Premier
parliamentary
Election name1966 Quebec general election
CountryQuebec
Ongoingno
Party colourno
Party nameno
Previous election1962 Quebec general election
Previous year1962
Previous mps27th Quebec Legislature
Next election1970 Quebec general election
Next year1970
Elected members28th National Assembly of Quebec
Seats for election108 seats in the 28th Legislative Assembly of Quebec
55 seats were needed for a majority
Election dateJune 5, 1966
Leader 1Daniel Johnson Sr.
Leader since 1September 23, 1961
Leaders seat 1Bagot
Last election 131 seats, 42.15%
Seats 156
Seat change 125
Popular vote 1948,928
Percentage 140.82%
Swing 11.34%
Leader 2Jean Lesage
Leader since 2May 31, 1958
Leaders seat 2Louis-Hébert
Last election 263 seats, 56.40%
Seats 250
Seat change 213
Popular vote 21,099,435
Percentage 247.29%
Swing 29.11%
Before electionJean Lesage
After electionDaniel Johnson Sr.
PosttitlePremier after election

The 1966 Quebec general election was held on June 5, 1966, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada.[1] The Union Nationale (UN), led by Daniel Johnson, Sr, defeated the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Lesage.

In terms of the number of seats won, the election was one of the closest in recent history, with the UN winning 56 seats to the Liberals' 50. Generally, Quebec's first past the post electoral system tends to produce strong disparities in the number of seats won even if the popular vote is fairly close. In this case, the most popular party did not win the most seats in the chamber. The Liberals won 6.5% more votes, but were denied a third term because the rural part of the province, where the Union Nationale did well, were slightly over-represented in the legislature.

The victory of the UN over the popular Lesage government was a surprise to many observers. Johnson's campaign was likely helped by his position that Quebec should get a better deal within the Canadian confederation, or should separate if it is unable to do so. In this sense, the forces of Quebec nationalism unleashed by the Quiet Revolution begun by Lesage may have contributed to his defeat, as many rural voters felt chagrin at the rapid pace of reform under the Liberals.

The pro-independence Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale and Ralliement national (formed from splinter groups out of the RIN and the Ralliement des créditistes) obtained a combined total of just under 9% of the popular vote (but no seats).

This was the last election for the "Legislative Assembly of Quebec". Legislation was passed to replace the bicameral system of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council of Quebec with a single National Assembly of Quebec, effective December 31, 1968.

Daniel Johnson died in office in 1968, and was succeeded by Jean-Jacques Bertrand. Johnson's sons, Pierre-Marc and Daniel Jr, each later served as Premier of Quebec in 1985 and 1994.

This was the last election which was won by the Union Nationale, and the last that a party other than the Quebec Liberals or the Parti Québécois formed government in Quebec until the 2018 Quebec general election.

Redistribution of ridings

A 1965 Act [2] increased the number of MPPs from 95 to 108 through the following changes:

Abolished ridingsNew ridings
Drawn from parts of other ridings
Reorganization of ridings
Division of ridings
Renaming of ridings
  1. ^ formerly part of Laval
  2. ^ formerly parts of Montréal-Outremont and Westmount–Saint-Georges
  3. ^ formerly parts of Montréal-Outremont, Montréal–Jeanne-Mance and Montréal-Laurier
  4. ^ formerly part of Laval
  5. ^ formerly parts of Montréal–Jeanne-Mance and Montréal-Laurier
  6. ^ formerly parts of Jacques-Cartier and Montréal–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
  7. ^ formerly part of Jacques-Cartier
  8. ^ formerly parts of Jacques-Cartier and Laval
  9. ^ formerly parts of Chambly and Verchères
  10. ^ also taking in part of Chicoutimi
  11. ^ including spoilt ballots
  12. ^ Frank Hanley (6,609 votes) was the incumbent

Campaign

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1966)[3]
CandidatesUNLibRNRINIndConSocCommDVPPDETotal
2101020
3282820884
4424242375168
522222222102541110
6666692136
Total10810890732445411418

Results

[3] |- ! colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party ! rowspan=2 | Party leader ! colspan=4 | MPPs ! colspan=4 | Votes |- ! Candidates !1962 !1966 !± !# ! ± !% ! ± (pp)

|style="text-align:left;"|Daniel Johnson, Sr. | 108 || 31 || 56 || 25 || 948,928 || 48,111 || 40.82% || 1.33

|style="text-align:left;"|Jean Lesage | 108 || 63 || 50 || 13 || 1,099,435 || 105,818 || 47.29% || 9.11

|style="text-align:left;"|Pierre Bourgault | 73 || – || – || – || 129,045 || 129,045 || 5.55% || New

|style="text-align:left;"|Gilles Grégoire | 90 || – || – || – || 74,670 || 74,670 || 3.21% || New

| || 24 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 64,434 || 50,853 || 2.77% || 2.13 |- |rowspan="6" |   |style="text-align:left;" colspan="10"|Other candidates |- |colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | | 4 || – || – || – || 6,183 || 1,927 || 0.27% || 0.07 |- |colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | | 5 || – || – || – || 1,090 || 1,090 || 0.05% || New |- |colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | | 4 || – || – || – || 502 || 431 || 0.02% || 0.02 |- |colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | | 1 || – || – || – || 417 || 417 || 0.02% || New |- |colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | | 1 || – || – || – || 125 || 125 || 0.01% || New |- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" | Total |418||95 ! " colspan="2"|108 ! " colspan="2"|2,324,829 ! " colspan="2"| 100% |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Rejected ballots | 45,681 | 16,172 | colspan="2"| |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Voter turnout | 2,370,510 | 204,034 | 73.57 | 6.02 |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:left;" | Registered electors | 3,222,302 | 500,369 | colspan="2"| |}

Vote and seat summaries

Seats and popular vote by party
PartySeatsVotesChange (pp)

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1966 Quebec general election[3][4]
RidingWinning partyTurnout
[a 11]
Votes
Name1962PartyVotesShareMargin
#
Margin
%
UNLibRINRNIndConOtherTotal
 
Abitibi-EstLibLib12,39039.09%1,6645.25%74.55%10,72612,3901,4347,145–––31,695
Abitibi-OuestLibLib5,67042.51%1,61212.08%86.98%4,0585,6703183,293–––13,339
AhuntsicNewLib16,28256.34%8,35528.91%70.61%7,92716,2824,195266228––28,898
ArgenteuilUNLib6,73444.85%2,27315.14%81.29%4,4616,734245873,488––15,015
ArthabaskaLibUN10,18844.81%1040.46%85.86%10,18810,0845911,871–––22,734
BagotUNUN6,64057.69%2,07418.02%89.76%6,6404,566163140–––11,509
BeauceUNUN15,74354.96%4,55815.91%84.77%15,74311,185–1,715–––28,643
BeauharnoisLibLib10,87541.29%2,0897.93%86.32%8,78610,875984935,603––26,341
BellechasseUNUN6,91758.80%2,07117.61%83.15%6,9174,846–––––11,763
BerthierLibUN7,66855.49%1,76612.78%85.17%7,6685,902–249–––13,819
BonaventureLibLib10,88860.41%3,75220.82%78.83%7,13610,888–––––18,024
BourassaNewLib14,65348.79%5,09016.95%64.73%9,56314,6534,420634761––30,031
BourgetLibUN13,16646.08%1,1884.16%66.70%13,16611,9782,754376––29528,569
BromeLibLib3,29452.65%4707.51%74.49%2,8243,294–139–––6,257
ChamblyLibLib19,18360.51%10,97634.62%68.22%8,20719,1833,895418–––31,703
ChamplainUNUN15,10257.71%5,24020.03%86.54%15,1029,862–1,203–––26,167
CharlevoixLibLib8,16654.00%1,2108.00%85.38%6,9568,166–––––15,122
ChâteauguayLibLib6,67634.72%1,0575.50%78.60%5,6196,676727926,113––19,227
ChauveauNewUN17,46247.40%9422.56%79.55%17,46216,5201,921940–––36,843
ChicoutimiUNUN9,82449.70%1,9549.88%81.48%9,8247,870–2,074–––19,768
ComptonUNUN5,97356.89%1,69616.15%83.26%5,9734,277–249–––10,499
D'Arcy-McGeeNewLib24,70990.57%23,16184.90%60.88%1,54824,709895129–––27,281
Deux-MontagnesLibLib8,51147.64%940.53%84.35%8,4178,511821117–––17,866
DorchesterUNUN9,34855.02%2,40214.14%82.36%9,3486,946–695–––16,989
DorionNewLib9,85543.99%1,2755.69%60.58%8,5809,8552,1842811,378–12522,403
DrummondLibLib14,47049.27%3601.23%85.77%14,11014,470–791–––29,371
DubucNewUN7,82937.16%1,5677.44%84.30%7,8296,262–3,4003,577––21,068
DuplessisLibLib6,67347.77%2,28116.33%75.46%2,7096,6734,392195–––13,969
FabreNewLib16,27847.80%3,46810.18%72.15%12,81016,2784,363449––15634,056
FrontenacUNUN6,90252.16%1,60112.10%86.13%6,9025,301155874–––13,232
Gaspé-NordUNUN5,25151.12%3663.56%86.12%5,2514,885136––––10,272
Gaspé-SudLibLib8,51353.48%1,1086.96%86.04%7,4058,513–––––15,918
GatineauLibLib11,30851.26%1,8778.51%69.81%9,43111,3081,117205–––22,061
GouinNewLib12,91647.32%2,79910.26%61.75%10,11712,9163,507646––10827,294
HullLibLib10,80350.91%2,61012.30%64.11%8,19310,8032,222––––21,218
HuntingdonUNLib3,46950.33%450.65%81.51%3,4243,469–––––6,893
IbervilleLibUN4,47050.25%7047.91%85.20%4,4703,766431229–––8,896
Îles-de-la-MadeleineLibLib3,90866.59%1,94733.17%89.97%1,9613,908–––––5,869
Jacques-CartierLibLib18,28968.34%11,83344.22%65.19%6,45618,2891,808209–––26,762
Jean-TalonNewLib14,25753.23%3,82114.26%70.11%10,43614,2571,384709–––26,786
Jeanne-ManceLibLib16,69151.85%6,06318.83%62.64%10,62816,6914,271333––26932,192
JolietteUNUN11,37250.96%2,23610.02%81.30%11,3729,1361,423386–––22,317
JonquièreNewLib11,95946.91%4,49517.63%79.06%7,46411,9599164,992––16525,496
KamouraskaLibUN6,16152.35%1,40611.95%77.12%6,1614,755–175678––11,769
L'AssomptionLibUN9,95846.90%4902.31%80.38%9,9589,4681,443363–––21,232
L'IsletUNUN5,97255.26%1,13610.51%80.66%5,9724,836–––––10,808
LabelleUNUN6,82757.79%2,50221.18%81.78%6,8274,325536125–––11,813
Lac-Saint-JeanLibUN10,98552.22%2,55512.15%86.09%10,9858,430–1,621–––21,036
LaFontaineNewUN13,59244.95%7852.60%67.58%13,59212,8073,374466–––30,239
LaurierLibLib15,01256.61%6,75425.47%62.92%8,25815,0122,131701––41726,519
LavalLibLib16,91048.69%4,70413.55%72.67%12,20616,9103,1313242,156––34,727
LavioletteUNUN12,08254.16%3,41715.32%80.86%12,0828,6651,559––––22,306
LévisLibUN15,14153.10%3,12110.95%83.04%15,14112,020843511–––28,515
LimoilouNewUN16,54749.67%1,6514.96%76.50%16,54714,8961,234582––5533,314
LotbinièreUNUN6,21845.75%870.64%86.82%6,2186,131–1,243–––13,592
Louis-HébertNewLib22,53265.70%14,15641.28%77.16%8,37622,5322,991394–––34,293
MaisonneuveLibUN12,62144.68%1,0293.64%60.12%12,62111,5923,457371––20528,246
Marguerite-BourgeoysNewLib14,60362.14%9,94442.31%62.30%4,65914,6031,2971732,769––23,501
MaskinongéUNUN6,11552.94%8537.38%90.50%6,1155,262–174–––11,551
MataneLibLib9,04549.76%2991.64%79.72%8,7469,045–386–––18,177
MatapédiaLibLib6,16548.64%220.17%80.50%6,1436,165220146–––12,674
MéganticLibUN11,89446.38%5882.29%84.08%11,89411,306–2,443–––25,643
MercierLibLib11,75944.27%5181.95%61.41%11,24111,7593,115335––11226,562
MissisquoiUNUN8,78860.10%3,46923.72%77.05%8,7885,319390126–––14,623
MontcalmLibUN5,00751.32%4704.82%87.00%5,0074,53716844–––9,756
MontmagnyUNUN6,76354.63%1,42611.52%82.59%6,7635,337–279–––12,379
MontmorencyUNUN14,15154.25%4,52417.34%82.94%14,1519,6271,423885–––26,086
Napierville-LaprairieLibLib9,68343.06%7623.39%79.60%8,9219,683–4883,396––22,488
NicoletLibUN8,14052.33%8555.50%89.77%8,1407,285–130–––15,555
Notre-Dame-de-GrâceLibLib19,56376.42%16,62264.93%59.34%2,06819,56394977–2,941–25,598
OlierNewLib11,99047.03%2,3169.08%57.89%9,67411,9903,366464–––25,494
OutremontLibLib18,07571.18%14,85758.51%64.48%2,74418,0753,218118–1,238–25,393
PapineauUNUN10,99945.35%5632.32%78.04%10,99910,4362,504313–––24,252
PontiacUNUN4,42951.22%2112.44%72.91%4,4294,218–––––8,647
PortneufLibUN11,26542.76%1,2874.89%81.37%11,2659,9786134,40782––26,345
RichelieuLibUN12,25749.43%1,0804.36%84.76%12,25711,1771,221141–––24,796
RichmondLibLib8,25847.56%2631.51%77.79%7,9958,258–1,112–––17,365
RimouskiLibLib11,93849.84%4281.79%78.86%11,51011,938504––––23,952
Rivière-du-LoupLibUN9,69152.18%8114.37%83.20%9,6918,880–––––18,571
Robert-BaldwinNewInd19,50653.32%7,75221.19%73.30%2,99111,75490014419,5061,287–36,582
RobervalUNUN11,79948.35%1,5466.34%82.92%11,79910,253–2,077273––24,402
RouvilleLibUN6,08046.60%50.04%81.68%6,0806,075687206–––13,048
Rouyn-NorandaLibUN6,58338.62%1,0506.16%81.10%6,5835,5336944,237–––17,047
SaguenayLibLib10,73746.43%1,2325.33%64.33%9,50510,737–2,444437––23,123
Saint-HenriLibUN10,41041.42%1,5616.21%63.25%10,4108,8493,0343712,470––25,134
Saint-HyacintheLibUN10,99846.78%300.13%78.98%10,99810,9681,544––––23,510
Saint-JacquesUNUN9,86949.97%2,20611.17%57.68%9,8697,6631,834383–––19,749
Saint-JeanLibUN9,22648.85%2,58613.69%81.48%9,2266,6407801742,067––18,887
Saint-LaurentNewLib21,55868.63%14,85347.28%65.77%6,70521,5583,151––––31,414
Saint-LouisLibLib8,96058.45%4,91632.07%55.45%4,0448,9601,646453––22715,330
Saint-MauriceLibUN14,13347.42%1,7205.77%81.83%14,13312,4133,256––––29,802
Saint-SauveurUNUN14,48557.73%5,50121.92%73.23%14,4858,984730893–––25,092
Saint-AnneIndInd6,60938.67%1,6389.58%53.52%4,3284,9717472086,837[a 12]––17,091
Sainte-MarieUNUN11,28553.10%3,65017.17%57.19%11,2857,6351,930404–––21,254
SheffordUNUN14,54953.69%4,17215.40%80.21%14,54910,3771,0611,110–––27,097
SherbrookeLibUN19,91550.11%2,6346.63%74.58%19,91517,2811,4951,051–––39,742
StansteadLibLib8,21549.85%5773.50%77.50%7,6388,215–627–––16,480
TaillonNewLib8,62738.61%2100.94%59.91%8,4178,6274,097685517––22,343
TémiscamingueLibLib4,41349.15%2,04422.77%83.76%2,1964,413–2,369–––8,978
TémiscouataUNUN5,65351.97%8697.99%84.02%5,6534,784–441–––10,878
TerrebonneLibUN24,84047.71%2,5254.85%76.71%24,84022,3154,227681–––52,063
Trois-RivièresUNUN15,36248.97%1,0453.33%82.88%15,36214,3171,692––––31,371
Vaudreuil-SoulangesLibLib11,12053.17%2,63012.58%81.90%8,49011,12049496713––20,913
VerchèresLibLib11,64855.73%3,95318.91%75.46%7,69511,6481,348209–––20,900
VerdunLibLib19,18166.26%10,91837.72%62.55%8,26319,1811,198306–––28,948
WestmountLibLib20,06178.21%17,82569.49%55.18%2,23620,0611,1411101,385717–25,650
WolfeUNUN5,18964.06%2,52831.21%89.06%5,1892,661–250–––8,100
YamaskaUNUN4,09351.75%2773.50%87.90%4,0933,816–––––7,909
= 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

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place[3]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
UNLibRINRNCon
5656
4621150
22
Total4658211108
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[3]
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5th
56466
5058
21066
252181
1304410
121
5
4
1
Resulting composition of the 28th Quebec Legislative Assembly[4]
SourceParty
UNLibIndTotal
Seats retainedIncumbents returned1930150
Open seats held9514
Byelection loss reversed11
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated22123
Open seats gained112
New ridingsNew MPPs29112
Previously incumbent in another riding44
Previously elected to the Legislature22
Total56502108

See also

References

  1. ^ Cyr, Hugo (August 2007). "Canadian federalism and treaty powers: existential communities, functional regimes and the Canadian constitution"
  2. ^ "10". 1965.
  3. ^ Drouilly, Pierre (November 7, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1966". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  4. ^ "Les membres de l'Assemblée nationale par circonscription" [National Assembly members by riding] (in French). National Assembly of Quebec. Retrieved September 13, 2023.

Further reading