1978 Saskatchewan general election

Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use mdy dates The 1978 Saskatchewan general election was held on October 18, 1978, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

The New Democratic government of Premier Allan Blakeney was returned for a third consecutive term with an increased majority in the legislature, and a larger share of the popular vote.

The Progressive Conservative Party of Richard Collver continued to increase its share of the popular vote in this election. They were the only other party to win seats and became the official opposition to the Blakeney government.

Fierce political infighting in the Liberal Party after the resignation of leader David Steuart led to electoral disaster in 1978. The Liberals had lost two of the 15 seats they won in 1975 to by-elections and two more Grits crossed the floor to the Tories prior to the 1978 election. Under the disputed leadership of Ted Malone, the Liberals lost all of the 11 seats they still held in the legislature and more than half the votes it had won in the 1975 election.

Results

Party		Party Leader	# of candidates	Seats				Popular Vote
				1975	Dissol.	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change	New Democratic	Allan Blakeney	61	39	39	44	+12.8%	228,791	48.12%	+8.05%	Progressive Conservative	Richard Collver	61	7	11	17	+54.5%	181,045	38.08%	+10.46%	Liberal	Ted Malone	61	15	11	–	-100%	65,498	13.78%	-17.89%	Independent		2	–	–	–	–	81	0.02%	-0.62%
Total			185	61	61	61	–	475,415	100%
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Percentages

Popular vote New Democratic   48.12% PC   38.08% Liberal   13.78% Others   0.02%

Seats summary New Democratic   72.13% PC   27.87%

Ranking

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Party		Seats	Second	Third	Fourth
New Democratic	44	17	0	0	Progressive Conservative	17	41	3	0	Liberal	0	3	58	0	Independents	0	0	0	2

Riding results

Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.

Northwest Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Athabasca	Template:Canadian party colour|	Frederick John Thompson 2,340		Frank Petit 1,180		Henry Coupland 498			Template:Canadian party colour|	Frederick John Thompson
Cut Knife-Lloydminster	Template:Canadian party colour|	Bob Long 3,828		Bob Kent 3,213		Bill Taylor 259			Template:Canadian party colour|	Miro Kwasnica**
Meadow Lake		Gord McNeill 2,789	Template:Canadian party colour|	George McLeod 3,016		Colin Campbell 537			Template:Canadian party colour|	Gordon James McNeill
Redberry	Template:Canadian party colour|	Dennis Banda 3,325		John Gerich 2,916		Peter Bomok 491			Template:Canadian party colour|	Dennis George Banda
Rosthern		Howard Lucas 3,162	Template:Canadian party colour|	Ralph Katzman 4,708		Bill Patrick 964			Template:Canadian party colour|	Ralph Katzman
The Battlefords	Template:Canadian party colour|	Eiling Kramer 4,589		Rod McKenzie 2,175		Mervin Zulyniuk 1,427			Template:Canadian party colour|	Eiling Kramer
Turtleford	Template:Canadian party colour|	Lloyd Johnson 2,983		Charlie Wells 2,188		Pauline H. Cadrain 620			Template:Canadian party colour|	Lloyd Emmett Johnson

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November 26, 1980 By-election: The Battlefords

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
NDP	David Miner	3,432	48.59%	-7.44	Prog. Conservative	Harry Zamonsky	2,143	30.34%	+3.79	Liberal	Thomas Bidart	1,488	21.07%	+3.65
Total			7,063	100.00

Northeast Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Cumberland	Template:Canadian party colour|	Norm MacAuley 2,586		George L. Horne 1,254		Leon E. McAuley 526			Template:Canadian party colour|	Norman H. MacAuley
Kelsey-Tisdale	Template:Canadian party colour|	John R. Messer 4,031		Neil Hardy 3,461		P. Hudson Foga 527			Template:Canadian party colour|	John Rissler Messer
Kinistino	Template:Canadian party colour|	Don Cody 4,042		Louis A. Domotor 2,661		Robert G. Michayluk 706			Template:Canadian party colour|	Arthur Thibault**
Melfort	Template:Canadian party colour|	Norm Vickar 3,102		Bill Warner 3,749		John W. Calderwood 605			Template:Canadian party colour|	Norman Vickar
Nipawin		Irvin G. Perkins 3,262	Template:Canadian party colour|	Richard Collver 3,733		Ron J. Wassill 568			Template:Canadian party colour|	Richard Lee Collver
Prince Albert	Template:Canadian party colour|	Mike Feschuk 4,472		Richard E. Spencer 3,514		Helga Reydon 286			Template:Canadian party colour|	Mike Feschuk
Prince Albert-Duck Lake	Template:Canadian party colour|	Jerome Hammersmith 3,618		Norm Wipf 3,569		Colonel J. Archibald 660			Template:Canadian party colour|	Norm Wipf
Shellbrook	Template:Canadian party colour|	George Bowerman 3,835		John P. Meagher 3,029		Manley R. McLachlan 511			Template:Canadian party colour|	George Bowerman

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November 26, 1980 By-election: Kelsey-Tisdale

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Prog. Conservative	Neil Hardy	3,334	48.39%	+5.23	NDP	Lars Bracken	3,232	46.91%	-3.36	Liberal	Jim Russell	324	4.70%	-1.87
Total			6,890	100.00

West Central Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Arm River		Donald Leonard Faris 3,308	Template:Canadian party colour|	Gerald Muirhead 3,501		Greg Wensel 1,101			Template:Canadian party colour|	Donald Leonard Faris
Biggar	Template:Canadian party colour|	Elwood L. Cowley 4,787		Roy Norris 3,270		Lynn Tokle 552			Template:Canadian party colour|	Elwood Lorrie Cowley
Humboldt	Template:Canadian party colour|	Edwin Tchorzewski 4,272		John Bajbula 2,439		Peter Cline 1,065			Template:Canadian party colour|	Edwin Tchorzewski
Kindersley		David G. Thomson 2,461	Template:Canadian party colour|	Bob Andrew 2,774		Allan McMillan 1,937			Template:Canadian party colour|	Allan Neil McMillan
Rosetown-Elrose		Jim Mills 3,056	Template:Canadian party colour|	Herbert Swan 3,587		Calvin W. Fensom 1,011			Template:Canadian party colour|	Roy Bailey**
Wilkie		Ray Heather 2,371	Template:Canadian party colour|	Jim Garner 2,865		Linda Clifford 1,975			Template:Canadian party colour|	Linda Clifford

East Central Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Canora	Template:Canadian party colour|	Al Matsalla 4,258		Eugene Teslia 2,647		Joseph F. Matsalla 730			Template:Canadian party colour|	Al Matsalla
Kelvington-Wadena	Template:Canadian party colour|	Neil Byers 4,165		Ray Meiklejohn 3,366		A. Ben Ferrie 521			Template:Canadian party colour|	Neil Erland Byers
Last Mountain-Touchwood	Template:Canadian party colour|	Gordon MacMurchy 4,150		Arnold Tusa 3,795		Gill Fontaine 385			Template:Canadian party colour|	Gordon S. MacMurchy
Melville	Template:Canadian party colour|	John Kowalchuk 4,072		Glenn Miller 3,465		Cecil Headrick 901			Template:Canadian party colour|	John Russell Kowalchuk
Pelly	Template:Canadian party colour|	Norm Lusney 3,739		Donald F. Boyd 2,130		Rudolph Els 760			Template:Canadian party colour|	Norm Lusney
Quill Lakes	Template:Canadian party colour|	Murray Koskie 3,662		W. Brian Wildeman 2,251		Mervyn T. Warner 919			Template:Canadian party colour|	Murray James Koskie
Saltcoats	Template:Canadian party colour|	Ed Kaeding 3,354		Walter R. Johnson 3,265		Gabriel R. Neumeier 680			Template:Canadian party colour|	Ed Kaeding
Yorkton	Template:Canadian party colour|	Randy Nelson 4,128		Ray S. Malinowski 3,637		Irene Konkin 1,036			Template:Canadian party colour|	Randall Neil Nelson

Southwest Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Assiniboia-Gravelbourg	Template:Canadian party colour|	Allan Engel 3,126		Wilf Lethbridge 2,331		Roy Nelson 2,662			Template:Canadian party colour|	Roy Nelson
Maple Creek		Norman Arndt 2,327	Template:Canadian party colour|	Joan Duncan 3,496		W.V. "Fred" Deis 1,341			Template:Canadian party colour|	Bill Stodalka**
Moose Jaw North	Template:Canadian party colour|	John Skoberg 4,483		Kerry R. Chow 3,579		Gene Chura 1,003			Template:Canadian party colour|	John Leroy Skoberg
Moose Jaw South	Template:Canadian party colour|	Gordon Snyder 4,512		Arthur "Bud" Smith 2,408		Terry W. Ocrane 716			Template:Canadian party colour|	Gordon Taylor Snyder
Morse	Template:Canadian party colour|	Reg Gross 2,587		Art Martens 2,203		Jack Wiebe 2,024			Template:Canadian party colour|	John Edward Niel Wiebe
Shaunavon	Template:Canadian party colour|	Dwain Lingenfelter 2,778		Jim Lacey 2,145		Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson 2,385			Template:Canadian party colour|	Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson
Swift Current		Spencer Wooff 3,288	Template:Canadian party colour|	Dennis Ham 3,620		Stew Tasche 936			Template:Canadian party colour|	Dennis Ham
Thunder Creek		D. Hicks 2,424	Template:Canadian party colour|	Colin Thatcher 3,359		Ron Gleim 1,270			Template:Canadian party colour|	Wilbert Colin Thatcher

Southeast Saskatchewan

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Bengough-Milestone		Jim Liggett 3,069	Template:Canadian party colour|	Bob Pickering 3,118		Rod MacDonald 1,018			Template:Canadian party colour|	David Lange**
Estevan		Norman Blondeau 2,703	Template:Canadian party colour|	Bob Larter 4,376		Paul Bachorcik 948			Template:Canadian party colour|	Robert Austin Larter
Indian Head-Wolseley		Pat Connolley 2,400	Template:Canadian party colour|	Doug Taylor 2,893		Cyril MacDonald 1,943			Template:Canadian party colour|	Cyril Pius MacDonald
Moosomin		Fred A. Easton 2,614	Template:Canadian party colour|	Larry Birkbeck 3,353		J. Sinclair Harrison 1,964			Template:Canadian party colour|	Larry Birkbeck
Qu'Appelle		Greg Willows 6,844	Template:Canadian party colour|	John Gary Lane 7,231		J. Don McCullough 1,541			Template:Canadian party colour|	John Gary Lane
Souris-Cannington		Dean Fraser 2,019	Template:Canadian party colour|	Eric Berntson 3,739		Gerard Belisle 1,170			Template:Canadian party colour|	Eric Arthur Berntson
Weyburn	Template:Canadian party colour|	Jim Pepper 3,517		Glen Dods 3,449		Ron Chapdelaine 981			Template:Canadian party colour|	James Auburn Pepper

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November 26, 1980 By-election: Estevan

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
NDP	John Chapman	2,918	36.79%	+3.12	Prog. Conservative	Grant Devine	2,858	36.03%	-18.49	Liberal	Ralph Goodale	2,156	27.18%	+15.37
Total			7,932	100.00

Saskatoon

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Saskatoon Buena Vista	Template:Canadian party colour|	Herman Rolfes 3,786		Reg Schafer 2,343		Doris Serne 1,272			Template:Canadian party colour|	Herman Harold Rolfes
Saskatoon Centre	Template:Canadian party colour|	Paul Mostoway 5,246		Harry Baker 2,743		Jean Korchin 1,453			Template:Canadian party colour|	Paul Peter Mostoway
Saskatoon Eastview	Template:Canadian party colour|	Bernie Poniatowski 4,018		Kimberly Young 3,322		Marie Eaton 1,257			Template:Canadian party colour|	Glen Penner**
Saskatoon Mayfair	Template:Canadian party colour|	Beverly Dyck 4,328		Donna L. Birkmaier 2,394		Dick Reed 1,104			Template:Canadian party colour|	Beverly Dyck
Saskatoon Nutana	Template:Canadian party colour|	Wes Robbins 4,739		Grant Devine 2,466		John A. Shanks 1,080			Template:Canadian party colour|	W. Albert Robbins
Saskatoon Riversdale	Template:Canadian party colour|	Roy Romanow 5,225		Mary Cherneskey 2,205		Nestor W. Romaniuk 640			Template:Canadian party colour|	Roy Romanow
Saskatoon Sutherland	Template:Canadian party colour|	Peter Prebble 5,007		Bill Lane 4,722		Douglas R. Knott 1,845			Template:Canadian party colour|	Harold William Lane
Saskatoon Westmount	Template:Canadian party colour|	John Edward Brockelbank 5,651		Peter Shinkaruk 2,427		Peter Sydney Groves 909			Template:Canadian party colour|	John Edward Brockelbank

Regina

Electoral district	Candidates								Incumbent
	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	colspan="2" style="width:1%; border-right:none;" Template:Canadian party colour	Other
Regina Centre	Template:Canadian party colour|	Ned Shillington 3,767		Keith Jeal 1,451		George Exner 935		William C. Beeching (Ind.) 45	Template:Canadian party colour|	Edward Shillington
Regina Elphinstone	Template:Canadian party colour|	Allan Blakeney 4,390		Christine Whitaker 1,250		R. Lawson Wilde 596			Template:Canadian party colour|	Allan Blakeney
Regina Lakeview	Template:Canadian party colour|	Doug McArthur 3,351		Ian McPherson 1,684		Ted Malone 2,366			Template:Canadian party colour|	Edward Cyril Malone
Regina North East	Template:Canadian party colour|	Walt Smishek 4,831		F. Warren Denzin 2,248		Del Miller 805		Roger D. Annis (Ind.) 36	Template:Canadian party colour|	Walter Smishek
Regina North West	Template:Canadian party colour|	Ed Whelan 5,575		Philip Lundeen 3,142		J. Culliton Poston 1,443			Template:Canadian party colour|	Edward Charles Whelan
Regina Rosemont	Template:Canadian party colour|	Bill Allen 4,524		Florian Vanderlinde 2,154		Gerry Bassendowski 766			Template:Canadian party colour|	William J. G. Allen
Regina South		John Hettema 3,114	Template:Canadian party colour|	Paul Rousseau 3,325		Philip M. Desjardine 1,688			Template:Canadian party colour|	Stuart Cameron**
Regina Victoria	Template:Canadian party colour|	Henry Baker 3,729		Andrew G. Shepherd 1,594		Glenn Caleval 820			Template:Canadian party colour|	Henry Harold Peter Baker
Regina Wascana	Template:Canadian party colour|	Clint White 3,993		Allan W. Wagar 2,945		J. Duane Koch 1,859			Template:Canadian party colour|	Anthony Merchant**

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October 17, 1979 By-election: Regina North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
NDP	John Solomon	3,354	47.75%	-7.12	Liberal	Ted Malone	2,211	31.47%	+17.27	Prog. Conservative	Philip Lundeen	1,460	20.78%	-10.15
Total			7,025	100.00

See also

• List of political parties in Saskatchewan
• List of Saskatchewan provincial electoral districts

References

• Saskatchewan Archives Board - Election Results By Electoral Division
• Elections Saskatchewan: Provincial Vote Summaries