1920 Manitoba general election


The 1920 Manitoba general election was held on June 29, 1920 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.

Background

Between the previous 1915 election and the 1920 campaign, Manitoba experienced profound social and cultural change. Since the formal introduction of partisan politics in 1888, Manitoba had been dominated by the Liberal and Conservative parties, which governed the province in succession. After World War I, new political groups and interests emerged to threaten the two-party system.
The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 brought labour issues to the forefront of provincial concern, and radicalized many working-class Manitobans. In previous elections, labour and socialist parties were a marginal force; going into the 1920 election, they stood to make significant electoral gains. In the rural constituencies, several candidates ran for office as farmer representatives, or as "people's candidates" opposed to partisan government.
Against this backdrop, the governing Liberal Party of Tobias Norris was forced to run a defensive campaign. Supported by the Winnipeg Free Press, the Liberals portrayed themselves as a stabilizing force amid the province's changes.
The 1920 election is notable for its use of Single Transferable Voting in the City of Winnipeg. Previously, the city had been divided into three two-member constituencies. Starting in the 1920 election, Winnipeg was a single ten-member constituency, where each voter had but one vote. The method of election was a single transferable ballot system of proportional representation.

Outcome

The election resulted in a fragmented parliament, with no group holding effective power over the legislature. Norris's Liberals remained the largest party, but were reduced to a minority government with 21 seats out of 55. The party remained in office until 1922, but unwilling or unable to find joint cause with the other factions could do little in the way of legislative initiatives.
Twelve "farmer" and "independent farmer" candidates were elected in rural constituencies. These candidates were a heterogeneous group, and did not run a united campaign. While not a "political party" in the traditional sense, they formed a functional caucus group in the legislature. Some members of this group later joined the political wing of the United Farmers of Manitoba.
Seven working-class and left-wing parties ran candidates in Winnipeg. The Labour Party won an impressive victory in Winnipeg, with party leader Fred Dixon receiving a lead of more than 7,000 votes ahead of his nearest rival in the First Count. His surplus were not wasted but through STV, they were transferred to other candidates, many going to another DLP candidate Ivens who was then elected.
Leftists were rewarded with four seats of the 10 Winnipeg seats: Dixon and William Ivens were elected from the Dominion Labour Party, George Armstrong from the Socialist Party, and John Queen from the Social Democratic Party. Robert B. Russell narrowly failed to win a second seat for the Socialists. The Ex-Soldiers and Ex-Sailors Party of Manitoba also campaigned with the labour candidates in Winnipeg.
Ivens, Armstrong, Queen and Russell were all serving prison sentences at the time of their election, due to their leadership of the Winnipeg General Strike. Many believed the prison sentences were politically motivated, and the issue was a rallying cry for labour in the campaign.
Seven other labour MLAs were elected in the rest of the province, making the Labour group the third largest in the legislature.
The Conservative Party managed a minor recovery from its disastrous showing in 1915, winning eight seats under new leader Richard G. Willis. Willis himself was not elected.
Three independents were also elected to the legislature.

Party results

Note:
SDP popular vote included in "Independents/others".

Riding results

Assiniboia:
Beautiful Plains:
Birtle:
Brandon City:
Carillon:
Cypress:
Dauphin:
Deloraine:
Dufferin:
Emerson:
Ethelbert:
Fairford:
Fisher:
Gilbert Plains:
Gimli:
Gladstone:
Glenwood:
Hamiota:
Iberville:
Kildonan & St. Andrews:
Killarney:
Lakeside:
Lansdowne:
La Verendrye:
Manitou:
Minnedosa:
Morden and Rhineland:
Morris:
Mountain:
Norfolk:
Portage la Prairie:
Roblin:
Rockwood:
Rupertsland:
Russell:
St. Boniface:
St. Clements:
St. George:
Ste. Rose:
Springfield:
Swan River:
The Pas:
Turtle Mountain:
Virden:
Winnipeg:
Final Winnipeg seat tally: Liberal 4, DLP 2, Conservative 2, SDP 1, SPC 1
First Count :
Second Count :
Third Count :
Fourth Count :
Fifth Count :
Sixth Count :
Seventh Count :
Eighth Count :
Ninth Count :
Tenth Count :
Eleventh Count :
Twelfth Count :
Thirteenth Count :
Fourteenth Count :
Fifteenth Count :
Sixteenth Count :
Seventeenth Count :
Eighteenth Count :
Nineteenth Count :
Twentieth Count :
Twenty-First Count :
Twenty-Second Count :
Twenty-Third Count :
Twenty-Fourth Count :
Twenty-Fifth Count :
Twenty-Sixth Count :
Twenty-Seventh Count :
Twenty-Eighth Count :
Twenty-Ninth Count :
Thirtieth Count
Thirty-First Count :
Thirty-Second Count :


After the necessary transfer of surplus votes, if no one gets quota, the bottom candidate will be eliminated, leaving just enough candidates for the available seats.
Thirty-Fourth Count :
Thirty-Fifth Count :
Thirty-Sixth Count :
Thirty-Seventh Count
Thirty-Eighth Count
Russell is eliminated, leaving only Armstrong, Rogers and Tupper to take the three open seats. They are declared elected.
Final Winnipeg seat tally: Liberal 4, DLP 2, Conservative 2, SDPC 1, SPC 1

Post-election changes

The Independent and Farmer members formed a parliamentary bloc after the election, known as the Independent-Farmer group. Albert Kristjansson later left the Labour caucus to sit with this group.
Birtle, October 14, 1920:
Lakeside, January 31, 1921: