User:Mr Serjeant Buzfuz/Electoral history of James Thomas Milton Anderson



This article is the Electoral history of James Thomas Milton Anderson, the fifth Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, from 1929 to 1934. He was the first Conservative to become Premier, and the first non-Liberal Premier since the Province was established in 1905. He was the first of two Conservative premiers to date.

Anderson led the Conservatives in three provincial elections: 1925, 1929 and 1934. He was unsuccessful in the 1925 election. The 1929 election returned a hung parliament, and Anderson successfully defeated the government of Premier Gardiner on a confidence motion in the Legislative Assembly. Anderson took over as Premier at the head of a coalition government. In the 1934 election, the Conservatives were wiped out, not winning a single seat. It was the worst defeat of a provincial government in history. Anderson resigned as Premier and party leader, but remained involved in politics until after the 1938 general election.

Anderson was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan three times, twice by contested elections (1925, 1929) and once by acclamation (1929). He was defeated twice (1934, 1938). After the defeat in 1938, he retired from politics.

Summary
Anderson ranks eleventh out of the fifteen Premiers of Saskatchewan for time in office. He served one continuous term, from September 9, 1929 to July 19, 1934, and was in office for a total of 22 years, 289 days.

Anderson stood for election five times from 1925 to 1938, in the riding of Saskatoon City. He was elected by acclamation once, won two contested elections and was defeated twice.

Anderson led the Conservative Party in three general elections: 1925, 1929 and 1934. In his first election, in 1925, the party came in third in the popular vote and third in seats behind the Progressive Party of Saskatchewan, electing only three members of the Legislative Assembly, including Anderson himself.

Anderson again led the Conservatives in the 1929 general election. This time, the Liberals under Premier James Gardiner only won a plurality, falling short of a majority in the Assembly by four seats. The Conservatives under Anderson came in second in the popular vote and seats, being themselves only eight seats short of a majority. There were several independents in the Assembly, as well as members of the Progressive Party. Premier Gardiner chose to face the Assembly, but Anderson managed to convince enough of the other opposition members to support him in a confidence motion, which brought down the Liberal government, the only time in Saskatchewan history that a government has fallen on a confidence motion. The Lieutenant Governor called on Anderson to form a government, which he was able to do with support from the Progressives and independents.

In the 1934 election, Anderson again led the Conservative Party, facing the Liberals again led by Gardiner. The province was in the grips of the Great Depression and the Dirty Thirties, which hit agrarian Saskatchewan hard. The Anderson government was defeated, failing to elect a single member. Gardiner won a majority government. Anderson resigned and Gardiner became Premier again.

Anderson stood for election one more time, in the general election of 1938, but was again defeated. He retired from politics.

Saskatchewan general elections, 1925 to 1934
Anderson led the Conservative Party in three general elections, in 1925, 1929 and 1934. He was defeated in 1925 and 1934, and formed a minority government after the 1929 election.

1925 General election
In his first general election, Anderson and the Conservatives came in third, although he managed to win a seat in the Legislative Assembly.

1 Premier when election was called; Premier after the election. 2 Co-Leader of the Opposition when the election was called; Co-Leader of the Opposition after the election.

1929 General election
Anderson led the Conservatives to a much improved result in the 1929 election, being only eight seats short of a majority in a hung parliament. Premier Gardiner and the Liberals had four more seats than the Conservatives. Gardiner chose to face the Assembly in hopes of obtaining sufficient support from some of the opposition members to maintain his government. Anderson organized a vote on a confidence motion which defeated the government. Gardiner resigned and Anderson became Premier.

1 Premier when election was called; lost confidence motion in the Assembly after the election;  resigned as Premier and became Leader of the Opposition. 2 Co-Leader of the Opposition when the election was called; became Premier after successful non-confidence vote.

1934 General election
Anderson was Premier for almost five years and led the Conservatives into the 1934 election, at the depths of the Great Depression and Dirty Thirties. The Conservatives were routed, losing every seat, although they came in second in the popular vote. The Liberals under Gardiner won a massive majority, with all but five seats in the Legislative Assembly. The Farmer-Labour Party formed the Opposition.

1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Premier after the election. 2 Party leader during the election, but failed to win seat; role as Leader of the Opposition taken by George Hara Williams. 3 Premier when election was called; lost seat in the election and resigned as Premier.

Saskatchewan constituency elections
Anderson stood for election five times, all in the riding of Saskatoon City, which returned two members. After becoming Premier after the 1929 general election, he was required by the electoral law at that time to be re-elected in a by-election, which he won by acclamation. He won two contested elections and lost two.

1925 General election: Saskatoon City
Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

1929 General election: Saskatoon City
Elected. X Incumbent.

1929 By-election: Saskatoon City
Elected. X Incumbent.

1934 General election: Saskatoon City
Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.

1938 General election: Saskatoon City
Elected. X Incumbent. 1 Rounding error.