Manitoba general election, 1927

Manitoba's general election of 28 June 1927 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.

This was the first election in Manitoba history to elect members through a single transferable ballot in all constituencies. Ten candidates were elected in Winnipeg, while every other constituency returned members by instant runoff voting.

The result was a second consecutive victory for the Progressive Party of Manitoba, which was supported by the United Farmers of Manitoba. The Progressives, led by Premier John Bracken, won twenty-nine seats out of fifty-five to win their second majority government. During the campaign, the Progressives stressed that they were not a party in the traditional sense and promised "A business (not a party) government". Many Progressive candidates simply described themselves as Bracken supporters.

The Conservatives won fifteen seats under the leadership of Fawcett Taylor, an improvement from seven in the election of 1922. This election re-established the Conservatives as the leading opposition party in Manitoba, and made the party a credible challenger for government in the next election.

The Manitoba Liberal Party was unable to regain the support it lost to the Progressive Party in the previous election. The Liberals won seven seats under the new leadership of Hugh Robson, down one from their 1922 total. After the election, many senior Liberals began to work for an electoral alliance with the Progressives. Robson, who opposed this plan, was persuaded to resign as leader in 1930. The alliance was formalized in 1932.

The Independent Labour Party fell to three seats, down from six in the previous election. All three members, including party leader John Queen, were elected in the city of Winnipeg.

Independent candidate John Edmison was also re-elected in Brandon. Jacob Penner ran in Winnipeg as a Communist candidate, but was not successful.

Results

Party		Party Leader	# of candidates	Seats			Popular Vote
				1922	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change
	Progressive	John Bracken			29			32.4%
	Conservative	Fawcett Taylor			15			27.2%
	Liberal	Hugh Robson			7			20.7%
	Independent Labour	John Queen			3			10.5%
	Communist
	Independent				1
Total					55			100%

Preceded by 1922 Manitoba election

List of Manitoba elections

Succeeded by 1932 Manitoba election

See also

• List of Manitoba political parties

Results by electoral division

Arthur:

• (x)Duncan McLeod (P) 1226
• J. Arthur Ross (C) 902

Assiniboia:

First Count

• Joseph Cotter (C) 1380
• Robert B. Russell (ILP) 1320
• Charles L. Richardson (Ind P) 566
• Andrew W. Myles (L) 520
• Alexander S. Pildrum (P) 471

Pildrum was eliminated after the first count. Richardson and Myles were eliminated after the second count, with 668 and 659 votes respectively.

Third Count

• Joseph Cotter (C) 1963
• Robert B. Russell (ILP) 1535

Beautiful Plains:

First Count

• Adalbert J.M. Poole (P) 1360
• Ernest H. Whelpley (C) 965
• Stanley H. Kerr (L) 511

Kerr was eliminated.

Second Count

• Adalbert J.M. Poole (P) 1549
• Ernest H. Whelpley (C) 1153

Birtle:

First Count

• John Pratt (P) 1134
• Albert J. McLeod (L) 742
• Alfred S. Arnold (C) 635

Arnold was eliminated.

Second Count

• John Pratt (P) 1215
• Albert J. McLeod (L) 1071

Brandon City:

• (x)John H. Edmison (Ind) 3526
• William Hill (ILP) 1288
• Harry William Cater (P) 489

Carillon:

• (x)Albert Prefontaine (P) 1604
• Thomas Molloy (L) 458

Cypress:

First Count

• (x)William Spinks (C) 1235
• Andrew Moore (P) 1091
• J.F. Davidson (L) 311

Davidson was eliminated.

Second Count

• William Spinks (C) 1320
• Andrew Moore (P) 1189

Dauphin:

First Count

• Robert Ferguson (C) 1022
• George Palmer (P) 920
• (x)Archibald Esplen (L) 647

Esplen was eliminated.

Second Count

• Robert Ferguson (C) 1350
• George Palmer (P) 1064

Deloraine:

First Count

• Hugh McKenzie (P) 1174
• Arthur T. Hainsworth (C) 1014
• Peter Spence (L) 369

Spence was eliminated.

Second Count

• Hugh McKenzie (P) 1299
• Arthur T. Hainsworth (C) 1147

Dufferin:

• John Munn (P) 1790
• A.E. Shewfelt (C) 1047
• G.A. Hall (L) 307

Emerson:

First Count

• Robert Curran (P [Liberal-Progressive]) 793
• Herbert Henry Wright (L) 652
• J.K. Kulackowsky (Ind) 449
• (x)Dmytro Yakimischak (Ind) 364
• Roy Whitman (C) 313
• P. Tanchuk (Ind) retired from contest

Whitman was eliminated after the first count. Yakimischak was eliminated after the second count with 371 votes, and Kulackowsky was eliminated after the third count with 637 votes.

Fourth Count

• Robert Curran (P [Liberal-Progressive]) 975
• Herbert Henry Wright (L) 787

Ethelbert:

• (x)Nicholas Hryhorczuk (P [Independent Farmer]) 1302
• Peter Melnyk (Ind) 917

Fairford:

First Count

• Stuart Garson (P) 437
• (x)Albert W. Kirvan (L) 358
• A.H. Francis (C) 296

Francis was eliminated.

Second Count

• Stuart Garson (P) 501
• (x)Albert W. Kirvan (L) 416

Fisher:

• (x)Nicholas Bachynsky (P) 754
• Henry L. Mabb (C) 310
• George Prout (L) 179
• Charles Ciupak (Ind) 12

Gilbert Plains:

• (x)Arthur Berry (P) 1021
• Samuel Hughes (C) 592
• J.G. Vance (L) 315

Gimli:

First Count

• Ingimar Ingaldson (P) 1026
• Einar Jonasson (L) 801
• (x)Michael Rojeski (Ind) 567
• Nicholas Boychuk (Ind) 230
• F. Gisli Sigmundson (C) 198
• Dymtro Derhak (Ind) 49

Derhak was eliminated after the first count. Boychuk and Sigmundson were eliminated after the second count with 238 and 199 votes respectively. Rojeski was eliminated after the third count with 619 votes.

Fourth Count

• Ingimar Ingaldson (P) 1231
• Einar Jonasson (L) 1038

Gladstone:

• William Morton (P) 1311
• John Foster (Ind [L?]) 624

Glenwood:

First Count

• (x)James Breakey (L) 1072
• Sam Forrest (P) 721
• Fred Cross (C) 544

Cross was eliminated.

Second Count

• (x)James Breakey (L) 1217
• Sam Forest (P) 850

Hamiota:

• (x)Thomas Wolstenholme (P) 1086
• William Edward Warren (C) 520
• William Braid (L) 462

Iberville:

• (x)Arthur R. Boivin (P-Ind) accl.

Kildonan and St. Andrews:

First Count

• James McLenaghen (C) 1387
• Walter Henry Gabriel Gibbs (L) 1159
• (x)Charles A. Tanner (P) 1134

Tanner was eliminated.

Second Count

• James McLenaghen (C) 1530
• Walter H.G. Gibbs (L) 1456

Killarney:

• John Laughlin (C) 1189
• (x)Andrew E. Foster (P) 934

Lakeside:

• (x)Douglas Campbell (P) 1442
• John P. Bend (C) 1274

Lansdowne:

• (x)Tobias C. Norris (L) 1947
• E.D. Alder (C) 550

La Verendrye:

• (x)Philippe Adjutor Talbot (P) 1074
• J. Napoleon Landry (L) 581
• Paul Royal (C) 440

Manitou:

First Count

• Joseph Lusignan (C) 1330
• (x)George Compton (P) 1097
• Charles A. Jopp (L) 541

Jopp was eliminated.

Second Count

• Joseph Lusignan (C) 1467
• George Compton (P) 1338

Minnedosa:

First Count

• Norman W.P. Shuttleworth (P) 1405
• Earl Rutledge (C) 1377
• Walter Cooper Richardson (L) 572

Richardson was eliminated.

Second Count

• Earl Rutledge (C) 1595
• Norman W.P. Shuttleworth (P) 1581

Morden and Rhineland:

First Count

• John Henry Black (P) 1075
• Hugh McGavin (C) 1016
• Peter Buerckert (L) 518

Buerckert was eliminated.

Second Count

• Hugh McGavin (C) 1252
• John Henry Black (P) 1132

Morris:

• (x)William Clubb (P) 1663
• Walter J. Fulton (L) 285

Mountain:

• Irving Cleghorn (L) 1578
• (x)Charles Cannon (P) 1494

Norfolk:

• (x)John Muirhead (P) 1341
• Reuben J. Waugh (C) 1307

Portage La Prairie:

• (x)Fawcett Taylor (C) 1580
• Sydney McKay (L) 795

Roblin:

• (x)Frederic Newton (C) 1057
• H.H. Simpson (P) 734
• D. Rostoky (L) 270

Rockwood:

• (x)William McKinnell (P) 1486
• Major Proctor (C) 719
• Arthur Lobb (L) 474
• Michael Slobadianek (Ind) 66

Rupertsland:

First Count

• Herbert Beresford (P-Ind) 216
• Fred C. Hamilton (L) 145
• Hyman Udell (C) 81

Udell was eliminated.

Second Count

• Herbert Beresford (P-Ind) 235
• Fred C. Hamilton (L) 160

Russell:

First Count

• (x)Isaac Griffiths (P) 1227
• Robert Peden (C) 936
• William W.W. Wilson (L) 903
• Basil Lazaruk (Ind) 254

Lazaruk was eliminated after the first count. Wilson was eliminated after the second count with 932 votes.

Third Count

• (x)Isaac Griffiths (P) 1431
• Robert Peden (C) 1311

St. Boniface:

First Count

• Joseph Bernier (C) 1990
• L.P. Gagnon (L) 1790
• Marcus Hyman (ILP) 1469
• H. Laurendeau (P) 1188

The ballot-counting process in this constituency was extremely controversial. Laurendeau was eliminated after the first count, and Hyman was eliminated after the second count. Gagnon was originally declared the winner on the third count by a single vote, but Bernier appealed the decision and was declared elected on recount. The final totals were: Bernier 2646, Gagnon 2618.

St. Clements:

• Robert Hoey (P) 2146
• (x)Donald A. Ross (Ind) 1436
• M.J. Stanbridge (Ind) 440

St. George:

First Count

• (x)Skuli Sigfusson (L) 814
• Albert E. Kristjansson (P) 524
• Paul Reykdal (C) 466

Reykdal was eliminated.

Second Count

• (x)Skuli Sigfusson (L) 1006
• Albert E. Kristjansson (P) 597

Ste. Rose:

First Count

• Maurice Dane MacCarthy (P) 1055
• (x)Joseph Hamelin (C) 831
• Arthur Hurst (L) 358

Hurst was eliminated.

Second Count

• Maurice Dace MacCarthy (P) 1161
• Joseph Hamelin (C) 960

Springfield:

First Count

• (x)Clifford Barclay (P) 1459
• Murdoch Mackay (L) 1389
• Theo Stefanik (C) 491

Stefanik was eliminated.

Second Count

• Murdoch Mackay (L) 1507
• (x)Clifford Barclay (P) 1489

Swan River:

First Count

• Andrew McCleary (P) 1213
• W.H.C. Hinchcliffe (C) 797
• W.H. Sims (L) 546

Sims was eliminated.

Second Count

• Andrew McCleary (P) 1347
• W.H.C. Hinchcliffe (C) 1009

The Pas:

• (x)John Bracken (P) 582
• Stephan Stephansson (L) 454

Turtle Mountain:

• (x)Richard G. Willis (C) 1167
• Duncan Henderson (P) 951

Virden:

• (x)Robert Mooney (P) accl.

Winnipeg:

First count (quota: 4610)

• (x)John Thomas Haig (C) 5108
• Hugh Robson (L) 4862
• (x)William Sanford Evans (C) 4551
• (x)John Queen (ILP) 3985
• William Major (P) 3713
• (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP) 3497
• Edward Montgomery (P) 2236
• (x)John K. Downes (Ind [Moderationist]) 2047
• Jacob Penner (Comm) 2015
• William Tobias (C) 1687
• Royal Burritt (P) 1604
• (x)Edith Rogers (L) 1582
• (x)William Ivens (ILP) 1435
• W.J. Lindal (L) 1362
• Duncan Cameron (L) 1271
• Max Steinkopf (P) 1241
• Ralph Maybank (L) 1191
• A.E. Moore (Ind [Moderationist]) 1153
• Theodore A. Hunt (C) 1075
• Sam Cartwright (ILP) 999
• R. Durward (ILP) 993
• R.A. Gillespie (C) 941
• F. Sedziak (Ind P) 836
• J. MacLean (L) 761
• W.A. James (ILP) 561

• Second count: Haig surplus
• Third count: Robson surplus (Evans declared elected)
• Fourth count: Evans surplus
• Fifth count: James eliminated
• Sixth count: MacLean eliminated
• Seventh count: Sedziak eliminated
• Eight count: Cartwright eliminated
• Ninth count: Gillespie eliminated
• Tenth count: Moore eliminated
• Eleventh count: Steinkopf eliminated
• Twelfth count: Maybank eliminated (Queen declared elected)
• Thirteenth count: Queen surplus
• Fourteenth count: Lindal eliminated
• Fifteenth count: Durward eliminated (Farmer declared elected)
• Sixteenth count: Farmer surplus
• Seventeenth count: Burritt eliminated (Major declared elected)
• Eighteenth count: Major surplus
• Nineteenth count: Cameron eliminated
• Twentieth count: Penner eliminated

• Twenty-first count (Hunt eliminated):

• (x)John Thomas Haig (C) 4610
• Hugh Robson (L) 4610
• (x)William Sanford Evans (C) 4610
• (x)John Queen (ILP) 4610
• (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP) 4610
• William Major (P) 4610
• (x)Edith Rogers (L) 4764
• (x)William Ivens (ILP) 4007
• William Tobias (C) 3685
• Edward Montgomery (P) [number not listed]
• (x)J.K. Downes (Ind [Moderationist]) 3411

Twenty-second count (final standings of elected candidates):

• (x)John Haig (C) 4610
• Hugh Robson (L) 4610
• (x)William Sanford Evans (C) 4610
• (x)John Queen (ILP) 4610
• (x)Seymour Farmer (ILP) 4610
• William Major (P) 4610
• (x)Edith Rogers (L) 4610
• (x)William Ivens (ILP) 4700
• William Tobias (C) 4114
• Edward Montgomery (P) 3960

Sources

The first ballot results for Winnipeg and results for all other constituencies are taken from an official Manitoba government publication entitled "Manitoba elections, 1920–1941", cross-referenced with the 1928 Canadian Parliamentary Guide, and an appendix to the Manitoba government's report of the 2003 provincial election.

All ballot results for Winnipeg after the first count are taken from reports in the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper. It is possible that some errors appeared in the original publication.

Post-election changes

Birtle (John Pratt leaves the government side, early in the parliament).

Lansdowne (res. Tobias C. Norris, 1928), 10 November 1928:

• Donald McKenzie (Liberal/Progressive) 1527
• Harvey Hicks (C) 1260

Morris (William Clubb to new cabinet post, 18 May 1929), 30 May 1929:

• William Clubb (P) accl.

Turtle Mountain (dec. Richard G. Willis, February 1929), 22 June 1929:

• Alexander Welch (C) 1327
• W.E. Campbell (P) 995

Winnipeg (res. Hugh Robson, January 1930)

Mountain (dec. Irving Cleghorn, 1930), 20 January 1930:

• Ivan Schultz (L [endorsed by Progressives]) accl.

The Liberals formed an alliance with the governing Progressives in 1932.

Brandon City (dec. John H. Edmison, 22 March 1932)