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1935 Quebec general election

1935 Quebec general election
← 1931 November 25, 1935 1936 →
89 seats in the 19th Legislative Assembly of Quebec
45 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Louis-Alexandre Taschereau Paul Gouin Maurice Duplessis
Party Liberal Action libérale nationale Conservative
Leader since 1920 1934 1933
Leader's seat Montmorency L'Assomption Trois-Rivières
Last election 79 seats, 54.88% pre-creation 11 seats, 43.54%
Seats won 47 25 17
Seat change Decrease32 Increase25 Increase6
Percentage 46.53% 29.48% 18.93%
Swing Decrease8.35pp Increase29.48pp Decrease24.61pp
Premier before election

Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Liberal

Premier after election

Louis-Alexandre Taschereau
Liberal


The 1935 Quebec general election was held on November 25, 1935, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Quebec Liberal Party led by Louis-Alexandre Taschereau was re-elected, defeating the Action libérale nationale, led by Paul Gouin, and the Quebec Conservative Party, led by Maurice Duplessis.

It was the fourth and final general election victory in a row for Taschereau, who had held office since 1920. He resigned less than seven months later due to a scandal.

The Action libérale nationale (ALN) was a newly formed party led by the son of former Liberal premier Lomer Gouin. It was established by former Liberals who had become dissatisfied with the party. The ALN and Conservatives formed an alliance, the Union Nationale, to contest this election. They merged after the election to become a single party, which soon became a dominant political force.

Campaign

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Political advertisement for the Quebec Liberal Party in the 1935 election
UN campaign illustration highlighting Taschereau's supposed views during election

Nominations

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There were 208 candidates nominated,[1] of which five subsequently withdrew:[2]

All three candidates returned by acclamation were incumbents:

Distribution of candidates

[edit]
Riding contests, by number of candidates (1935)[3]
Candidates Lib Ind-G ALN Con Ind-Lib Ind-Con Lib-Opp Ind-Opp Lab Lib-Lab Total
Acclaimed 3 3
2 64 40 23 1 128
3 19 2 11 8 14 1 1 1 57
4 4 1 3 1 5 1 1 16
Total 90 3 54 32 19 1 1 1 2 1 204

Controversy in Terrebonne

[edit]

In Terrebonne, the election of Athanase David was contested on the ground that the ballot papers were not printed in the form prescribed under the Election Act. At the subsequent hearing, the judge ruled that all cast ballots were declared void. Immediately afterwards, the returning officer announced that, as this resulted in a 0-0 tie, he cast his deciding vote in favour of David.[4][5]

Votes cast in Terrebonne (1935)
Candidate Initial
count[6]		 As determined by
Returning Officer[7]
Liberal Athanase David 4,893 1
Conservative Hermann Barrette 4,170 –
Majority 720 1

The returning officer's action was considered to have been without precedent anywhere in the world in countries with parliamentary-style legislatures.[8] The Conservatives lodged an appeal,[8] but the result was upheld by the Quebec Court of Appeal in April 1936.[9] David would become the only member of the Assembly in Quebec history to be elected on only one cast vote.[10]

Results

[edit]
Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1935)[3]
Political party Party leader MLAs Votes
Candidates 1931 1935 ± # ± % ± (pp)
  Government candidates
█ Liberal Louis-Alexandre Taschereau 90 79 47 5Increase 249,586 19,146Decrease 46.53 8.35Decrease
█ Independent – 3 – – – 615 2,172Decrease 0.11 0.46Decrease
  Union Nationale alliance
█ Action libérale nationale Paul Gouin 53 – 26 26Increase 162,205 New 30.24 New
█ Conservative Maurice Duplessis 33 11 16 5Increase 97,469 115,754Decrease 18.17 25.37Decrease
  Opposition candidates
█ Liberal – 1 – – – 1,532 New 0.29 New
█ Independent – 1 – – – 94 12Decrease 0.02 –
  Other candidates
█ Independent-Liberal – 19 – 1 1Increase 21,587 20,522Increase 4.02 3.80Increase
█ Labour – 2 – – – 2,238 1,757Increase 0.42 0.32Increase
█ Liberal–Labour – 1 – – – 998 New 0.19 New
█ Independent-Conservative – 1 – – – 37 547Decrease – 0.12Decrease
Total 204 90 536,361 100%
Rejected ballots 15,232 11,042Increase
Voter turnout 551,593 57,708Increase 76.16 0.85Decrease
Registered electors (contested ridings only) 724,260 82,936Increase
Candidates returned by acclamation 3 3Increase
Popular vote
PLQ
 
 46.53%
ALN
 
 29.48%
PCQ
 
 18.93%
Others
 
 5.06%
Seats summary
PLQ
 
 52.81%
ALN
 
 28.09%
PCQ
 
 19.10%

Synopsis of results

[edit]
Results by riding - 1935 Quebec general election[3][11]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes[a 2]
Name 1931 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		Lib ALN Con I-Lib Lib-O Lab Other Total
 
Abitibi Lib Lib 6,088 55.78% 1,261 11.55% 80.85% 6,088 – 4,827 – – – – 10,915
Argenteuil Lib Lib 2,412 51.31% 123 2.62% 77.61% 2,412 2,289 – – – – – 4,701
Arthabaska Lib Lib 4,143 69.36% 2,313 38.72% 84.12% 4,143 – 1,830 – – – – 5,973
Bagot Lib Lib 2,386 57.98% 657 15.97% 89.06% 2,386 1,729 – – – – – 4,115
Beauce Lib ALN 6,862 80.41% 5,190 60.82% 83.45% 1,672 6,862 – – – – – 8,534
Beauharnois Lib Con 2,706 53.38% 343 6.77% 82.16% 2,363 – 2,706 – – – – 5,069
Bellechasse Lib Lib 2,483 54.08% 375 8.17% 83.22% 2,483 2,108 – – – – – 4,591
Berthier Lib Lib 2,897 58.77% 865 17.55% 91.58% 2,897 2,032 – – – – – 4,929
Bonaventure Lib Lib 4,507 62.56% 1,810 25.12% 81.86% 4,507 2,697 – – – – – 7,204
Brome Lib Lib 1,999 57.28% 508 14.56% 82.19% 1,999 – 1,491 – – – – 3,490
Chambly Con Lib 3,023 54.95% 545 9.91% 71.87% 3,023 – 2,478 – – – – 5,501
Champlain Lib ALN 3,257 56.20% 719 12.41% 76.09% 2,538 3,257 – – – – – 5,795
Charlevoix—Saguenay Lib Lib 5,220 65.57% 2,479 31.14% 76.76% 5,220 2,741 – – – – – 7,961
Châteauguay Lib Lib 1,967 58.04% 545 16.08% 86.26% 1,967 1,422 – – – – – 3,389
Chicoutimi Lib ALN 7,484 72.60% 4,659 45.19% 76.25% 2,825 7,484 – – – – – 10,309
Compton Lib Con 2,803 52.27% 243 4.53% 83.19% 2,560 – 2,803 – – – – 5,363
Deux-Montagnes Con Lib 1,848 50.19% 14 0.38% 92.53% 1,848 – 1,834 – – – – 3,682
Dorchester Lib ALN 3,661 55.94% 777 11.87% 84.37% 2,884 3,661 – – – – – 6,545
Drummond Lib Lib 3,245 47.57% 20 0.29% 79.71% 3,245 – 3,225 351 – – – 6,821
Frontenac Lib ALN 3,310 62.19% 1,298 24.39% 84.57% 2,012 3,310 – – – – – 5,322
Gaspé-Nord Lib Lib 1,228 44.27% 96 3.46% 83.41% 1,228 414 – 1,132 – – – 2,774
Gaspé-Sud Lib Lib 3,019 50.42% 1,281 21.39% 86.10% 3,019 – 660 2,309 – – – 5,988
Gatineau Lib Lib 2,793 57.95% 766 15.89% 63.66% 2,793 2,027 – – – – – 4,820
Hull Con Lib 3,053 48.93% 795 12.74% 59.29% 3,053 – 2,258 928 – – – 6,239
Huntingdon Con Con 1,750 54.79% 306 9.58% 83.59% 1,444 – 1,750 – – – – 3,194
Iberville Lib Lib acclaimed (opponent withdrew)
Îles-de-la-Madeleine Lib Lib 1,358 67.29% 963 47.72% 87.20% 1,358 395 – 265 – – – 2,018
Jacques-Cartier Lib ALN 4,909 56.84% 1,182 13.69% 73.16% 3,727 4,909 – – – – – 8,636
Joliette Lib Lib 3,484 53.32% 434 6.64% 86.80% 3,484 – 3,050 – – – – 6,534
Kamouraska Lib Lib 2,918 57.27% 741 14.54% 83.99% 2,918 2,177 – – – – – 5,095
L'Assomption Lib ALN 1,969 50.80% 62 1.60% 89.29% 1,907 1,969 – – – – – 3,876
L'Islet Lib Lib 2,454 59.32% 771 18.64% 81.33% 2,454 1,683 – – – – – 4,137
Labelle Lib ALN 2,604 62.93% 1,070 25.86% 80.81% 1,534 2,604 – – – – – 4,138
Lac-Saint-Jean Lib Con 2,255 50.59% 53 1.19% 86.90% 2,202 – 2,255 – – – – 4,457
Laval Lib Con 10,125 53.62% 2,412 12.77% 69.50% 7,713 – 10,125 1,044 – – – 18,882
Laviolette Lib ALN 3,497 61.00% 1,261 22.00% 72.64% 2,236 3,497 – – – – – 5,733
Lévis Lib ALN 3,346 42.33% 595 7.53% 86.19% 1,808 3,346 – 2,751 – – – 7,905
Lotbinière Lib Lib 4,088 80.58% 3,103 61.17% 77.67% 4,088 985 – – – – – 5,073
Maisonneuve Lib Con 9,408 56.34% 2,757 16.51% 65.26% 6,651 – 9,408 – – 639 – 16,698
Maskinongé Lib Lib 2,319 64.20% 1,026 28.41% 78.04% 2,319 1,293 – – – – – 3,612
Matane Lib Lib 2,780 57.53% 728 15.07% 72.12% 2,780 2,052 – – – – – 4,832
Matapédia Lib Lib 2,809 50.86% 95 1.72% 86.71% 2,809 2,714 – – – – – 5,523
Mégantic Lib ALN 4,480 59.06% 1,375 18.13% 84.61% 3,105 4,480 – – – – – 7,585
Missisquoi Lib Con 2,686 53.23% 481 9.53% 83.64% 2,205 – 2,686 – – – 155 5,046
Montcalm Lib Lib 1,763 52.77% 185 5.54% 85.17% 1,763 – 1,578 – – – – 3,341
Montmagny Lib ALN 2,340 52.51% 224 5.03% 83.87% 2,116 2,340 – – – – – 4,456
Montmorency Lib Lib 2,196 56.26% 489 12.53% 90.42% 2,196 1,707 – – – – – 3,903
Montréal-Dorion Lib ALN 4,979 56.17% 1,094 12.34% 66.99% 3,885 4,979 – – – – – 8,864
Montréal-Laurier Lib ALN 2,471 35.00% 872 12.35% 60.15% 1,594 2,471 – 1,397 – 1,599 – 7,061
Montréal-Mercier Lib Lib 9,071 50.05% 776 4.28% 71.30% 9,071 8,295 – 757 – – – 18,123
Montréal–Saint-Georges Con Con 1,414 55.54% 282 11.08% 49.90% 1,132 – 1,414 – – – – 2,546
Montréal–Saint-Henri Lib ALN 2,418 35.03% 128 1.85% 67.09% 2,290 2,418 – 2,194 – – – 6,902
Montreal–Saint-Jacques Lib Con 3,036 50.38% 46 0.76% 72.49% 2,990 – 3,036 – – – – 6,026
Montréal–Saint-Laurent Lib Lib 3,351 76.72% 2,334 53.43% 94.25% 3,351 – 1,017 – – – – 4,368
Montréal–Saint-Louis Lib Lib acclaimed (receiving officer not available to receive opponent's nomination papers)[12]
Montreal–Sainte-Anne Lib I-Lib 1,541 46.25% 550 16.51% 65.12% 991 716 – 1,541 – – 84 3,332
Montréal–Sainte-Marie Lib ALN 4,782 49.92% 361 3.77% 66.11% 4,421 4,782 – – – – 376 9,579
Montréal-Verdun Con Con 6,518 49.06% 3,017 22.71% 58.53% 3,501 – 6,518 3,268 – – – 13,287
Napierville-Laprairie Lib Lib 2,641 58.74% 1,158 25.76% 88.68% 2,641 1,483 – 372 – – – 4,496
Nicolet Lib Lib 3,427 54.41% 556 8.83% 79.82% 3,427 – 2,871 – – – – 6,298
Papineau Lib ALN 4,075 56.72% 966 13.45% 73.11% 3,109 4,075 – – – – – 7,184
Pontiac Lib Lib 1,779 44.31% 62 1.54% 67.79% 1,779 1,717 – 519 – – – 4,015
Portneuf Lib ALN 4,502 56.32% 1,047 13.10% 84.49% 3,455 4,502 – – – – 37 7,994
Québec-Centre Lib ALN 3,824 52.74% 398 5.49% 80.81% 3,426 3,824 – – – – – 7,250
Québec-Comté Lib Lib 3,987 48.07% 234 2.82% 91.36% 3,987 3,753 – 554 – – – 8,294
Québec-Est Lib ALN 5,629 57.61% 1,487 15.22% 84.13% 4,142 5,629 – – – – – 9,771
Québec-Ouest Lib Lib 1,894 58.44% 547 16.88% 81.71% 1,894 – 1,347 – – – – 3,241
Richelieu Lib Lib acclaimed (opponent withdrew)
Richmond Lib Con 3,170 55.58% 637 11.17% 83.23% 2,533 – 3,170 – – – – 5,703
Rimouski Lib Lib 3,055 53.49% 399 6.99% 79.54% 3,055 2,656 – – – – – 5,711
Rivière-du-Loup Lib Lib 3,866 59.26% 1,208 18.52% 84.53% 3,866 2,658 – – – – – 6,524
Roberval Lib ALN 3,768 60.56% 1,611 25.89% 81.59% 2,157 3,768 – 297 – – – 6,222
Rouville Con Con 1,938 53.08% 225 6.16% 87.16% 1,713 – 1,938 – – – – 3,651
Saint-Hyacinthe Lib Lib 3,381 53.68% 463 7.35% 86.13% 3,381 2,918 – – – – – 6,299
Saint-Jean Lib Lib 2,626 63.16% 1,094 26.31% 79.55% 2,626 – – – 1,532 – – 4,158
Saint-Maurice Lib ALN 4,219 59.72% 1,373 19.43% 82.05% 2,846 4,219 – – – – – 7,065
Saint-Sauveur Con Con 4,184 50.51% 1,082 13.06% 85.80% 3,102 – 4,184 – – – 998 8,284
Shefford Lib ALN 3,708 53.30% 459 6.60% 85.29% 3,249 3,708 – – – – – 6,957
Sherbrooke Lib ALN 4,777 60.68% 1,681 21.35% 75.06% 3,096 4,777 – – – – – 7,873
Soulanges Lib Lib 1,287 57.66% 342 15.32% 85.75% 1,287 – 945 – – – – 2,232
Stanstead Lib ALN 2,871 52.98% 323 5.96% 77.22% 2,548 2,871 – – – – – 5,419
Témiscamingue Lib ALN 2,929 53.63% 1,343 24.59% 70.10% 1,586 2,929 – 853 – – 94 5,462
Témiscouata Lib Lib 2,112 53.25% 258 6.51% 87.03% 2,112 1,854 – – – – – 3,966
Terrebonne Lib Lib Returning officer cast sole ballot (all others declared void)
Trois-Rivières Con Con 4,873 57.03% 1,202 14.07% 86.70% 3,671 – 4,873 – – – – 8,544
Vaudreuil Lib Lib 1,120 37.35% 65 2.17% 84.65% 1,120 – 824 1,055 – – – 2,999
Verchères Lib Lib 2,077 64.50% 934 29.01% 90.87% 2,077 1,143 – – – – – 3,220
Westmount Con Con 8,288 55.75% 1,709 11.50% 46.39% 6,579 – 8,288 – – – – 14,867
Wolfe Lib Lib 2,023 51.89% 147 3.77% 88.27% 2,023 1,876 – – – – – 3,899
Yamaska Con Con 2,080 52.39% 190 4.79% 91.93% 1,890 – 2,080 – – – – 3,970
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ Affiliations without candidates gaining 1st or 2nd place results provincewide, or otherwise not receiving more than 1% of the total vote, are grouped under "I-Oth" or "Other"
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = other incumbents renominated
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = multiple candidates

Analysis

[edit]
Party candidates in 2nd place[3][a 1]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
Lib ALN CON Ind-Lib Lib-Opp Lab
Liberal 26 13 3 1 43
Action libérale nationale 24 1 1 26
Conservative 16 16
Independent Liberal 1 1
Total 41 26 13 4 1 1 86
  1. ^ excluding acclamations and Terrebonne result
Candidates ranked 1st to 4th place, by party[3]
Parties Acclaimed Declared 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
█ Liberal 3 1 43 41 2 90
█ Action libérale nationale 26 26 2 54
█ Conservative 16 13 2 31
█ Independent Liberal 1 4 12 2 19
█ Labour 1 1 2
█ Liberal Opposition 1 1
█ Independent Government 2 1 3
█ Liberal–Labour 1 1
█ Independent Conservative 1 1
█ Independent Opposition 1 1
Resulting composition of the 19th Quebec Legislative Assembly[11]
Source Party
Lib ALN Con Ind-Lib Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 31 8 39
Incumbents returned - acclaimed and declared 4 4
Open seats held 9 9
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated - new MLAs 1 14 5 20
Incumbents defeated - previous members returned 1 1 2
Open seats gained 1 11 2 1 15
Incumbent changed allegiance 1 1
Total 47 26 16 1 90

See also

[edit]
This article is part of
a series about
Maurice Duplessis
Pre-premiership politics (1923-1935)

Politics

Economy

Legacy and cultural references

Further reading

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "On compte 208 candidats en lice dans Québec" [208 candidates are in the running in Quebec]. Le Droit (in French). Ottawa. November 19, 1935. p. 1.
  2. ^ "Cinq candidats se retirent" [Five candidates withdraw]. Le Devoir (in French). November 20, 1935. p. 3.
  3. ^ a b c d e Drouilly, Pierre (November 7, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1935". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  4. ^ "M. le juge Guibeault déclare nulle l'élection de Terrebonne. L'officier-rapporteur élit M. David" [Judge Guibault voids the Terrebonne election. The Returning Officer elects David]. Le Devoir (in French). December 16, 1935. pp. 1, 3.
  5. ^ "Terrebonne votes all found illegal". Montreal Gazette. December 17, 1935. p. 6.
  6. ^ "Le juge Guibault continue le recomptage du scrutin dans le comté de Terrebonne" [Judge Guibault is continuing the recount in Terrebonne]. Le Devoir (in French). December 6, 1935. p. 1.
  7. ^ "Election results (Terrebonne)". assnat.qc.ca. National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Unionists act quickly to bar David election". Montreal Gazette. December 17, 1935. pp. 1, 6.
  9. ^ "David wins round in election fight". Montreal Gazette. April 14, 1936. p. 4.
  10. ^ "Athanase David (1882-1953)". La Revue de Terrebonne (in French). March 21, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  12. ^ "L'élection dans St-Louis" [The St-Louis election]. Le Devoir (in French). November 19, 1935. p. 2.