1952 Quebec general election

The 1952 Quebec general election was held on July 16, 1952, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Georges-Émile Lapalme.

1952 Quebec general election

July 16, 1952

92 seats in the 24th Legislative Assembly of Quebec
47 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Maurice Duplessis Georges-Émile Lapalme
Party Union Nationale Liberal
Leader since June 20, 1936 May 20, 1950
Leader's seat Trois-Rivières Ran in Joliette (defeated)
Last election 82 seats, 51.24% 8 seats, 33.17%
Seats won 68 23
Seat change Decrease14 Increase15
Percentage 50.5% 45.77%
Swing Decrease0.74pp Increase12.6pp

Premier before election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

Premier after election

Maurice Duplessis
Union Nationale

This was the fourth time (and the third in a row) that Duplessis led his party to a general election victory.

The number of seats won by the Liberals, and their share of the popular vote, were considerably increased over the previous election in 1948.

Campaign

Thérèse Casgrain became the first female leader of a Quebec political party, heading the CCF.

Of the 92 races, 56 were two-way contests between the two major parties:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1952)[1]
Candidates UN Lib CCF I-UN I-Lib Ind Lab-Pr Lbr PN Total
2 5656112
3 2324118221172
4 888222232
5 44442220
Total 9192231084431236

Outcome

Henri Groulx (Montréal-Outremont) was the first candidate to learn that he had been reelected, but he died within an hour of hearing the news.[2] Georges-Émile Lapalme, who had lost his campaign to take Joliette,[3] would subsequently win the Outremont byelection held on July 9, 1953.[4]

There were two notable results that arose from the election:

  • From 1952 until the 1966 election, Frank Hanley (Montréal–Sainte-Anne) would be the only candidate outside the UN and Liberals to win a seat in the Legislature.
  • For the first time since the 1936 election, no party other than the UN and the Liberals received more than 1% of the popular vote. This would continue until 1966.

Results

[1]

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1952)
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1948 1952 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Union Nationale Maurice Duplessis 91826814Decrease847,98372,236Increase50.50%0.75Decrease
Liberal Georges-Émile Lapalme 9282315Increase768,539221,061Increase45.77%9.61Increase
Co-operative Commonwealth Thérèse Casgrain 2316,0397,023Increase0.96%0.36Increase
Union des électeurs did not campaign
  Other candidates
 Independent   4211Decrease13,84610,110Decrease0.82%0.76Decrease
 Independent-Unionist 1013,1974,548Increase0.79%0.22Increase
Parti National[a 1] 19,734New0.58%New
 Independent-Liberal 84,9661,998Increase0.30%0.10Increase
 Labor–Progressive 43,932967Decrease0.23%0.09Decrease
 Labour 31,02771Decrease0.06%0.01Decrease
Total 236 92 92 1,679,263 100%
Rejected ballots 25,648 7,720Increase
Voter turnout 1,704,911 173,012Increase 75.88 0.66Increase
Registered electors 2,246,998 210,422Increase
  1. contested by René Chaloult (Québec-Comté), who had previously won as an Independent in 1948. This was the only riding in which the UN did not field a candidate but Léopold Larochelle did campaign as an Independent Unionist.
Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)
 Union Nationale
68 / 92
50.50%
-0.75
 
 Liberal
23 / 92
45.77%
9.61 9.61
 
 Independent
1 / 92
0.82%
-0.76
 
 Other
0 / 92
2.91%
-8.10
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1952 Quebec general election[1][5]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name 1948 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
UN Lib CCF Ind PN I-UN I-Lib Lab-Pr Lab Total
 
Abitibi-Est UN UN 12,49757.01%3,07414.02%77.64%12,4979,42321,920
Abitibi-Ouest UN UN 6,71355.15%1,25410.30%87.83%6,7135,45912,172
Argenteuil UN UN 8,24867.92%4,35235.84%83.18%8,2483,89612,144
Arthabaska UN UN 9,00353.31%1,1196.63%91.17%9,0037,88416,887
Bagot UN UN 5,12657.78%1,38115.57%89.35%5,1263,7458,871
Beauce UN UN 12,93958.21%3,64916.42%88.09%12,9399,29022,229
Beauharnois UN UN 10,96861.25%4,03022.51%82.95%10,9686,93817,906
Bellechasse UN UN 5,81454.65%9899.30%81.31%5,8144,82510,639
Berthier UN UN 6,22551.14%2772.28%89.17%6,2255,94812,173
Bonaventure UN UN 8,87552.14%7304.29%87.00%8,8758,14517,020
Brome UN UN 3,98260.57%1,55023.58%83.84%3,9822,4321606,574
Chambly UN UN 18,48656.54%5,12015.66%74.16%18,48613,36684632,698
Champlain UN UN 11,63459.94%3,86019.89%88.79%11,6347,77419,408
Charlevoix UN UN 7,45462.64%3,13326.33%83.20%7,4544,32112511,900
Châteauguay UN UN 4,69153.70%6477.41%84.19%4,6914,0448,735
Chicoutimi UN UN 29,57265.66%14,10631.32%83.35%29,57215,46645,038
Compton UN UN 6,34959.58%2,14020.08%83.85%6,3494,2099810,656
Deux-Montagnes UN UN 7,25774.97%4,99151.56%81.47%7,2572,2661579,680
Dorchester UN UN 9,76461.92%3,75823.83%85.58%9,7646,00615,770
Drummond UN Lib 11,87350.25%1180.50%88.97%11,75511,87323,628
Frontenac UN Lib 6,46451.13%2862.26%91.07%6,1786,46412,642
Gaspé-Nord Lib UN 4,36452.45%4385.26%89.43%4,3643,926308,320
Gaspé-Sud UN UN 8,47361.41%3,14822.81%84.66%8,4735,32513,798
Gatineau UN UN 8,26860.04%3,25123.61%77.36%8,2685,01748613,771
Hull UN UN 12,35460.73%5,04324.79%79.08%12,3547,31167920,344
Huntingdon UN UN 3,16252.11%2564.22%82.87%3,1622,9066,068
Iberville UN UN 3,59758.49%1,04416.98%85.98%3,5972,5536,150
Îles-de-la-Madeleine UN UN 2,46357.99%67915.99%89.86%2,4631,7844,247
Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 22,84753.70%4,79511.27%68.73%18,05222,8471,64542,544
Joliette UN UN 10,28157.88%2,79915.76%89.29%10,2817,48217,763
Kamouraska UN UN 6,72359.65%2,17519.30%82.79%6,7234,54811,271
L'Assomption UN UN 6,16955.44%1,21110.88%88.55%6,1694,95811,127
L'Islet UN UN 5,71857.10%1,42214.20%85.27%5,7184,29610,014
Labelle UN UN 6,39458.97%1,94517.94%87.78%6,3944,44910,843
Lac-Saint-Jean UN UN 8,18057.87%2,38516.87%85.78%8,1805,79516114,136
Laval UN UN 34,65652.40%5,9729.03%66.97%34,65628,6847712,03166,142
Laviolette UN UN 9,59852.67%9725.33%82.44%9,5988,62618,224
Lévis UN Lib 9,72550.26%990.51%85.35%9,6269,72519,351
Lotbinière UN UN 6,70254.51%1,1089.01%89.61%6,7025,59412,296
Maisonneuve UN Lib 18,39349.93%6721.82%67.51%17,72118,39372336,837
Maskinongé UN UN 5,07453.82%7217.65%92.72%5,0744,3539,427
Matane UN UN 10,24158.89%3,09317.79%86.76%10,2417,14817,389
Matapédia UN UN 6,79751.16%4273.21%87.46%6,7976,37011813,285
Mégantic UN UN 10,71051.38%5772.77%91.04%10,71010,13320,843
Missisquoi UN UN 7,19161.42%2,67522.85%82.40%7,1914,51611,707
Montcalm UN UN 4,14152.72%4285.45%88.19%4,1413,7137,854
Montmagny UN UN 6,40959.49%2,04518.98%83.13%6,4094,36410,773
Montmorency UN UN 5,89460.17%1,99220.33%86.92%5,8943,9029,796
Montréal–Jeanne-Mance UN Lib 22,66648.48%2,6185.60%62.83%20,04822,6661,8492,19446,757
Montréal-Laurier UN UN 14,59549.67%1,7916.10%67.20%14,59512,8044361,54929,384
Montréal-Mercier UN UN 16,28051.88%3,21110.23%64.15%16,28013,0691,04498631,379
Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 18,48964.83%11,51640.38%47.80%6,97318,4896342,06635928,521
Montréal-Outremont Lib Lib 18,79461.01%8,48227.53%51.62%10,31218,7945811,11930,806
Montréal–Saint-Henri UN Lib 19,25456.01%5,15314.99%72.54%14,10119,25456246034,377
Montréal–Saint-Jacques UN UN 11,04954.08%2,17810.66%60.43%11,0498,87123028220,432
Montréal–Saint-Louis Lib Lib 15,22650.36%3,75912.43%50.94%11,46715,2265267072,31130,237
Montréal–Sainte-Anne Ind Ind 11,21062.87%5,62131.52%55.29%4105,58944511,21017717,831
Montréal–Sainte-Marie UN Lib 15,01950.90%1,7736.01%66.85%13,24615,01921880622029,509
Montréal-Verdun Lib Lib 17,21962.17%10,04036.25%61.09%7,17917,2192,85744327,698
Napierville-Laprairie UN UN 7,09457.29%1,80614.59%88.47%7,0945,28812,382
Nicolet UN UN 7,19150.86%2421.71%85.60%7,1916,94914,140
Papineau UN UN 11,70764.97%5,79432.15%84.33%11,7075,91340018,020
Pontiac UN UN 5,79261.22%2,24723.75%83.90%5,7923,5451249,461
Portneuf UN UN 10,66552.90%1,6768.31%85.94%10,6658,98950820,162
Québec-Centre UN UN 9,59354.50%1,5859.01%76.09%9,5938,00817,601
Québec-Comté Ind Lib 11,23039.67%1,4965.28%83.11%11,2309,7347,34428,308
Québec-Est UN Lib 15,77851.12%8602.79%81.22%14,91815,77816730,863
Québec-Ouest UN Lib 8,78750.53%1831.05%79.16%8,6048,78717,391
Richelieu UN Lib 8,75152.88%9545.77%89.91%7,7978,75116,548
Richmond UN Lib 8,15651.07%3412.14%87.33%7,8158,15615,971
Rimouski UN UN 9,21052.05%9815.54%83.69%9,2108,22925617,695
Rivière-du-Loup UN UN 8,68951.15%4532.67%89.38%8,6898,2366216,987
Roberval UN UN 11,47859.24%3,57918.47%87.64%11,4787,89919,377
Rouville UN UN 5,26358.77%1,57117.54%81.70%5,2633,6928,955
Rouyn-Noranda UN UN 6,99852.55%6785.09%79.08%6,9986,32013,318
Saguenay UN UN 8,97762.55%4,05428.25%75.34%8,9774,92345214,352
Saint-Hyacinthe UN UN 9,54255.15%1,78310.31%78.19%9,5427,75917,301
Saint-Jean UN UN 7,90160.64%2,77221.27%83.44%7,9015,12913,030
Saint-Maurice UN Lib 14,48957.91%3,96015.83%87.70%10,52914,48925,018
Saint-Sauveur UN UN 12,87757.02%3,29314.58%85.54%12,8779,58412422,585
Shefford UN Lib 9,79250.59%2301.19%83.05%9,5629,79219,354
Sherbrooke UN UN 14,90555.77%3,48013.02%74.15%14,90511,42539526,725
Stanstead UN UN 7,04750.32%910.65%75.60%7,0476,95614,003
Témiscamingue UN Lib 4,28452.72%4425.44%85.17%3,8424,2848,126
Témiscouata UN UN 5,77652.92%6385.85%86.65%5,7765,13810,914
Terrebonne UN UN 17,76355.91%3,97012.50%85.41%17,76313,79321531,771
Trois-Rivières UN UN 15,49360.64%5,43521.27%90.65%15,49310,05825,551
Vaudreuil-Soulanges UN UN 7,23555.44%1,42010.88%83.14%7,2355,81513,050
Verchères Lib Lib 4,67353.97%6887.95%88.13%3,9854,6738,658
Westmount–Saint-Georges Lib Lib 12,45575.99%9,17956.00%46.48%3,27612,45565916,390
Wolfe UN Lib 3,99550.42%660.83%92.33%3,9293,9957,924
Yamaska UN UN 4,38259.29%1,37318.58%88.59%4,3823,0097,391
  1. including spoilt ballots
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = other incumbents renominated

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place[1]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
UNLibNat
Union Nationale 6868
Liberal 22123
Independent 11
Total 2269192
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[1]
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5thTotal
 Union Nationale 6822191
 Liberal 236992
 Independent 134
 Parti National 11
 Co-operative Commonwealth 156223
 Independent UN 1010
 Independent Liberal 4228
 Labor–Progressive 314
 Labour 123
Resulting composition of the 24th Quebec Legislative Assembly[5]
SourceParty
UN Lib Ind Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 627170
Open seats held 55
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 11617
Total 6823192

See also

References

  1. Drouilly, Pierre (December 4, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1952". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  2. "Groulx Dies Suddenly". Montreal Gazette. July 17, 1952. p. 1.
  3. "National Union Again Sweeps Province". Montreal Gazette. July 17, 1952. p. 1.
  4. "Party Standing in Quebec Unchanged by By-elections". Montreal Gazette. July 10, 1953. p. 1.
  5. "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
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