1963 British Columbia general election
September 30, 1963
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52 seats of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 27 seats were needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1963 British Columbia general election was the 27th 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 22, 1963, and held on September 30, 1963. The new legislature met for the first time on January 23, 1964.
The conservative Social Credit Party of Premier W.A.C. Bennett was re-elected with a majority in the legislature to a fifth term in government. The party increased its share of the popular vote and number of seats in the legislature marginally.
The opposition New Democratic Party (formerly the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation) had small losses both in popular vote and number of seats.
The Liberals won about 20% of the popular vote, and one additional seat, for a total of five.
The Progressive Conservative Party won no seats in the legislature increasing its share of the popular vote by four-and-half percentage points to over 11%.
Results
| Political party | Party leader | MLAs | Votes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | 1960 | 1963 | ± | # | ± | % | ± (pp) | |||
| Social Credit | W.A.C. Bennett | 52 | 32 | 33 | 1 |
395,079 | 8,193 |
40.83 | 2.00 | |
| New Democratic[a 1] | Bob Strachan | 52 | 16 | 14 | 2 |
269,004 | 57,090 |
27.80 | 4.93 | |
| Liberal | Ray Perrault | 51 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
193,363 | 14,886 |
19.98 | 0.92 | |
| Progressive Conservative | Davie Fulton | 44 | – | – | – | 109,090 | 42,147 |
11.27 | 4.55 | |
| Communist | 4 | – | – | – | 849 | 4,826 |
0.09 | 0.48 | ||
| Independent[a 2] | 2 | – | – | – | 290 | 2,267 |
0.03 | 0.22 | ||
| Total | 205 | 52 | 52 | 967,675 | 100.00% | |||||
| Rejected ballots[2] | 6,132 | 3,730 |
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| Actual voters who voted[2] | 608,672 | 23,359 |
69.71% | 2.13 | ||||||
| Registered voters[2] | 873,140 | 1,127 |
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| Party | Seats | Votes | Change (pp) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| █ Social Credit | 33 / 52
|
2.00 | |||
| █ New Democratic | 14 / 52
|
-4.93 | |||
| █ Liberal | 5 / 52
|
-0.92 | |||
| █ Progressive Conservative | 0 / 52
|
4.55 | |||
| █ Other | 0 / 52
|
-0.70 | |||
MLAs elected
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Single-member districts Alberni: Stanley John Squire
Atlin: Frank Calder
Cariboo: William C. Speare
Chilliwack: William Kenneth Kiernan
Columbia: James Roland Chabot
Comox: Daniel Campbell
Cowichan-Newcastle: Robert Strachan
Cranbrook: Leo Nimsick
Dewdney: Dave Barrett
Esquimalt: Herbert Joseph Bruch
Fernie: Harry McKay
Fort George: Ray Williston
Grand Forks-Greenwood: Lois Haggen
Kamloops: Phil Gaglardi
Kaslo-Slocan: Randolph Harding
Lillooet: Don Robinson
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Mackenzie: Anthony Gargrave
Nanaimo and the Islands: David Stupich
Nelson-Creston: Wesley Drewett Black
New Westminster: Rae Eddie
North Okanagan: George McLeod
North Peace River: Jacob Francis Huhn
Oak Bay: Alan MacFarlane
Omineca: Cyril Morley Shelford
Prince Rupert: William Harvey Murray
Revelstoke: Arvid Lundell
Rossland-Trail: Donald Leslie Brothers
Saanich: John Douglas Tisdalle
Salmon Arm: Willis Franklin Jefcoat
Similkameen: Frank Richter, Jr.
Skeena: Dudley George Little
South Okanagan: W. A. C. Bennett
South Peace River: Stanley Carnell
Yale: Bill Hartley
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Multi-member districts Burnaby: Charles MacSorley
Burnaby: Gordon Dowding
Delta: Ernest A. LeCours
Delta: Hunter Vogel
North Vancouver: Gordon Gibson, Sr.
North Vancouver: Ray Perrault
Vancouver-Burrard: Eric Charles Fitzgerald Martin
Vancouver-Burrard: Bert Price
Vancouver Centre: Alexander Small Matthew
Vancouver Centre: Leslie Peterson
Vancouver East: Alexander Macdonald
Vancouver East: Arthur James Turner
Vancouver-Point Grey: Robert Bonner
Vancouver-Point Grey: Ralph Raymond Loffmark
Vancouver-Point Grey: Pat McGeer
Victoria City: William Chant
Victoria City: Waldo McTavish Skillings
Victoria City: John Donald Smith
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Synopsis of results
| Riding | Winning party | Votes | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | 1960 | Party | Votes | Share | Margin # |
Margin % |
SC | NDP | Lib | PC | Comm | Ind | Total | ||
| Alberni | CCF | NDP | 4,249 | 48.14% | 743 | 8.42% | 3,506 | 4,249 | – | 1,071 | – | – | 8,826 | ||
| Atlin | CCF | NDP | 549 | 54.46% | 241 | 23.90% | 308 | 549 | 151 | – | – | – | 1,008 | ||
| Cariboo | SC | SC | 3,015 | 41.98% | 1,464 | 20.38% | 3,015 | 1,482 | 1,134 | 1,551 | – | – | 7,182 | ||
| Chilliwack | SC | SC | 10,031 | 58.44% | 6,906 | 40.23% | 10,031 | 3,125 | 2,252 | 1,757 | – | – | 17,165 | ||
| Columbia | SC | SC | 1,305 | 40.08% | 213 | 6.54% | 1,305 | 467 | 392 | 1,092 | – | – | 3,256 | ||
| Comox | SC | SC | 6,598 | 42.38% | 360 | 2.32% | 6,598 | 6,238 | 1,259 | 1,475 | – | – | 15,570 | ||
| Cowichan-Newcastle | CCF | NDP | 5,422 | 50.47% | 1,846 | 17.18% | 3,576 | 5,422 | 904 | 840 | – | – | 10,742 | ||
| Cranbrook | CCF | NDP | 2,563 | 39.09% | 930 | 14.19% | 1,633 | 2,563 | 835 | 1,526 | – | – | 6,557 | ||
| Dewdney | CCF | NDP | 11,625 | 41.95% | 1,119 | 4.04% | 10,506 | 11,625 | 4,051 | 1,532 | – | – | 27,714 | ||
| Esquimalt | SC | SC | 4,951 | 48.28% | 2,145 | 20.92% | 4,951 | 2,806 | 1,398 | 1,099 | – | – | 10,254 | ||
| Fernie | Lib | Lib | 1,226 | 41.67% | 189 | 6.42% | 679 | 1,037 | 1,226 | – | – | – | 2,942 | ||
| Fort George | SC | SC | 5,308 | 60.78% | 3,583 | 41.03% | 5,308 | 1,725 | 961 | 739 | – | – | 8,733 | ||
| Grand Forks-Greenwood | CCF | NDP | 919 | 38.45% | 153 | 6.40% | 705 | 919 | 766 | – | – | – | 2,390 | ||
| Kamloops | SC | SC | 5,669 | 47.17% | 1,196 | 9.95% | 5,669 | 1,297 | 580 | 4,473 | – | – | 12,019 | ||
| Kaslo-Slocan | CCF | NDP | 1,242 | 45.07% | 149 | 5.41% | 1,093 | 1,242 | 301 | 120 | – | – | 2,756 | ||
| Lillooet | SC | SC | 1,425 | 33.77% | 309 | 7.32% | 1,425 | 1,116 | 977 | 702 | – | – | 4,220 | ||
| Mackenzie | CCF | NDP | 4,323 | 41.61% | 403 | 3.88% | 3,920 | 4,323 | 2,147 | – | – | – | 10,390 | ||
| Nanaimo and the Islands | SC | NDP | 4,278 | 42.44% | 19 | 0.18% | 4,259 | 4,278 | 960 | 582 | – | – | 10,079 | ||
| Nelson-Creston | SC | SC | 4,047 | 44.65% | 2,104 | 23.21% | 4,047 | 1,943 | 1,600 | 1,474 | – | – | 9,064 | ||
| New Westminster | CCF | NDP | 5,035 | 37.57% | 318 | 2.38% | 4,717 | 5,035 | 2,335 | 1,316 | – | – | 13,403 | ||
| North Okanagan | SC | SC | 4,157 | 41.55% | 2,081 | 20.80% | 4,157 | 2,008 | 2,076 | 1,765 | – | – | 10,006 | ||
| North Peace River | SC | SC | 2,310 | 69.43% | 1,707 | 51.31% | 2,310 | 414 | 603 | – | – | – | 3,327 | ||
| Oak Bay | Lib | Lib | 4,457 | 42.77% | 687 | 6.60% | 3,770 | 469 | 4,457 | 1,726 | – | – | 10,422 | ||
| Omineca | SC | SC | 1,936 | 55.09% | 1,157 | 32.92% | 1,936 | 779 | 528 | 271 | – | – | 3,514 | ||
| Prince Rupert | SC | SC | 2,357 | 42.07% | 439 | 7.84% | 2,357 | 1,918 | 1,328 | – | – | – | 5,603 | ||
| Revelstoke | CCF | SC | 1,176 | 41.36% | 105 | 3.69% | 1,176 | 1,071 | 385 | 211 | – | – | 2,843 | ||
| Rossland-Trail | SC | SC | 5,474 | 51.02% | 2,828 | 26.36% | 5,474 | 2,646 | 1,139 | 1,470 | – | – | 10,729 | ||
| Saanich | SC | SC | 10,657 | 49.02% | 5,879 | 27.04% | 10,657 | 4,778 | 3,049 | 3,180 | – | 75 | 21,739 | ||
| Salmon Arm | SC | SC | 2,058 | 41.55% | 413 | 8.34% | 2,058 | 1,645 | 245 | 1,005 | – | – | 4,953 | ||
| Similkameen | SC | SC | 5,093 | 48.71% | 2,457 | 23.50% | 5,093 | 2,636 | 1,423 | 1,303 | – | – | 10,455 | ||
| Skeena | SC | SC | 2,963 | 50.23% | 988 | 16.75% | 2,963 | 1,975 | 961 | – | – | – | 5,899 | ||
| South Okanagan | SC | SC | 8,485 | 63.69% | 5,997 | 45.01% | 8,485 | 1,707 | 642 | 2,488 | – | – | 13,322 | ||
| South Peace River | SC | SC | 3,365 | 68.81% | 2,540 | 51.94% | 3,365 | 825 | 700 | – | – | – | 4,890 | ||
| Yale | SC | NDP | 1,697 | 37.13% | 6 | 0.14% | 1,691 | 1,697 | 599 | 584 | – | – | 4,571 | ||
- = open seat
- = turnout is above provincial average
- = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
- = incumbent had switched allegiance
- = previously incumbent in another riding
- = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
- = incumbency arose from byelection gain
- = other incumbents renominated
- = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
- = multiple candidates
| Riding | Winning party | Votes | Voters who voted[4] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | MLAs | 1960 | 1963 | SC | NDP | Lib | PC | Comm | Ind | Total | |
| Burnaby | 2 | 2 |
1 1
|
14,650 | 14,750 | 5,472 | 2,343 | – | – | 73,598 | 41,669 |
| 14,070 | 14,409 | 5,641 | 2,263 | – | – | ||||||
| Delta | 2 | 2 |
2
|
22,504 | 18,690 | 5,553 | 4,461 | – | – | 100,327 | 55,073 |
| 22,067 | 17,661 | 5,342 | 4,049 | – | – | ||||||
| North Vancouver | 2 | 2 |
2
|
13,215 | 5,764 | 16,153 | 3,567 | 190 | – | 73,337 | 37,901 |
| 11,883 | 5,409 | 14,068 | 3,088 | – | – | ||||||
| Vancouver-Burrard | 2 | 2 |
2
|
11,181 | 10,345 | 5,798 | – | – | 58,657 | 29,534 | |
| 10,612 | 8,998 | 5,291 | – | – | |||||||
| Vancouver Centre | 2 | 2 |
2
|
8,060 | 5,806 | 3,477 | 2,741 | 266 | – | 39,777 | 21,312 |
| 7,594 | 5,538 | 3,467 | 2,588 | 240 | – | ||||||
| Vancouver East | 2 | 2 |
2
|
17,031 | 20,424 | 3,996 | 2,308 | – | 215 | 87,294 | 51,781 |
| 16,867 | 20,292 | 3,901 | 2,260 | – | – | ||||||
| Vancouver-Point Grey | 3 | 3 |
2 1
|
23,172 | 8,663 | 25,592[a 1] | 15,719 | – | – | 179,472 | 59,871 |
| 20,962 | 8,072 | 17,641 | 7,643 | – | – | ||||||
| 20,267 | 8,018 | 16,510 | 7,213 | – | – | ||||||
| Victoria City | 3 | 3 |
3
|
9,736 | 3,557 | 4,440 | 2,528 | 153 | – | 58,670 | 22,387 |
| 9,347 | 3,324 | 4,355 | 2,282 | – | – | ||||||
| 9,118 | 3,275 | 4,302 | 2,253 | – | – | ||||||
- ^ Pat McGeer was elected in a 1962 byelection.
- = winning candidate
See also
References
- ^ a b Elections BC 1988, pp. 275, 285.
- ^ a b c Elections BC 1988, pp. 2–3.
- ^ a b Elections BC 1988, pp. 277–282, 287–292.
- ^ Elections BC 1988, p. 537.
Further reading
- Electoral History of British Columbia, 1871–1986 (PDF). Elections BC. 1988. ISBN 0-7718-8677-2.
- Saywell, John T., ed. (1964). Canadian Annual Review for 1963. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.


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