67.75% | 2,058 | 2,076 | – | – | – | 4,134 |
| Grey South | | Con | | Con | 2,087 | 53.23% | 253 | 6.45% | 71.17% | 1,834 | 2,087 | – | – | – | 3,921 |
| Haldimand | | Lib | | Lib | 1,936 | 53.67% | 265 | 7.35% | 72.77% | 1,936 | 1,671 | – | – | – | 3,607 |
| Halton | | Con | | Con | 2,277 | 51.38% | 122 | 2.75% | 73.07% | 2,155 | 2,277 | – | – | – | 4,432 |
| Hamilton | | Lib | | Lib | 3,068 | 44.53% | 435 | 6.31% | 63.12% | 3,068 | 2,633 | 1,188 | – | – | 6,889 |
| Hastings East | | Con | | Con | 1,784 | 51.53% | 106 | 3.06% | 84.87% | 1,678 | 1,784 | – | – | – | 3,462 |
| Hastings North | | Con | | Con | 1,863 | 62.88% | 763 | 25.75% | 63.71% | 1,100 | 1,863 | – | – | – | 2,963 |
| Hastings West | | Lib | | Con | 1,681 | 51.83% | 119 | 3.67% | 64.50% | 1,562 | 1,681 | – | – | – | 3,243 |
| Huron East | | Lib | | Lib | 2,306 | 55.31% | 443 | 10.63% | 73.33% | 2,306 | 1,863 | – | – | – | 4,169 |
| Huron South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,313 | 56.15% | 507 | 12.31% | 66.45% | 2,313 | 1,806 | – | – | – | 4,119 |
| Huron West | | Lib | | Lib | 2,358 | 53.85% | 337 | 7.70% | 68.25% | 2,358 | 2,021 | – | – | – | 4,379 |
| Kent East | | Lib | | Lib | 2,302 | 57.21% | 580 | 14.41% | 58.00% | 2,302 | 1,722 | – | – | – | 4,024 |
| Kent West | | Con | | Con | 2,208 | 50.17% | 15 | 0.34% | 57.03% | 2,193 | 2,208 | – | – | – | 4,401 |
| Kingston | | Con | | Con | 1,853 | 53.57% | 247 | 7.14% | 66.03% | 1,606 | 1,853 | – | – | – | 3,459 |
| Lambton East | | Lib | | Lib | 2,270 | 52.78% | 239 | 5.56% | 70.43% | 2,270 | 2,031 | – | – | – | 4,301 |
| Lambton West | | Lib | | Lib | 2,541 | 54.88% | 452 | 9.76% | 60.90% | 2,541 | – | 2,089 | – | – | 4,630 |
| Lanark North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,392 | 51.71% | 92 | 3.42% | 67.24% | 1,392 | 1,300 | – | – | – | 2,692 |
| Lanark South | | Ind | | Con | 1,836 | 56.44% | 419 | 12.88% | 72.99% | 1,417 | 1,836 | – | – | – | 3,253 |
| Leeds | New | New | | Con | 1,964 | 54.86% | 348 | 9.72% | 70.27% | 1,616 | 1,964 | – | – | – | 3,580 |
| Lennox | | Con | | Con | 1,627 | 51.63% | 103 | 3.27% | 74.89% | 1,524 | 1,627 | – | – | – | 3,151 |
| Lincoln | | Lib | | Lib | 2,242 | 50.17% | 15 | 0.34% | 63.58% | 2,242 | 2,227 | – | – | – | 4,469 |
| London | | Con | | Con | 1,679 | 53.56% | 223 | 7.11% | 40.48% | – | 1,679 | 1,456 | – | – | 3,135 |
| Middlesex East | | Lib | | Con | 2,621 | 51.04% | 107 | 2.08% | 70.38% | 2,514 | 2,621 | – | – | – | 5,135 |
| Middlesex North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,044 | 50.88% | 71 | 1.77% | 74.22% | 2,044 | 1,973 | – | – | – | 4,017 |
| Middlesex West | | Con | | Lib | 2,021 | 52.53% | 195 | 5.07% | 72.05% | 2,021 | 1,826 | – | – | – | 3,847 |
| Monck | | Lib | | Lib | 1,643 | 51.78% | 113 | 3.56% | 72.06% | 1,643 | 1,530 | – | – | – | 3,173 |
| Muskoka | New | New | | Con | 1,565 | 53.84% | 223 | 7.67% | 72.90% | 1,342 | 1,565 | – | – | – | 2,907 |
| Norfolk North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,640 | 56.51% | 378 | 13.03% | 70.14% | 1,640 | 1,262 | – | – | – | 2,902 |
| Norfolk South | | Con | | Con | 1,528 | 52.11% | 124 | 4.23% | 78.29% | 1,404 | 1,528 | – | – | – | 2,932 |
| Northumberland East | | Lib | | Con | 2,204 | 50.59% | 51 | 1.17% | 72.55% | 2,153 | 2,204 | – | – | – | 4,357 |
| Northumberland West | | Con | | Lib | 1,710 | 58.06% | 475 | 16.13% | 69.90% | 1,710 | 1,235 | – | – | – | 2,945 |
| Ontario North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,006 | 51.86% | 144 | 3.72% | 72.89% | 2,006 | 1,862 | – | – | – | 3,868 |
| Ontario South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,651 | 52.30% | 233 | 4.60% | 69.31% | 2,651 | 2,418 | – | – | – | 5,069 |
| Ottawa | | Con | | Lib | 1,815 | 53.97% | 277 | 8.24% | 53.32% | 1,815 | 1,538 | – | – | 10 | 3,363 |
| Oxford North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,981 | 63.31% | 833 | 26.62% | 49.29% | 1,981 | 1,148 | – | – | – | 3,129 |
| Oxford South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,216 | 54.23% | 590 | 14.44% | 65.85% | 2,460 | 1,626 | – | – | – | 4,086 |
| Parry Sound | New | New | | Ind | 1,199 | 51.88% | 87 | 3.76% | 58.48% | – | 1,112 | – | – | 1,199 | 2,311 |
| Peel | | Lib | | Lib | 2,102 | 52.76% | 220 | 5.52% | 73.63% | 2,102 | 1,882 | – | – | – | 3,984 |
| Perth North | | Con | | Con | 2,445 | 50.43% | 42 | 0.87% | 69.96% | 2,403 | 2,445 | – | – | – | 4,848 |
| Perth South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,385 | 55.26% | 454 | 10.52% | 72.27% | 2,385 | 1,931 | – | – | – | 4,316 |
| Peterborough East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,438 | 56.15% | 340 | 13.28% | 67.49% | 1,438 | 1,098 | – | – | 25 | 2,561 |
| Peterborough West | | Con | | Lib | 1,555 | 50.54% | 33 | 1.07% | 73.94% | 1,555 | 1,522 | – | – | – | 3,077 |
| Prescott | | Lib | | Lib | 1,665 | 52.24% | 143 | 4.49% | 69.25% | 3,187 | – | – | – | – | 3,187 |
| Prince Edward | | I-Lib | | Lib | 2,155 | 50.96% | 81 | 1.92% | 72.58% | 2,155 | 2,074 | – | – | – | 4,229 |
| Renfrew North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,515 | 51.46% | 86 | 2.92% | 72.90% | 1,515 | 1,429 | – | – | – | 2,944 |
| Renfrew South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,050 | 45.85% | 9 | 0.39% | 59.20% | 2,091 | 199 | – | – | – | 2,290 |
| Russell | | Con | | Lib | 1,908 | 51.41% | 148 | 3.99% | 61.05% | 1,908 | 1,760 | – | – | 43 | 3,711 |
| Simcoe Centre | New | New | | Lib | 1,366 | 54.10% | 207 | 8.20% | 62.48% | 1,366 | 1,159 | – | – | – | 2,525 |
| Simcoe East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,805 | 53.15% | 214 | 6.30% | 62.16% | 1,805 | 1,591 | – | – | – | 3,396 |
| Simcoe West | | Lib | | Con | 1,498 | 56.70% | 354 | 13.40% | 56.82% | 1,144 | 1,498 | – | – | – | 2,642 |
| Victoria East | New | New | | Con | 1,733 | 55.16% | 324 | 10.31% | 67.66% | 1,409 | 1,733 | – | – | – | 3,142 |
| Victoria West | New | New | | Con | 1,438 | 50.17% | 10 | 0.35% | 65.49% | 1,428 | 1,438 | – | – | – | 2,866 |
| Waterloo North | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Waterloo South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,353 | 55.27% | 449 | 10.55% | n/a | 2,353 | 1,904 | – | – | – | 4,257 |
| Welland | | Lib | | Lib | 2,462 | 53.16% | 293 | 6.33% | 68.00% | 2,462 | 2,169 | – | – | – | 4,631 |
| Wellington East | | Lib | | Lib | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed | acclaimed |
| Wellington South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,120 | 59.40% | 671 | 18.80% | 62.34% | 2,120 | 1,449 | – | – | – | 3,569 |
| Wellington West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,633 | 55.00% | 297 | 10.00% | 62.08% | 1,633 | 1,336 | – | – | – | 2,969 |
| Wentworth North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,480 | 59.82% | 486 | 19.64% | 67.13% | 1,480 | 994 | – | – | – | 2,474 |
| Wentworth South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,476 | 51.92% | 109 | 3.83% | 82.48% | 1,476 | 1,367 | – | – | – | 2,843 |
| York East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,633 | 65.29% | 765 | 30.59% | 56.51% | 1,633 | – | – | – | 868 | 2,501 |
| York North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,220 | 62.41% | 883 | 24.82% | 56.54% | 2,220 | 1,337 | – | – | – | 3,557 |
| York West | | Con | | Lib | 1,539 | 53.12% | 181 | 6.25% | 62.51% | 1,539 | 1,358 | – | – | – | 2,897 |
* ↑ excluding Toronto, a multi-member constituency
* ↑ order is as given in EO reports
* ↑ the incumbent Neil McColman received 495 votes
* ↑ the incumbent George Atwell Cooke received 244 votes
* ↑ Alfred Évanturel was the winning candidate
* ↑ the incumbent John Francis Dowling received 1,041 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
    = 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
Results for Toronto (3 seats) :
| Political party | Political party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected | Incumbent |
| | Conservative | Edward Frederick Clarke | 7,032 | 26.28 | Y |
| | Conservative | Henry Edward Clarke | 6,883 | 25.72 | Y | Y |
| | Liberal | John Leys | 5,380 | 20.11 | Y |
| | Labour | Charles March | 4,055 | 15.15 |
| | Labour | John Roney | 3,408 | 12.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,325 | 4.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,916 | 44.80 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 33,296 |
* ↑ plurality for third winning candidate
* ↑ actual number of voters per returns

### 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 | Lab | Ind | Total |
| | Liberal | 4 | 2 | 48 | 1 | 1 | 56 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 28 | | 1 | | 30 |
| | Independent | | | 1 | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 5 | 30 | 49 | 2 | 1 | 87 |
* ↑ excluding Toronto seats
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party :
| Parties | Accl | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| █ Liberal | 4 | 52 | 30 | 2 | | |
| █ Conservative | 1 | 30 | 50 | 2 | | |
| █ Independent | | 1 | 1 | 3 | | |
| █ Labour | | | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| █ Temperance | | | | 1 | | |
Resulting composition of the 2nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario :
| Source | Source | Party | Party | Party | Party |
| Source | Source | Lib | Con | Ind | Total |
| Seats retained | Incumbents returned | 30 | 13 | | 44 |
| Seats retained | Returned by acclamation | 2 | 1 | | 3 |
| Seats retained | Open seats held | 7 | 2 | | 9 |
| Seats retained | Byelection loss reversed | | 1 | | 1 |
| Seats retained | Defeated by same-party candidate | 2 | 1 | | 3 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated | 3 | 3 | | 6 |
| Seats changing hands | Open seats gained | 6 | 3 | | 9 |
| Seats changing hands | Byelection gains held | 1 | | | 1 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbent changed allegiance | | 1 | | 1 |
| New seats | Acclaimed | 2 | | | 2 |
| New seats | New MLAs | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| New seats | Previously incumbent in another riding | 1 | 3 | | 4 |
| Toronto seats | MLA returned | | 1 | | 1 |
| Toronto seats | New MLAs | 1 | 1 | | 2 |
| Total | Total | 57 | 32 | 1 | 90 |

### MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows: