# 1905 Ontario general election

The 1905 Ontario general election was the 11th general election held in the province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on January 25, 1905, to elect the 98 Members of the 11th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ("MLAs").
The Ontario Conservative Party, led by Sir James P. Whitney, defeated the Ontario Liberal Party, led by Sir George William Ross, bringing to an end the control of the government that the Liberal Party had exercised power for the previous 34 years.

## Campaign

The main focus of the campaign was on the Conservatives attacking the Liberal "machine" which had dominated elections in the Province, especially between 1898 and 1904, and was involved in numerous instances of bribery and other corrupt practices. This was further highlighted by the fact that no Liberals were prosecuted for this, while Conservatives were involved in fewer such matters but faced numerous convictions. By 1905, this had led to widespread disgust, and one Tory candidate, P.D. Ross in Ottawa, declared upon his nomination that every honest man should be a Conservative.
The ensuing Conservative victory was overwhelming. Six constituencies returned Tory members for the first time ever since Confederation, plus eight others which had only done so once before. Most cities, other than Ottawa and Kingston, voted Conservative.

## Electoral system

Ottawa had two seats, and plurality block voting was used. Elsewhere the first-past-the-post election system was used.

## Results

Elections to the 11th Parliament of Ontario (1905) :
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | MPPs | MPPs | MPPs | MPPs | MPPs | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Political party | Political party | Party leader | Candidates | 1902 | Dissol. | 1905 | ± | # | % | ± (pp) |
| | Conservative | James P. Whitney | 98 | 48 | | 69 | 21 | 237,612 | 53.37% | 5.83 |
| | Liberal | George William Ross | 95 | 50 | | 28 | 22 | 198,595 | 44.61% | 5.04 |
| | Independent Liberal | | 3 | – | | 1 | 1 | 5,362 | 1.20% | New |
| | Independent Conservative | | 1 | – | – | – | | 95 | 0.02% | 0.36 |
| | Independent | | 2 | – | – | – | | 100 | 0.02% | 1.16 |
| | Prohibitionist | | 2 | – | – | – | | 1,906 | 0.43% | 0.29 |
| | Socialist | | 7 | – | – | – | | 1,273 | 0.29% | 0.17 |
| | Temperance | | 2 | – | – | – | | 250 | 0.06% | New |
| | Socialist Labour | | – | – | – | – | | Did not campaign | Did not campaign | Did not campaign |
| | Vacant | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 210 | 98 | 98 | 98 | | 445,193 | 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 | 3,254 | | |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 616,996 | 72.68% | 1.87 |
Seats and popular vote by party :
| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | Change (pp) |
| Conservative | 69 / 98 | 53.37% | 5.83 | 5.83 |
| Liberal | 28 / 98 | 44.61% | -5.04 | |
| Other | 1 / 94 | 2.02% | -0.79 | |

### Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1905 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 | 1902 | 1902 | Party | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # | Margin % | Turnout | Con | Lib | I-Lib | I-Con | Ind | Oth | Total |
| Addington | | Con | | Con | 1,384 | 64.58% | 625 | 29.16% | 49.56% | 1,384 | 759 | – | – | – | – | 2,143 |
| Algoma | | Con | | Con | 2,064 | 55.22% | 390 | 10.43% | 57.46% | 2,064 | 1,674 | – | – | – | – | 3,738 |
| Brant North | | Lib | | Con | 1,242 | 51.34% | 65 | 2.69% | 83.58% | 1,242 | 1,177 | – | – | – | – | 2,419 |
| Brant South | | Lib | | Lib | 3,091 | 51.26% | 152 | 2.52% | 86.28% | 2,939 | 3,091 | – | – | – | – | 6,030 |
| Brockville | | Lib | | Lib | 2,201 | 52.00% | 169 | 3.99% | 80.74% | 2,032 | 2,201 | – | – | – | – | 4,233 |
| Bruce Centre | | Con | | Con | 1,982 | 53.47% | 257 | 6.93% | 80.79% | 1,982 | 1,725 | – | – | – | – | 3,707 |
| Bruce North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,162 | 50.94% | 80 | 1.89% | 71.83% | 2,082 | 2,162 | – | – | – | – | 4,244 |
| Bruce South | | Lib | | Con | 1,890 | 50.97% | 72 | 1.94% | 78.65% | 1,890 | 1,818 | – | – | – | – | 3,708 |
| Cardwell | | Con | | Con | 1,902 | 65.25% | 889 | 30.50% | 54.23% | 1,902 | 1,013 | – | – | – | – | 2,915 |
| Carleton | | Con | | Con | 1,617 | 78.69% | 1,179 | 57.37% | 42.74% | 1,617 | 438 | – | – | – | – | 2,055 |
| Dufferin | | Con | | Con | 2,027 | 53.88% | 292 | 7.76% | 65.39% | 2,027 | – | – | – | – | 1,735 | 3,762 |
| Dundas | | Con | | Con | 2,293 | 57.87% | 624 | 15.75% | 75.63% | 2,293 | 1,669 | – | – | – | – | 3,962 |
| Durham East | | Con | | Con | 1,665 | 65.60% | 792 | 31.21% | 60.41% | 1,665 | 873 | – | – | – | – | 2,538 |
| Durham West | | Lib | | Con | 1,690 | 52.02% | 131 | 4.03% | 88.82% | 1,690 | 1,559 | – | – | – | – | 3,249 |
| Elgin East | | Con | | Con | 2,249 | 51.42% | 124 | 2.83% | 85.65% | 2,249 | 2,125 | – | – | – | – | 4,374 |
| Elgin West | | Con | | Con | 3,129 | 53.02% | 536 | 9.08% | 79.02% | 3,129 | 2,593 | – | – | – | 180 | 5,902 |
| Essex North | | Con | | Con | 3,385 | 57.04% | 836 | 14.09% | 68.70% | 3,385 | 2,549 | – | – | – | – | 5,934 |
| Essex South | | Lib | | Lib | 2,828 | 51.26% | 139 | 2.52% | 76.39% | 2,689 | 2,828 | – | – | – | – | 5,517 |
| Fort William and Lake of the Woods | | Lib | | Con | 1,536 | 55.57% | 308 | 11.14% | 45.06% | 1,536 | 1,228 | – | – | – | – | 2,764 |
| Frontenac | | Con | | Con | 1,616 | 55.46% | 318 | 10.91% | 62.29% | 1,616 | 1,298 | – | – | – | – | 2,914 |
| Glengarry | | Con | | Lib | 2,214 | 53.17% | 264 | 6.34% | 74.28% | 1,950 | 2,214 | – | – | – | – | 4,164 |
| Grenville | | Con | | Con | 2,010 | 57.89% | 548 | 15.78% | 62.92% | 2,010 | – | 1,462 | – | – | – | 3,472 |
| Grey Centre | | Con | | Con | 2,160 | 70.11% | 1,239 | 40.21% | 50.62% | 2,160 | 921 | – | – | – | – | 3,081 |
| Grey North | | Lib | | Lib | 3,268 | 52.16% | 271 | 4.33% | 77.42% | 2,997 | 3,268 | – | – | – | – | 6,265 |
| Grey South | | Con | | Con | 2,372 | 54.73% | 410 | 9.46% | 71.57% | 2,372 | 1,962 | – | – | – | – | 4,334 |
| Haldimand | | Lib | | Lib | 2,019 | 57.50% | 527 | 15.01% | 86.11% | 1,492 | 2,019 | – | – | – | – | 3,511 |
| Halton | | Lib | | Con | 2,522 | 55.62% | 510 | 11.25% | 82.70% | 2,522 | 2,012 | – | – | – | – | 4,534 |
| Hamilton East | | Con | | Con | 3,273 | 54.48% | 538 | 8.95% | 79.39% | 3,273 | 2,735 | – | – | – | – | 6,008 |
| Hamilton West | | Con | | Con | 3,089 | 53.68% | 424 | 7.37% | 80.78% | 3,089 | 2,665 | – | – | – | – | 5,754 |
| Hastings East | | Lib | | I-Lib | 2,125 | 53.42% | 272 | 6.84% | 86.32% | 1,853 | – | 2,125 | – | – | – | 3,978 |
| Hastings North | | Con | | Con | 2,327 | 74.51% | 1,531 | 49.02% | 44.02% | 2,327 | 796 | – | – | – | – | 3,123 |
| Hastings West | | Con | | Con | 2,018 | 57.46% | 524 | 14.92% | 68.93% | 2,018 | 1,494 | – | – | – | – | 3,512 |
| Huron East | | Lib | | Lib | 2,212 | 51.66% | 142 | 3.32% | 86.22% | 2,070 | 2,212 | – | – | – | – | 4,282 |
| Huron South | | Con | | Con | 2,688 | 54.14% | 411 | 8.28% | 88.60% | 2,688 | 2,277 | – | – | – | – | 4,965 |
| Huron West | | Lib | | Lib | 2,435 | 50.02% | 2 | 0.04% | 83.44% | 2,433 | 2,435 | – | – | – | – | 4,868 |
| Kent East | | Lib | | Con | 2,714 | 50.52% | 56 | 1.04% | 76.12% | 2,714 | 2,658 | – | – | – | – | 5,372 |
| Kent West | | Lib | | Lib | 4,073 | 51.05% | 167 | 2.09% | 83.46% | 3,906 | 4,073 | – | – | – | – | 7,979 |
| Kingston | | Lib | | Lib | 2,238 | 50.22% | 20 | 0.45% | 91.13% | 2,218 | 2,238 | – | – | – | – | 4,456 |
| Lambton East | | Lib | | Con | 2,587 | 51.94% | 193 | 3.87% | 85.17% | 2,587 | 2,394 | – | – | – | – | 4,981 |
| Lambton West | | Con | | Con | 4,201 | 54.01% | 624 | 8.02% | 80.75% | 4,201 | 3,577 | – | – | – | – | 7,778 |
| Lanark North | | Lib | | Con | 1,810 | 57.59% | 477 | 15.18% | 75.61% | 1,810 | 1,333 | – | – | – | – | 3,143 |
| Lanark South | | Con | | Con | 1,565 | 69.90% | 891 | 39.79% | 39.61% | 1,565 | 674 | – | – | – | – | 2,239 |
| Leeds | | Con | | Con | 1,983 | 64.89% | 910 | 29.78% | 55.59% | 1,983 | 1,073 | – | – | – | – | 3,056 |
| Lennox | | Con | | Con | 1,597 | 51.09% | 68 | 2.18% | 81.95% | 1,597 | 1,529 | – | – | – | – | 3,126 |
| Lincoln | | Con | | Con | 3,287 | 56.58% | 765 | 13.17% | 78.68% | 3,287 | 2,522 | – | – | – | – | 5,809 |
| London | | Con | | Con | 4,783 | 52.27% | 566 | 6.19% | 86.19% | 4,783 | 4,217 | – | – | – | 150 | 9,150 |
| Manitoulin | | Con | | Con | 1,277 | 56.43% | 448 | 19.80% | 42.66% | 1,277 | 829 | – | – | – | 157 | 2,263 |
| Middlesex East | | Lib | | Con | 2,463 | 51.46% | 140 | 2.93% | 85.15% | 2,463 | 2,323 | – | – | – | – | 4,786 |
| Middlesex North | | Lib | | Con | 2,069 | 50.69% | 56 | 1.37% | 84.68% | 2,069 | 2,013 | – | – | – | – | 4,082 |
| Middlesex West | | Lib | | Lib | 2,043 | 51.42% | 113 | 2.84% | 84.00% | 1,930 | 2,043 | – | – | – | – | 3,973 |
| Monck | | Lib | | Lib | 1,766 | 51.11% | 77 | 2.23% | 82.77% | 1,689 | 1,766 | – | – | – | – | 3,455 |
| Muskoka | | Lib | | Con | 2,122 | 63.46% | 900 | 26.91% | 59.12% | 2,122 | 1,222 | – | – | – | – | 3,344 |
| Nipissing East | | Lib | | Con | 1,524 | 49.48% | 63 | 2.05% | 58.63% | 1,524 | 1,461 | – | 95 | – | – | 3,080 |
| Nipissing West | | Lib | | Con | 1,533 | 58.62% | 451 | 17.25% | 44.50% | 1,533 | 1,082 | – | – | – | – | 2,615 |
| Norfolk North | | Con | | Lib | 1,969 | 55.36% | 381 | 10.71% | 88.14% | 1,588 | 1,969 | – | – | – | – | 3,557 |
| Norfolk South | | Lib | | Con | 1,711 | 50.19% | 13 | 0.38% | 91.67% | 1,711 | 1,698 | – | – | – | – | 3,409 |
| Northumberland East | | Con | | Con | 2,644 | 59.47% | 842 | 18.94% | 75.38% | 2,644 | 1,802 | – | – | – | – | 4,446 |
| Northumberland West | | Lib | | Lib | 1,510 | 54.91% | 270 | 9.82% | 81.64% | 1,240 | 1,510 | – | – | – | – | 2,750 |
| Ontario North | | Con | | Con | 2,258 | 52.10% | 182 | 4.20% | 85.32% | 2,258 | 2,076 | – | – | – | – | 4,334 |
| Ontario South | | Lib | | Con | 2,720 | 51.05% | 112 | 2.10% | 87.48% | 2,720 | 2,608 | – | – | – | – | 5,328 |
| Oxford North | | Lib | | Lib | 2,885 | 54.82% | 507 | 9.63% | 75.82% | 2,378 | 2,885 | – | – | – | – | 5,263 |
| Oxford South | | Con | | Con | 2,713 | 52.04% | 213 | 4.09% | 82.73% | 2,713 | 2,500 | – | – | – | – | 5,213 |
| Parry Sound | | Lib | | Con | 2,243 | 52.37% | 374 | 8.73% | 43.75% | 2,243 | 1,869 | – | – | – | 171 | 4,283 |
| Peel | | Lib | | Lib | 2,269 | 50.36% | 32 | 0.71% | 86.86% | 2,237 | 2,269 | – | – | – | – | 4,506 |
| Perth North | | Con | | Con | 3,712 | 52.21% | 314 | 4.42% | 88.18% | 3,712 | 3,398 | – | – | – | – | 7,110 |
| Perth South | | Lib | | Con | 2,555 | 50.58% | 59 | 1.17% | 87.11% | 2,555 | 2,496 | – | – | – | – | 5,051 |
| Peterborough East | | Lib | | Lib | 1,371 | 52.25% | 118 | 4.50% | 64.81% | 1,253 | 1,371 | – | – | – | – | 2,624 |
| Peterborough West | | Lib | | Con | 2,967 | 62.33% | 1,174 | 24.66% | 73.55% | 2,967 | 1,793 | – | – | – | – | 4,760 |
| Port Arthur and Rainy River | | Lib | | Lib | 1,285 | 50.27% | 14 | 0.55% | 53.77% | 1,271 | 1,285 | – | – | – | – | 2,556 |
| Prescott | | Lib | | Lib | 2,093 | 50.01% | 1 | 0.02% | 67.64% | – | 4,185 | – | – | – | – | 4,185 |
| Prince Edward | | Lib | | Lib | 2,270 | 50.06% | 5 | 0.11% | 85.84% | 2,265 | 2,270 | – | – | – | – | 4,535 |
| Renfrew North | | Lib | | Con | 2,791 | 67.48% | 1,446 | 34.96% | 73.03% | 2,791 | 1,345 | – | – | – | – | 4,136 |
| Renfrew South | | Lib | | Con | 2,457 | 54.55% | 410 | 9.10% | 70.65% | 2,457 | 2,047 | – | – | – | – | 4,504 |
| Russell | | Lib | | Lib | 2,557 | 59.55% | 820 | 19.10% | 54.87% | 1,737 | 2,557 | – | – | – | – | 4,294 |
| Sault Ste. Marie | | Con | | Lib | 1,396 | 52.05% | 110 | 4.10% | 55.73% | 1,286 | 1,396 | – | – | – | – | 2,682 |
| Simcoe Centre | | Lib | | Con | 2,201 | 57.26% | 558 | 14.52% | 79.10% | 2,201 | 1,643 | – | – | – | – | 3,844 |
| Simcoe East | | Lib | | Lib | 3,284 | 51.92% | 243 | 3.84% | 77.68% | 3,041 | 3,284 | – | – | – | – | 6,325 |
| Simcoe West | | Con | | Con | 2,129 | 59.60% | 686 | 19.20% | 65.33% | 2,129 | 1,443 | – | – | – | – | 3,572 |
| Stormont | | Lib | | Con | 2,679 | 49.93% | 37 | 0.69% | 79.90% | 2,723 | 2,642 | – | – | – | – | 5,365 |
| Toronto East | | Con | | Con | 3,573 | 72.08% | 2,373 | 47.87% | 55.23% | 3,573 | 1,200 | – | – | – | 184 | 4,957 |
| Toronto North | | Con | | Con | 5,189 | 57.00% | 1,485 | 16.31% | 70.74% | 5,189 | 3,704 | – | – | – | 211 | 9,104 |
| Toronto South | | Con | | Con | 5,380 | 68.48% | 3,072 | 39.10% | 57.89% | 5,380 | 2,308 | – | – | – | 168 | 7,856 |
| Toronto West | | Con | | Con | 4,998 | 70.26% | 3,223 | 45.31% | 53.88% | 4,998 | – | 1,775 | – | 28 | 313 | 7,114 |
| Victoria East | | Con | | Con | 2,128 | 67.02% | 1,081 | 34.05% | 58.99% | 2,128 | 1,047 | – | – | – | – | 3,175 |
| Victoria West | | Con | | Con | 2,211 | 51.61% | 138 | 3.22% | 78.33% | 2,211 | 2,073 | – | – | – | – | 4,284 |
| Waterloo North | | Con | | Con | 3,021 | 52.51% | 361 | 6.27% | 74.87% | 3,021 | 2,660 | – | – | 72 | – | 5,753 |
| Waterloo South | | Con | | Con | 2,862 | 54.19% | 443 | 8.39% | 73.89% | 2,862 | 2,419 | – | – | – | – | 5,281 |
| Welland | | Lib | | Con | 3,328 | 52.29% | 291 | 4.57% | 79.15% | 3,328 | 3,037 | – | – | – | – | 6,365 |
| Wellington East | | Lib | | Con | 1,910 | 52.36% | 172 | 4.71% | 74.39% | 1,910 | 1,738 | – | – | – | – | 3,648 |
| Wellington South | | Con | | Con | 2,640 | 51.18% | 282 | 5.47% | 80.29% | 2,640 | 2,358 | – | – | – | 160 | 5,158 |
| Wellington West | | Con | | Con | 1,863 | 53.20% | 224 | 6.40% | 79.89% | 1,863 | 1,639 | – | – | – | – | 3,502 |
| Wentworth North | | Lib | | Lib | 1,612 | 50.44% | 28 | 0.88% | 80.53% | 1,584 | 1,612 | – | – | – | – | 3,196 |
| Wentworth South | | Lib | | Lib | 1,490 | 54.01% | 221 | 8.01% | 78.50% | 1,269 | 1,490 | – | – | – | – | 2,759 |
| York East | | Lib | | Con | 2,228 | 55.33% | 429 | 10.65% | 73.50% | 2,228 | 1,799 | – | – | – | – | 4,027 |
| York North | | Lib | | Con | 2,827 | 52.49% | 268 | 4.98% | 87.60% | 2,827 | 2,559 | – | – | – | – | 5,386 |
| York West | | Con | | Con | 3,276 | 64.07% | 1,439 | 28.14% | 61.08% | 3,276 | 1,837 | – | – | – | – | 5,113 |
* ↑ excluding Ottawa, a multi-member constituency
* ↑ order is as given in EO reports
* ↑ the incumbent Alfred Évanturel received 2,092 votes
* ↑ George Kerr was the winning candidate
* ↑ EO error re party affiliations corrected
    = 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 Ottawa (2 seats) :
| Political party | Political party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected | Incumbent |
| | Liberal | Donald Joseph McDougal | 6,053 | 26.06 | Y |
| | Liberal | George Samuel May | 5,904 | 25.42 | Y |
| | Conservative | Dennis Murphy | 5,675 | 24.43 | N | Y |
| | Conservative | P.D. Ross | 5,596 | 24.09 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | 0.99 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,726 | 74.01 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 15,844 |
* ↑ plurality for second winning candidate

### 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 | Con | Lib | I-Lib | Proh | Total |
| | Conservative | | 66 | 2 | 1 | 69 |
| | Liberal | 25 | 1 | | | 26 |
| | Independent Liberal | 1 | | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 26 | 67 | 2 | 1 | 96 |
* ↑ excluding Ottawa seats
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party :
| Parties | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| █ Conservative | 69 | 26 | 2 | 1 | |
| █ Liberal | 27 | 68 | | | |
| █ Independent Liberal | 1 | 2 | | | |
| █ Prohibitionist | | 1 | 1 | | |
| █ Socialist | | | 7 | | |
| █ Temperance | | | 1 | 1 | |
| █ Independent | | | 1 | | 1 |
| █ Independent Conservative | | | 1 | | |
Resulting composition of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario :
| Source | Source | Party | Party | Party | Party |
| Source | Source | Con | Lib | I-Lib | Total |
| Seats retained | Incumbents returned | 37 | 18 | | 55 |
| Seats retained | Open seats held | 5 | 5 | | 10 |
| Seats retained | Byelection losses reversed | 2 | | | 2 |
| Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated | 16 | 1 | | 17 |
| Seats changing hands | Open seats gained | 8 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Seats changing hands | Byelection gains held | 1 | 1 | | 2 |
| Ottawa seats | New MLA | | 1 | | 1 |
| Ottawa seats | Incumbent defeated | | 1 | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 69 | 28 | 1 | 98 |

### MLAs elected by region and riding

Party designations are as follows:

### Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 11th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1902–1905 :
| Party | Party | 1902 | Gain from (loss to) | Gain from (loss to) | Gain from (loss to) | Gain from (loss to) | Gain from (loss to) | Gain from (loss to) | 1905 |
| Party | Party | 1902 | Con | Con | Lib | Lib | I-Lib | I-Lib | | 1905 |
| | Conservative | 48 | | | 26 | (5) | | | 69 |
| | Liberal | 50 | 5 | (26) | | | | (1) | 28 |
| | Independent-Liberal | – | 1 | | | | | | 1 |
| Total | Total | 98 | 6 | (26) | 26 | (5) | – | (1) | 98 |
There were 32 seats that changed allegiance in the election: