1968 Canadian federal election

1968 Canadian federal election

← 1965 June 25, 1968 1972 →

264 seats in the House of Commons
133 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout75.7%[1] (Increase0.9pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Pierre Trudeau Robert Stanfield Tommy Douglas
Party Liberal Progressive Conservative New Democratic
Leader since April 6, 1968 September 9, 1967 August 3, 1961
Leader's seat Mount Royal Halifax Burnaby—Coquitlam
ran in Burnaby—Seymour (lost)
Last election 131 seats, 40.18% 97 seats, 32.41% 21 seats, 17.91%
Seats before 128 94 22
Seats won 155 72 22
Seat change Increase27 Decrease22 Steady0
Popular vote 3,686,801 2,554,397 1,378,263
Percentage 45.37% 31.43% 16.96%
Swing Increase5.18pp Decrease0.98pp Decrease0.95pp

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Réal Caouette A.B. Patterson
Party Ralliement créditiste Social Credit
Leader since September 1, 1963 March 9, 1967
Leader's seat Témiscamingue Fraser Valley
ran in Fraser Valley East (lost)
Last election 9 seats, 4.66% 5 seats, 3.66%
Seats before 8 3
Seats won 14 0
Seat change Increase6 Decrease3
Popular vote 360,404 68,742
Percentage 4.43%[i] 0.85%
Swing Decrease0.22pp Decrease2.82pp

Popular vote by province, with graphs indicating the number of seats won. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote by province but instead via results by each riding.

The Canadian parliament after the 1968 election

Prime Minister before election

Pierre Trudeau
Liberal

Prime Minister after election

Pierre Trudeau
Liberal

The 1968 Canadian federal election was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 28th Parliament of Canada.

In April 1968, Prime Minister Lester Pearson of the Liberal Party resigned as party leader as a result of declining health and failing to win a majority government in two attempts. He was succeeded by his Minister of Justice and Attorney General Pierre Trudeau, who called an election immediately after becoming prime minister. Trudeau's charisma appealed to Canadian voters; his popularity became known as "Trudeaumania" and helped him win a comfortable majority. Robert Stanfield's Progressive Conservatives lost seats whereas the New Democratic Party's support stayed the same.

  1. ^ Pomfret, R. "Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums". Elections Canada. Elections Canada. Retrieved January 11, 2014.


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