Victoria (British Columbia electoral district)

Victoria was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, and was one of the first twelve ridings at the time of that province's joining Confederation in 1871 and stayed on the hustings until 1890. From 1894 to 1963 it did not appear on the electoral map. During that period the Victoria area was represented by North Victoria, South Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, Oak Bay and Victoria City. In 1966 the old Victoria City riding was redistributed and given the name of the old "rural" riding, Victoria.

Demographics

Population, 1961
Population change, 1871–1961
Area (km2)
Population density (people per km2)

Notable MLAs

Electoral history

Note: Winners of each election are in bold.

1st British Columbia election, 1871
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Independent Arthur Bunster 123 32.63% unknown
     Independent William Dalby 103 27.32% unknown
     Independent Amor De Cosmos 151 40.05% unknown
Total valid votes 377 100.00%
British Columbia Byelection: Victoria, November 26, 1874 1
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Independent William Dalby 97 21.90% unknown
     Independent Charles William Horth 25 5.64% unknown
     Independent James Thomas McIlmoyl 72 16.25% unknown
     Independent William Archibald Robertson 108 24.38% unknown
     Independent William Fraser Tolmie 141 31.83% unknown
Total valid votes 443 100.00%
1 The byelection was due to resignations February 9, 1874 of A. Bunster and A. De Cosmos upon winning seats in the federal election January 22, 1874 (in Vancouver and Victoria federal ridings, respectively).
British Columbia general election, 1875
Party Candidate Votes%Elected
Reform caucusThomas Basil Humphreys 89 33.58% Green tick
Reform caucusWilliam Fraser Tolmie 65 24.53% Green tick
IndependentWilliam Reay 51 19.25%
IndependentNoah Shakespeare 48 18.11%
IndependentMichael Baker 12 4.53%
Total valid votes 265 100.00%
British Columbia general election, 1878
Party Candidate Votes%Elected
OppositionJames Thomas McIlmoyl 102 20.06% Green tick
OppositionThomas Basil Humphreys 99 32.04% Green tick
Reform caucusWilliam Fraser Tolmie 62 20.06%
IndependentThomas Lee 46 14.89%
Total valid votes 309 100.00%
British Columbia Byelection: Victoria July 10, 18782
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Independent Thomas Basil Humphreys Acclaimed -.- % unknown
Total valid votes n/a -.- %
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
2 The byelection was called due to Humphreys' resignation upon appointment to the Executive Council (cabinet) upon his appointment to the Executive Council (cabinet) June 26, 1878. This byelection was one of a series held to confirm appointments to the Executive Council, which was the old parliamentary convention. As this byelection writ was filled by acclamation, no polling day was required and the seat was filled within two weeks. The stated date is the date the return of writs was received by the Chief Electoral Officer.
4th British Columbia election, 1882
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
GovernmentThomas Basil Humphreys 100 25.71% – unknown
OppositionRobert Franklin John 110 28.28% – unknown
GovernmentJames Thomas McIlmoyl 66 16.97% – unknown
OppositionGeorge Archibald McTavish 113 29.05% – unknown
    
Total valid votes 389 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
5th British Columbia election, 1886
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
GovernmentGeorge William Anderson 134 27.07% – unknown
OppositionThomas Basil Humphreys 113 22.83% – unknown
GovernmentRobert Franklin John 166 33.53% – unknown
OppositionJohn Watts Sluggett 82 16.57% – unknown
Total valid votes 495 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
6th British Columbia election, 1890
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
GovernmentGeorge William Anderson 530 52.28% – unknown
OppositionJoseph Westrop Carey 115 24.89% – unknown
GovernmentDavid McEwen Eberts 176 38.10% – unknown
Total valid votes 462 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %

For the 1894 election the Victoria riding was redistributed into North Victoria and South Victoria. The Victoria riding name did not reappear until the 1966 election. As before, it was a two-member seat:

28th British Columbia election, 1966
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Harold Tuttle Alan 5,304 11.70% unknown
     New Democrat Dorcas Blair 5,175 11.42% unknown
Social CreditWilliam Neelands Chant 13,068 28.84% – unknown
     Communist Ernest Leon Knott 241 0.53% unknown
     Liberal John W. Porteus 4,774 10.54% unknown
     Liberal Frank D. Preston 4,597 10.14% unknown
Social CreditWaldo McTavish Skillings 12,156 26.83% – unknown
Total valid votes 45,315 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 264
Turnout %
29th British Columbia election, 1969
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Peter G. Bunn 8,517 14.70% unknown
Social CreditWilliam Neelands Chant 15,899 27.43% – unknown
     Liberal Mel Couvelier 4,497 7.76% unknown
     New Democrat James Philip Fawcett 8,006 13.81% unknown
     Independent William Alfred Scott 259 0.45% unknown
Social CreditWaldo McTavish Skillings 15,443 26.65% – unknown
     Liberal Ian Hugh Stewart 5,334 9.20% unknown
Total valid votes 57,955 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 496
Turnout %
30th British Columbia election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal David Alexander Anderson 10,750 16.00% unknown
     Conservative Edith Rose Sophia Gunning 7,843 11.67% unknown
     New Democrat John David Hobson 6,887 10.25% unknown
     Liberal Carron Baker Jameson 7,436 11.07%
Social CreditNewell Orrin Ruston Morrison 10,840 16.14% – unknown
     New Democrat Kathleen Ruff 6,981 10.39% unknown
     Conservative Albert Clyde Savage 6,218 9.26% unknown
Social CreditWaldo McTavish Skillings 10,227 15.22% – unknown
Total valid votes 67,182 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 497
Turnout %
31st British Columbia election, 1975
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal David Alexander Anderson 6,677 9.25 % unknown
     New Democrat Charles Frederick Barber 14,645 20.30 % unknown
Social CreditRobert Samuel Bawlf 15,143 20.99% – unknown
     Conservative William Loyd Burdon 2,558 3.55% unknown
     New Democrat Gordon William Hanson 13,970 19.36% unknown
     Independent Richard Owen Kavanagh 148 0.21% unknown
     Liberal Terence Pitt O'Grady 3,102 4.30%
Social CreditIan Douglas Rendle 13,374 18.54% – unknown
     Independent William Alfred Scott 349 0.48% unknown
     Conservative Peter Bruce Stanley 2,179 3.02% unknown
Total valid votes 72,145 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 691
Turnout %
32nd British Columbia election, 1979
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Charles Frederick Barber 22,700 28.26% unknown
Social CreditRobert Samuel Bawlf 17,002 21.16% – unknown
     Western Independence Party Michael Edward Easton 275 0.34% unknown
     New Democrat Gordon William Hanson 20,226 25.18% unknown
     Conservative Jack Lindsay 2,195 2.73% unknown
     Conservative Margaret M. (Maggi) Lynn 2,018 2.51% unknown
Social CreditMichael Dalway Watson (Mike) Young 15,923 19.82% – unknown
Total valid votes 80,339 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 1,107
Turnout %
33rd British Columbia election, 1983
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Robin Kyle Blencoe 23,787 28.62% unknown
Social CreditJoe Easingwood 15,971 19.22% – unknown
     New Democrat Gordon William Hanson 23,877 28.73% unknown
     Independent Balther Johannes Jensen 406 0.49% unknown
     Liberal [Victor Evan Lindal 1,158 1.39% unknown
     Liberal [William John McElroy 1,271 1.53% unknown
     Independent David Michael Shebib 242 0.29% unknown
Social CreditJohn McGrath Townson 15,352 18.47% – unknown
     Western Canada Concept Alice Mary (Alyson) Umpherson 1,048 1.26% unknown
Total valid votes 83,112 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 610
Turnout %
34th British Columbia election, 1986
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal David C. Bibby 2,257 2.82% unknown
     New Democrat Robin Kyle Blencoe 21,320 26.64% unknown
     New Democrat Gordon William Hanson 21,395 26.74% unknown
     Independent Balther Johannes Jensen 215 0.27% unknown
     Liberal Tom W. Morino 2,235 2.79% unknown
Green[Laura Kathryn Porcher 693 0.87% – unknown
Social CreditRoger W. Skillings 16,132 20.16% – unknown
Social CreditPaul Yewchuck 15,776 19.71% – unknown
Total valid votes 80,023 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 748
Turnout %

Sources

Elections BC Historical Returns