British Columbia general election, 1916
The British Columbia general election of 1916 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on July 5, 1916, and held on September 14, 1916. The new legislature met for the first time on March 1, 1917.
The Liberal Party defeated the governing Conservative Party, winning 50% of the vote, almost double its share from the previous election. The Liberals won 36 of the 47 seats in the legislature.
The Conservatives' popular vote fell from almost 60% to just over 40%, and took nine seats, forming the Official Opposition.
Two other seats were won by independents.
Results
Party | Party leader | # of candidates |
Seats | Popular vote | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1912 | Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change | ||||
Liberal 1 | Harlan Carey Brewster | 45 | - | 36 | 89,892 | 50.00% | +24.63% | ||
Conservative ² | William John Bowser | 46 | 39 | 9 | -76.9% | 72,842 | 40.52% | -19.13% | |
Independent | 7 | - | 1 | - | 4,926 | 2.74% | +0.95% | ||
Independent Socialist | 3 | * | 1 | * | 1,321 | 0.74% | * | ||
Independent Conservative | 4 | 1 | - | -100% | 3,014 | 1.68% | +0.31% | ||
Independent Labour | 2 | * | - | * | 2,985 | 1.66% | * | ||
Socialist | 4 | 1 | - | -100% | 2,106 | 1.17% | -9.91% | ||
Independent Liberal | 1 | * | - | * | 1,518 | 0.84% | * | ||
Social Democratic | 3 | 1 | - | -100% | 1,012 | 0.56% | -0.18% | ||
Independent Progressive | 1 | * | - | * | 158 | 0.09% | * | ||
Total | 116 | 42 | 47 | +11.9% | 179,774 | 100% | |||
Sources: Elections BC | |||||||||
Notes:
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.
1 One candidate, H.C. Brewster (Liberal) who contested and was elected in both Alberni and Victoria City, is counted twice.
² Also included as a candidate is R. McBride (Conservative, Richmond) who withdrew before the 14 September polling day but received some overseas votes.
Results by riding
See also
Further reading & references
- In the Sea of Sterile Mountains: The Chinese in British Columbia, Joseph Morton, J.J. Douglas, Vancouver (1974). Despite its title, a fairly thorough account of the politicians and electoral politics in early BC.