1956 British Columbia general election

Canadian provincial election September 2023 1956 British Columbia general election British Columbia parliamentary no no no 1953 British Columbia general election 1953 1960 British Columbia general election 1960 24th Parliament of British Columbia 25th Parliament of British Columbia 52 seats of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 27 seats were needed for a majority September 19, 1956 WAC Bennett - 1942.jpg BC Social Credit nohash W. A. C. Bennett 1952 BC Social Credit name South Okanagan 28 39 11 374,711 45.84% 8.09 MLA Robert Strachan.jpg BC CCF nohash Robert Strachan 1956 BC CCF name short Cowichan-Newcastle 14 10 4 231,511 28.32% 2.53 x150px BC Liberal nohash Arthur Laing 1953 BC Liberal name Vancouver-Point Grey (lost re-election) 4 2 2 177,922 21.77% 1.82 Premier W. A. C. Bennett BC Social Credit name Premier after election W. A. C. Bennett BC Social Credit name The 1956 British Columbia general election was the 25th general election in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on August 13, 1956, and held on September 19, 1956. The new legislature met for the first time on February 7, 1957. The conservative Social Credit of Premier W.A.C. Bennett was re-elected with a majority in the legislature to a third term in government with over 45% of the popular vote. The social democratic CCF formed the official opposition. The British Columbia Liberal Party lost two of its four seats despite winning over 20% of the popular vote. The Progressive Conservative Party lost its single seat in the legislature, and would not win a seat again until the 1972 election. One seat was won by a Labour candidate, Tom Uphill of Fernie. Changes to election laws In 1953, as part of a revision to the Provincial Elections Act, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 19.Provincial Elections Act, 1953 S.B.C. 1953 (2nd session) 5 3 https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/hstats/hstats/600912584 As well, the instant runoff voting system that was in effect for the 1952 and 1953 elections was abolished, and the previous system—mixture of block voting in multi-member districts and single-winner first past the post—was revived. In 1955, a further Act was passed that increased the Legislative from 48 members to 52 through the following changes:Constitution Act Amendment Act, 1955 S.B.C. 1955 11 https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/hstats/hstats/1682218136 Peace River was split into North Peace River and South Peace River Burnaby, Delta and North Vancouver became multi-member districts, each now returning two members. Results Elections to the 25th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (1956)Elections BC 1988 243, 265 |- ! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party ! rowspan=2 | Party leader ! colspan=4 | MLAs ! colspan=4 | VotesMeasured against 1953 first-preference votes. |- ! Candidates !1953 !1956 !± !# ! ± !% ! ± (pp) BC Social Credit row-name |style="text-align:left;" |W.A.C. Bennett | 52 || 28 || 39 || 11 || 374,711 || 99,940 || 45.84 || 8.09 BC CCF row-name |style="text-align:left;" |Bob Strachan | 51 || 14 || 10 || 4 || 231,511 || 6,998 || 28.32 || 2.53 BC Liberal row-name |style="text-align:left;" |Arthur Laing | 52 || 4 || 2 || 2 || 177,922 || 6,161 || 21.77 || 1.82 BC PC row-name |style="text-align:left;" |Deane Finlayson | 22 || 1 || – || 1 || 25,373 || 15,407 || 3.11 || 2.49 BC Labour row-name |style="text-align:left;" |Tom Uphill | 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1,321 || 280 || 0.16 || 0.06 BC Labour Progressive row-name |style="text-align:left;" | | 14 || – || – || – || 3,381 || 4,115 || 0.41 || 0.62 BC Independent row-name | || 7 || – || – || – || 3,178 || 1,207 || 0.39 || 0.12 |- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" | Total | 199 | 48 ! colspan="2"| 52 ! colspan="2"|817,397 ! colspan="2"| 100.00% |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Rejected ballotsElections BC 1988 2-3 | 6,642 ||37,124 | colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Actual voters who votedElections BC 1988 2-3 | 509,409 ||12,643 | 65.43% || 5.12 |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Registered votersElections BC 1988 2-3 | 778,587 ||38,581 | colspan="2"| |} a + Seats and popular vote by partyElections BC 1988 243, 265 Party Seats Votes Change (pp)BC Social Credit colour&name 39 52 BC Social Credit 175 45.84 175 darkgrey 8.09 -5 1em background:greenBC CCF colour&name 10 52 BC CCF 175 28.52 175 darkgrey -2.53 -5 1em background:redBC Liberal colour&name 2 52 BC Liberal 175 21.77 175 darkgrey -1.82 -5 1em background:redBC PC colour&name 0 52 BC PC 175 3.11 175 darkgrey -2.49 -5 1em background:redBC Other colour&name 1 52 BC Independent 175 0.76 175 darkgrey -1.25 -5 1em background:red MLAs elected Single-member districts #EEDDAA Alberni: Stanley John Squire #ADD8E6 Atlin: William James Asselstine #ADD8E6 Cariboo: Ralph Chetwynd #ADD8E6 Chilliwack: William Kenneth Kiernan #ADD8E6 Columbia: Richard Orr Newton #ADD8E6 Comox: Daniel Campbell #EEDDAA Cowichan-Newcastle: Robert Strachan #EEDDAA Cranbrook: Leo Nimsick #ADD8E6 Dewdney: Lyle Wicks #ADD8E6 Esquimalt: Herbert Joseph Bruch #EEBBBB Fernie: Thomas Aubert Uphill #ADD8E6 Fort George: Ray Gillis Williston #EEDDAA Grand Forks-Greenwood: Lois Haggen #ADD8E6 Kamloops: Phil Gaglardi #EEDDAA Kaslo-Slocan: Randolph Harding #ADD8E6 Lillooet: Don Robinson #EEDDAA Mackenzie: Anthony Gargrave #ADD8E6 Nanaimo and the Islands: Earle Cathers Westwood #ADD8E6 Nelson-Creston: Wesley Drewett Black #EEDDAA New Westminster: Rae Eddie #ADD8E6 North Okanagan: Lorne Shantz #ADD8E6 North Peace River: Harold Earl Roche #A51B12 Oak Bay: Philip Archibald Gibbs #ADD8E6 Omineca: Cyril Morley Shelford #ADD8E6 Prince Rupert: William Harvey Murray #ADD8E6 Revelstoke: Arvid Lundell #ADD8E6 Rossland-Trail: Robert Sommers #ADD8E6 Saanich: John Douglas Tisdalle #ADD8E6 Salmon Arm: James Allan Reid #ADD8E6 Similkameen: Frank Richter, Jr. #ADD8E6 Skeena: Hugh Shirreff #ADD8E6 South Okanagan: W. A. C. Bennett #ADD8E6 South Peace River: Stanley Carnell #ADD8E6 Yale: Irvine Finlay Corbett Multi-member districts #EEDDAA Burnaby: Gordon Dowding #EEDDAA Burnaby: Ernest WinchDied before the opening of the new Legislative Assembly. His son-in-law Cedric Cox won the subsequent byelection. #ADD8E6 Delta: Thomas Irwin #ADD8E6 Delta: Nehemiah George Massey #ADD8E6 North Vancouver: John Melvin Bryan Sr. #ADD8E6 North Vancouver: Newton Phillips Steacy #ADD8E6 Vancouver-Burrard: Eric Charles Fitzgerald Martin #ADD8E6 Vancouver-Burrard: Bert Price #ADD8E6 Vancouver Centre: Alexander Small Matthew #ADD8E6 Vancouver Centre: Leslie Peterson #ADD8E6 Vancouver East: Frederick Morton Sharp #EEDDAA Vancouver East: Arthur James Turner #ADD8E6 Vancouver-Point Grey: Thomas Audley Bate #ADD8E6 Vancouver-Point Grey: Buda Brown #ADD8E6 Vancouver-Point Grey: Arthur Laing #ADD8E6 Victoria City: William Chant #ADD8E6 Victoria City: John Donald Smith #A51B12 Victoria City: George Frederick Thompson Gregory a Synopsis of results + Results by riding - 1956 British Columbia general election (single-member districts)Elections BC 1988 267-271 Riding Winning party VotesName 1953Party Votes Share Margin#Margin% SC Social Credit CCF Lib PC LPP Labor-Progressive Ind Independent and other Total   Alberni CCF CCF 3,362 50.60% 1,468 22.09% 1,894 3,362 1,388 – – – 6,644 Atlin CCF SC 454 48.04% 94 9.94% 454 360 131 – – – 945 Cariboo SC SC 3,014 60.86% 1,873 37.82% 3,014 797 1,141 – – – 4,952 Chilliwack SC SC 9,008 57.10% 5,890 37.34% 9,008 2,992 3,118 658 – – 15,776 Columbia SC SC 1,074 54.41% 422 21.38% 1,074 248 652 – – – 1,974 Comox CCF SC 4,916 41.63% 361 3.06% 4,916 4,555 2,339 – – – 11,810 Cowichan-Newcastle CCF CCF 5,015 51.18% 1,842 18.80% 3,173 5,015 1,611 – – – 9,799 Cranbrook CCF CCF 3,321 53.26% 1,309 20.99% 2,012 3,321 902 – – – 6,235 Dewdney SC SC 10,267 47.49% 3,056 14.14% 10,267 7,211 4,141 – – – 21,619 Esquimalt SC SC 3,530 43.70% 1,517 18.78% 3,530 2,013 1,714 821 – – 8,078 Fernie Lab Lab 1,321 42.43% 140 4.49% 1,181 – 611 – – 1,321 3,113 Fort George SC SC 3,774 58.48% 2,398 37.16% 3,774 1,304 1,376 – – – 6,454 Grand Forks-Greenwood CCF CCF 877 42.57% 11 0.53% 866 877Lois Haggen accepted the nomination after her husband Rupert Haggen chose to retire because of health problems. 317 – – – 2,060 Kamloops SC SC 4,948 61.02% 2,931 36.15% 4,948 1,144 2,017 – – – 8,109 Kaslo-Slocan CCF CCF 1,512 54.31% 537 19.29% 975 1,512 297 – – – 2,784 Lillooet Lib SC 2,055 52.41% 1,096 27.95% 2,055 907 959 – – – 3,921 Mackenzie CCF CCF 4,502 48.41% 1,256 13.50% 3,246 4,502 1,362 189 – – 9,299 Nanaimo and the Islands PC SC 3,827 45.52% 864 12.60% 3,827 2,963 2,142 – – 69 9,001 Nelson-Creston SC SC 4,190 51.02% 1,859 22.64% 4,190 2,331 1,622 – 70 – 8,213 New Westminster CCF CCF 4,469 38.83% 293 2.55% 4,176 4,469 2,220 – – 645 11,510 North Okanagan SC SC 4,583 54.74% 2,311 27.60% 4,583 1,429 2,272 – 88 – 8,372 North Peace River New SC 1,087 53.23% 664 32.52% 1,087 359 423 – – 173Campaigned as People's Party of BC. 2,042 Oak Bay Lib Lib 3,940 49.38% 1,249 15.65% 2,691 429 3,940 919 – – 7,979 Omineca SC SC 1,685 54.06% 838 26.89% 1,685 585 847 – – – 3,117 Prince Rupert Lib SC 2,151 42.39% 487 9.60% 2,151 1,259 1,664 – – – 5,074 Revelstoke CCF SC 1,339 49.81% 354 13.17% 1,339 985 364 – – – 2,688 Rossland-Trail SC SC 5,097 50.23% 2,258 22.25% 5,097 2,839 1,960 252 – – 10,148Saanich SC SC 6,542 39.45% 1,103 6.65% 6,542 5,439 3,344 1,257 – – 16,582 Salmon Arm SC SC 2,131 51.24% 677 16.28% 2,131 1,454 339 487 – – 4,159 Similkameen SC SC 5,189 53.94% 2,989 31.07% 5,189 2,200 1,744 487 – – 9,620 Skeena CCF SC 1,886 37.01% 63 1.24% 1,886 1,823 1,387 – – – 5,096 South Okanagan SC SC 7,694 69.70% 6,031 54.63% 7,694 1,663 1,230 451 – – 11,038 South Peace River New SC 1,787 50.80% 512 14.56% 1,787 1,275 456 – – – 3,518 Yale SC SC 1,315 47.34% 612 22.03% 1,315 599 703 161 – – 2,778 a #B9E5B9 silver = open seat #F5F5DC silver = turnout is above provincial average #DCDCDC silver = winning candidate was in previous Legislature #EABB94 silver = incumbent had switched allegiance #FFFF00 silver = previously incumbent in another riding #EEBBBB silver = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature #87CEFA silver = incumbency arose from byelection gain #DCD0FF silver = other incumbents renominated #ADD8E6 silver = campaigned as Independent SC #F0E68C silver = multiple candidates + Results by riding - 1956 British Columbia general election (multiple-member districts)Elections BC 1988 267-271 Riding Winning party Votes Voterswho votedElections BC 1988 536NameMLAs 19531956 SC Social Credit CCF Lib PC LPP Labor-Progressive Ind Independent and other Total Burnaby2 #EEDDAA 1 #EEDDAA 212,103 15,304 3,972 513 – – 60,540 31,24311,583 12,692 3,895 478 – – Delta2 #ADD8E6 1 #ADD8E6 218,848 11,202 5,149 – 355 – 69,066 35,57817,762 10,798 4,680 – 272 – North Vancouver2 #ADD8E6 1 #ADD8E6 211,974 4,718 8,425 5,121 211 902George Henry Tomlinson Jr., a Socred MLA in the previous Legislature. 53,719 28,60211,298 4,266 6,386 – 191 227 Vancouver-Burrard2 #ADD8E6 2 #ADD8E6 212,824 7,826 4,972 1,095 260 203 52,369 27,79812,180 7,322 4,424 1,006 257 – Vancouver Centre2 #ADD8E6 2 #ADD8E6 29,112 4,561 3,996 969 485 – 36,302 19,1288,614 4,393 3,727 – 445 – Vancouver East2 #EEDDAA 2 #ADD8E6 1#EEDDAA 118,640 19,774 4,229 720 – – 84,422 44,79517,821 18,541 4,156 541 – – Vancouver-Point Grey3 #ADD8E6 2#A51B12 1 #ADD8E6 325,615 11,365 17,801 3,324 318 959 155,953 53,15223,696 8,435 15,599 2,878 – –23,238 7,979 12,924 1,822 – – Victoria City3 #ADD8E6 3 #ADD8E6 2#A51B12 19,199 3,432 8,408George Frederick Thompson Gregory (Liberal)won the seat in a 1953 byelection, taking it from the Socreds. 1,476 162 – 60,519 21,4748,620 3,417 7,241 – 143 –7,827 3,265 7,205 – 124 – a Bold indicates incumbent in last Legislature. lightgreen #BFBFBF = winning candidate See also List of British Columbia political parties Further reading 1988 Electoral History of British Columbia, 18711986 https://elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/1871-1986_ElectoralHistoryofBC.pdf Elections BC 0-7718-8677-2 Elections BC 1988 References Category: elections in Canada General election Category:September 1956 in Canada