Home > Close elections

Some close elections, where the winner won a bare majority, or where a third party or independents hold the balance of power include:

1 Australia

• 1901-1913 party system yet to crystalise.
• 1919 - introduce IRV (preferential voting)
• 1939 - balance of power held by 2 independents.
• 1961 - majority of 1 - 1963 election one year early to exploit opportunity to gain larger majority.

1.1 New South Wales

• 19?? - introduce IRV
• 1976 - majority of 1
• 1992 - 3 independents hold balance of power
• 1995 - majority of 3

1.2 South Australia

• 1966 - Centre party holds balance of power - 1 seat

2 Canada

• Canadian federal election, 1957 PC 109, Lib 105, CCF 25, SC 19, Ind 5
• Canadian federal election, 1972 Lib. 109, PC 107, NDP 31, SC 15, Ind 2

2.1 British Columbia

• British Columbia general election, 1996 NDP 39, Lib 33, Ref 2, PDA 1

2.2 Saskatchewan

• Saskatchewan general election, 1929 Lib 28, Cons 24, Prog 5, Ind 6
• Saskatchewan general election, 1999 NDP 29, Sask 25, Lib 4
• Saskatchewan general election, 2003 NDP 30, Sask 28

2.3 Manitoba

• Manitoba general election, 1969 NDP 28, PC 22, Lib 5, SC 1, Ind 1
• Manitoba general election, 1986 NDP 30, PC 26, Lib 1
• Manitoba general election, 1988 PC 25, Lib 20, NDP 12

2.4 Ontario

• Ontario general election, 1867 Cons 41, Lib 41
• Ontario general election, 1871 Lib 43, Cons 38, Ind 1
• Ontario general election, 1902 Lib 50, Cons 48
• Ontario general election, 1943 PC 38, CCF 34, Lib 15
• Ontario general election, 1985 PC 52, Lib 48, NDP 25

2.5 Quebec

• Quebec general election, 1878 Cons 32, Lib 31, Ind 2
• Quebec general election, 1886 Lib 33, Cons 26, Ind 6
• Quebec general election, 1966 UN 56, Lib 50, Ind 2

2.6 New Brunswick

• New Brunswick general election, 1978The 1978 election in the Canadian province of New Brunswick saw Richard Hatfield's Progressive Conservative Party narrowly win its third term. In the lead up to 1978, the Opposition Liberals seemed destined to return to power. A number of scandals had bee PC 30, Lib 28
• New Brunswick general election, 2003Starting out as a predicted landslide for Bernard Lord's Progressive Conservatives, the New Brunswick general election, 2003 quickly turned around when Shawn Graham, leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick, took on auto insurance rates as a cause. PC 28, Lib 26, NDP 1

2.7 Yukon

• Yukon general election, 1992 Yuk 7, NDP 6, Lib 1, Ind 3
• Yukon general election, 1989 NDP 9, PC 7
• Yukon general election, 1985 NDP 8, PC 6, Lib 2

3 United Kingdom

• FPTP
• 1974-1979 - third parties hold balance of power