1985 Quebec general election

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1985 Quebec general election

← 1981 December 2, 1985 1989 →

122 seats in the 33rd National Assembly of Quebec
62 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout75.69% (Decrease6.83%)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Robert Bourassa Pierre-Marc Johnson
Party Liberal Parti Québécois
Leader since October 15, 1983 September 29, 1985
Leader's seat Bertrand (lost re-election) Anjou
Last election 42 seats, 46.07% 80 seats, 49.26%
Seats won 99 23
Seat change Increase57 Decrease57
Popular vote 1,910,307 1,320,008
Percentage 55.99% 38.69%
Swing Increase9.92% Decrease10.57%

Premier before election

Pierre-Marc Johnson
Parti Québécois

Premier after election

Robert Bourassa
Liberal

The 1985 Quebec general election was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.

This election marked the comeback of Robert Bourassa, whose political career had been thought to be over after losing the 1976 general election and resigning as Liberal leader. However, Bourassa personally failed to win his own seat in the Bertrand electoral district, and had to run in a by-election one month later in the safe Saint-Laurent electoral district. The 1985 Quebec general election result produced by far the largest majority of any Canadian legislative election (in terms of the number of seats) by a winning party whose leader failed to win his own seat.

Johnson, son of former Union Nationale premier Daniel Johnson Sr. was unable to revive the PQ's fortune after he succeeded René Lévesque as party leader and premier. Pierre-Marc's brother, Daniel Johnson Jr., later became leader of the Liberal Party and briefly served as premier.

This election was the last contested by the Union Nationale. It only ran candidates in 19 ridings, none of whom came close to being elected. The party would be wound up by election authorities in 1989. It is also the last Quebec general election to date where the largest party won a majority government while also getting over 50% of the popular vote.

Results[edit]

Elections to the National Assembly of Quebec (1985)[1]
Political party Party leader MNAs Votes
Candidates 1981 1985 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Liberal Robert Bourassa 122 42 99 57Increase 1,910,307 251,554Increase 55.99% 9.91Increase
Parti Québécois Pierre-Marc Johnson 122 80 23 57Decrease 1,320,008 453,229Decrease 38.69% 10.57Decrease
New Democratic Jean-Paul Harney 90 82,588 82,588Increase 2.42% New
Progressive Conservative André Asselin 48 35,210 35,210Increase 1.03% New
Parti indépendantiste Denis Monière 39 15,423 15,423Increase 0.45% New
Christian Socialist Jacques Paquette 103 11,712 11,712Increase 0.34% New
Independent 28 7,855 3,483Increase 0.23% 0.11Increase
Union Nationale 19 7,759 136,311Decrease 0.23% 3.77Decrease
Green 10 4,613 4,613Increase 0.14% New
Independent Liberal 1 4,001 4,001Increase 0.12% New
Humanist 17 3,050 3,050Increase 0.09% New
Commonwealth of Canada 28 2,240 2,240Increase 0.07% New
Regroupement autonome des jeunes 3 2,161 2,161Increase 0.06% New
Socialist Movement Roger Deslauriers 10 1,809 1,809Increase 0.05% New
United Social Credit Jean-Paul Poulin 12 1,650 366Increase 0.05% 0.01Increase
Communist Sam Walsh 10 834 66Increase 0.02%
Workers 4 387 640Decrease 0.01% 0.02Decrease
Total 666 122 122 3,411,607 100.00%
Rejected ballots 52,625 14,102Increase
Voter turnout 3,464,232 174,388Decrease 75.69 6.83Decrease
Registered electors 4,576,600 170,324Increase
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
 Liberal
99 / 122
55.99%
9.91 9.91
 
 Parti Québécois
23 / 122
38.69%
-10.57
 
 New Democratic
0 / 122
2.42%
2.42 2.42
 
 Progressive Conservative
0 / 122
1.03%
1.03 1.03
 
 Union Nationale
0 / 122
0.23%
-3.77
 
 Independent
0 / 122
0.23%
0.11 0.11
 
 Other
0 / 122
1.41%
0.87 0.87
 


Synopsis of results[edit]

Results by riding - 1985 Quebec general election[1][2]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name 1981 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
Lib PQ NDP PC PI CS UN I-Lib Ind Oth Total
 
Abitibi-Est PQ Lib 9,202 51.85% 1,742 9.82% 62.85% 9,202 7,460 372 663 51 17,748
Abitibi-Ouest PQ PQ 10,859 54.64% 2,345 11.80% 62.49% 8,514 10,859 426 73 19,872
Anjou PQ PQ 16,258 48.60% 354 1.06% 77.15% 15,904 16,258 977 317 33,456
Argenteuil Lib Lib 17,220 65.65% 9,476 36.13% 74.35% 17,220 7,744 178 1,088 26,230
Arthabaska PQ Lib 16,608 49.83% 2,038 6.11% 79.79% 16,608 14,570 801 85 817 450 33,331
Beauce-Nord PQ Lib 19,418 54.06% 4,855 13.52% 79.73% 19,418 14,563 519 167 1,250 35,917
Beauce-Sud Lib Lib 19,592 66.12% 9,974 33.66% 78.80% 19,592 9,618 422 29,632
Beauharnois PQ Lib 16,621 50.51% 2,619 7.96% 82.61% 16,621 14,002 87 992 1,205 32,907
Bellechasse PQ Lib 12,754 54.82% 2,516 10.81% 79.02% 12,754 10,238 275 23,267
Berthier Lib Lib 17,561 63.00% 8,232 29.53% 78.48% 17,561 9,329 373 124 489 27,876
Bertrand PQ PQ 17,181 48.89% 229 0.65% 87.50% 16,952 17,181 586 46 374 35,139
Bonaventure Lib Lib 13,701 65.92% 6,877 33.09% 74.85% 13,701 6,824 259 20,784
Bourassa PQ Lib 15,727 59.09% 6,469 24.30% 74.41% 15,727 9,258 651 533 286 65 96 26,616
Bourget PQ Lib 13,272 52.29% 2,687 10.59% 76.41% 13,272 10,585 554 248 272 53 399 25,383
Brome-Missisquoi Lib Lib 16,500 68.83% 10,044 41.90% 74.47% 16,500 6,456 880 136 23,972
Chambly PQ Lib 16,330 54.61% 4,005 13.39% 81.61% 16,330 12,325 1,096 151 29,902
Champlain PQ Lib 16,652 51.80% 2,428 7.55% 80.29% 16,652 14,224 1,269 32,145
Chapleau Lib Lib 16,514 60.49% 6,701 24.55% 66.23% 16,514 9,813 686 188 99 27,300
Charlesbourg PQ Lib 22,181 62.82% 13,261 37.56% 81.67% 22,181 8,920 1,740 2,076 334 59 35,310
Charlevoix Lib Lib 14,847 61.13% 6,039 24.86% 80.03% 14,847 8,808 634 24,289
Châteauguay PQ Lib 20,209 54.25% 4,263 11.44% 79.16% 20,209 15,946 948 151 37,254
Chauveau PQ Lib 19,850 58.23% 8,513 24.97% 77.14% 19,850 11,337 1,720 149 1,031 34,087
Chicoutimi PQ PQ 17,476 53.11% 3,760 11.43% 76.56% 13,716 17,476 1,429 119 167 32,907
Chomedey Lib Lib 21,622 72.66% 14,800 49.73% 72.26% 21,622 6,822 799 336 77 103 29,759
Crémazie PQ Lib 16,115 49.89% 1,555 4.81% 80.03% 16,115 14,560 765 233 276 62 211 78 32,300
D'Arcy-McGee Lib Lib 22,799 91.45% 21,672 86.93% 68.58% 22,799 1,127 937 67 24,930
Deux-Montagnes PQ Lib 15,892 51.95% 4,455 14.56% 77.51% 15,892 11,437 490 394 2,274 103 30,590
Dorion PQ Lib 12,724 51.71% 2,498 10.15% 74.58% 12,724 10,226 653 290 268 55 36 353 24,605
Drummond PQ Lib 16,584 47.93% 102 0.29% 79.85% 16,584 16,482 585 947 34,598
Dubuc PQ PQ 14,147 55.32% 4,171 16.31% 78.73% 9,976 14,147 950 420 81 25,574
Duplessis PQ PQ 12,377 49.81% 274 1.10% 69.02% 12,103 12,377 223 145 24,848
Fabre PQ Lib 15,130 51.38% 1,931 6.56% 80.19% 15,130 13,199 668 371 81 29,449
Frontenac PQ Lib 14,606 51.85% 3,222 11.44% 80.08% 14,606 11,384 2,027 151 28,168
Gaspé PQ Lib 13,880 57.71% 4,000 16.63% 74.47% 13,880 9,880 290 24,050
Gatineau Lib Lib 13,571 65.23% 7,619 36.62% 69.19% 13,571 5,952 532 673 78 20,806
Gouin PQ PQ 11,212 48.46% 722 3.12% 73.79% 10,490 11,212 665 181 341 51 198 23,138
Groulx PQ Lib 17,692 49.07% 621 1.72% 78.25% 17,692 17,071 499 459 335 36,056
Hull Lib Lib 16,375 61.09% 7,434 27.73% 65.51% 16,375 8,941 1,016 65 407 26,804
Huntingdon Lib Lib 13,405 60.90% 6,299 28.62% 74.66% 13,405 7,106 1,222 279 22,012
Iberville PQ Lib 18,353 55.02% 4,685 14.04% 80.36% 18,353 13,668 495 707 136 33,359
Îles-de-la-Madeleine PQ Lib 5,048 56.02% 1,184 13.14% 86.61% 5,048 3,864 99 9,011
Jacques-Cartier Lib Lib 24,245 80.36% 20,404 67.63% 77.41% 24,245 3,841 1,025 624 67 369 30,171
Jean-Talon Lib Lib 18,396 58.39% 7,656 24.30% 82.79% 18,396 10,740 1,727 256 94 291 31,504
Jeanne-Mance Lib Lib 20,772 70.24% 13,283 44.92% 74.13% 20,772 7,489 411 609 40 150 100 29,571
Johnson PQ PQ 13,644 51.58% 1,672 6.32% 79.57% 11,972 13,644 99 476 262 26,453
Joliette PQ PQ 15,288 50.53% 2,175 7.19% 79.62% 13,113 15,288 659 58 1,140 30,258
Jonquière PQ PQ 17,741 52.51% 3,611 10.69% 79.86% 14,130 17,741 1,784 132 33,787
Kamouraska-Témiscouata PQ Lib 14,043 57.39% 5,190 21.21% 70.15% 14,043 8,853 781 88 704 24,469
L'Acadie Lib Lib 22,572 74.03% 15,956 52.33% 75.38% 22,572 6,616 946 190 165 30,489
L'Assomption PQ Lib 15,627 41.93% 216 0.58% 77.06% 15,627 15,411 5,429[a 2] 422 273 103 37,265
La Peltrie PQ Lib 19,819 55.93% 6,357 17.94% 82.83% 19,819 13,462 1,968 189 35,438
Labelle PQ Lib 15,197 50.36% 2,507 8.31% 73.89% 15,197 12,690 1,546 603 143 30,179
Lac-Saint-Jean PQ PQ 17,028 54.82% 4,263 13.72% 83.30% 12,765 17,028 1,072 199 31,064
LaFontaine PQ Lib 19,577 50.46% 1,855 4.78% 76.47% 19,577 17,722 608 460 83 348 38,798
Laporte Lib Lib 18,925 63.87% 9,959 33.61% 77.26% 18,925 8,966 1,137 387 68 149 29,632
La Prairie Lib Lib 24,633 60.05% 9,968 24.30% 79.55% 24,633 14,665 1,088 484 84 70 41,024
Laurier Lib Lib 16,044 65.80% 10,078 41.33% 68.86% 16,044 5,966 830 393 425 724 24,382
Laval-des-Rapides PQ Lib 15,223 52.06% 2,111 7.22% 76.21% 15,223 13,112 704 83 122 29,244
Laviolette PQ PQ 15,134 56.33% 3,401 12.66% 77.70% 11,733 15,134 26,867
Lévis PQ PQ 20,520 49.09% 1,474 3.53% 79.95% 19,046 20,520 1,154 437 323 80 240 41,800
Limoilou PQ Lib 16,822 60.54% 8,483 30.53% 74.54% 16,822 8,339 949 783 103 792 27,788
Lotbinière PQ Lib 12,382 53.52% 1,945 8.41% 81.09% 12,382 10,437 317 23,136
Louis-Hébert PQ Lib 16,913 51.90% 4,634 14.22% 79.64% 16,913 12,279 2,798 287 252 58 32,587
Maisonneuve PQ PQ 12,373 51.75% 2,088 8.73% 69.53% 10,285 12,373 495 138 76 322 49 169 23,907
Marguerite-Bourgeoys Lib Lib 19,469 73.44% 13,350 50.36% 74.03% 19,469 6,119 795 128 26,511
Marie-Victorin PQ PQ 12,568 47.75% 335 1.27% 72.56% 12,233 12,568 884 346 83 205 26,319
Marquette Lib Lib 13,356 60.51% 5,521 25.01% 72.28% 13,356 7,835 419 150 55 158 98 22,071
Maskinongé Lib Lib 17,599 61.51% 7,755 27.11% 80.63% 17,599 9,844 1,167 28,610
Matane PQ Lib 11,830 53.40% 2,055 9.28% 77.09% 11,830 9,775 381 169 22,155
Matapédia PQ Lib 11,473 53.19% 2,096 9.72% 78.86% 11,473 9,377 599 122 21,571
Mégantic-Compton Lib Lib 12,865 59.48% 4,787 22.13% 77.39% 12,865 8,078 594 91 21,628
Mercier PQ PQ 12,062 47.11% 1,102 4.30% 71.12% 10,960 12,062 1,200 319 128 933 25,602
Mille-Îles PQ Lib 16,189 54.20% 3,547 11.88% 80.86% 16,189 12,642 573 373 91 29,868
Mont-Royal Lib Lib 17,865 79.17% 14,638 64.87% 69.74% 17,865 3,227 675 231 126 94 35 312 22,565
Montmagny-L'Islet PQ Lib 14,492 60.52% 6,349 26.51% 74.18% 14,492 8,143 564 199 47 500 23,945
Montmorency PQ Lib 21,115 59.37% 9,942 27.95% 77.75% 21,115 11,173 1,200 1,351 101 625 35,565
Nelligan Lib Lib 24,112 75.42% 18,173 56.84% 75.75% 24,112 5,939 1,123 798 31,972
Nicolet< PQ Lib 15,816 59.01% 5,395 20.13% 84.93% 15,816 10,421 425 139 26,801
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Lib Lib 21,024 77.83% 17,726 65.62% 73.02% 21,024 3,298 2,333 82 275 27,012
Orford Lib Lib 16,672 59.43% 6,765 24.12% 74.74% 16,672 9,907 632 729 111 28,051
Outremont Lib Lib 12,720 53.43% 3,702 15.55% 72.11% 12,720 9,018 1,294 461 31 282 23,806
Papineau Lib Lib 12,452 58.59% 4,382 20.62% 74.03% 12,452 8,070 732 21,254
Pontiac Lib Lib 13,888 72.08% 10,265 53.28% 62.80% 13,888 3,623 896 783 77 19,267
Portneuf Lib Lib 18,406 69.10% 11,219 42.12% 81.34% 18,406 7,187 726 52 264 26,635
Prévost PQ Lib 15,618 53.09% 2,659 9.04% 74.95% 15,618 12,959 701 141 29,419
Richelieu PQ Lib 16,373 53.14% 3,047 9.89% 81.90% 16,373 13,326 587 105 347 72 30,810
Richmond Lib Lib 12,356 63.81% 5,532 28.57% 80.96% 12,356 6,824 184 19,364
Rimouski PQ Lib 15,116 48.78% 284 0.92% 75.06% 15,116 14,832 185 853 30,986
Rivière-du-Loup PQ Lib 11,690 53.32% 2,304 10.51% 75.10% 11,690 9,386 711 136 21,923
Robert-Baldwin Lib Lib 27,041 80.54% 22,368 66.62% 73.18% 27,041 4,673 1,068 467 164 161 33,574
Roberval PQ PQ 16,684 52.64% 2,035 6.42% 77.87% 14,649 16,684 364 31,697
Rosemont PQ Lib 14,810 52.65% 3,065 10.90% 75.11% 14,810 11,745 742 394 27 413 28,131
Rousseau PQ Lib 17,314 55.14% 4,115 13.11% 73.82% 17,314 13,199 632 255 31,400
Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue PQ Lib 11,826 49.56% 1,385 5.80% 62.53% 11,826 10,441 1,202 57 335 23,861
Saguenay PQ Lib 11,270 48.36% 161 0.69% 66.48% 11,270 11,109 516 277 134 23,306
Saint-François PQ Lib 15,571 53.85% 3,611 12.49% 74.25% 15,571 11,960 1,220 162 28,913
Saint-Henri Lib Lib 14,647 56.73% 4,736 18.34% 69.85% 14,647 9,911 602 456 53 151 25,820
Saint-Hyacinthe PQ Lib 15,382 48.74% 523 1.66% 78.16% 15,382 14,859 709 501 107 31,558
Saint-Jacques PQ PQ 10,659 48.61% 1,864 8.50% 68.93% 8,795 10,659 1,115 417 23 129 789 21,927
Saint-Jean PQ Lib 19,589 57.68% 7,451 21.94% 78.97% 19,589 12,138 1,028 863 66 279 33,963
Saint-Laurent Lib Lib 22,474 74.22% 16,367 54.05% 72.41% 22,474 6,107 1,037 390 56 218 30,282
Saint-Louis Lib Lib 9,903 48.45% 5,162 25.25% 65.68% 9,903 4,741 1,405 42 4,001 82 266 20,440
Saint-Maurice PQ Lib 14,802 54.70% 3,540 13.08% 79.91% 14,802 11,262 994 27,058
Saint-Anne Lib Lib 12,565 60.92% 5,666 27.47% 65.89% 12,565 6,899 633 260 98 170 20,625
Sainte-Marie PQ Lib 8,855 47.03% 455 2.42% 67.12% 8,855 8,400 711 212 39 213 74 325 18,829
Sauvé PQ Lib 15,677 61.12% 6,756 26.34% 70.82% 15,677 8,921 462 346 134 65 43 25,648
Shefford PQ PQ 16,460 49.54% 611 1.84% 79.73% 15,849 16,460 284 261 180 70 121 33,225
Sherbrooke PQ Lib 14,163 49.31% 648 2.26% 75.67% 14,163 13,515 104 942 28,724
Taillon PQ PQ 15,154 50.48% 1,963 6.54% 72.82% 13,191 15,154 791 418 91 285 91 30,021
Taschereau PQ Lib 11,584 53.81% 3,489 16.21% 72.54% 11,584 8,095 1,217 236 87 309 21,528
Terrebonne PQ PQ 18,555 56.67% 5,678 17.34% 75.37% 12,877 18,555 810 74 428 32,744
Trois-Rivières PQ Lib 17,258 59.18% 6,365 21.82% 74.82% 17,258 10,893 614 399 29,164
Ungava PQ PQ 6,414 51.83% 917 7.41% 54.74% 5,497 6,414 463 12,374
Vachon PQ Lib 16,011 49.47% 842 2.60% 76.30% 16,011 15,169 673 511 32,364
Vanier PQ Lib 16,668 54.89% 4,797 15.80% 77.04% 16,668 11,871 1,671 155 30,365
Vaudreuil-Soulanges Lib Lib 23,440 64.36% 11,566 31.76% 77.43% 23,440 11,874 924 181 36,419
Verchères PQ PQ 16,679 49.06% 846 2.49% 81.32% 15,833 16,679 1,063 361 60 33,996
Verdun Lib Lib 14,860 64.27% 7,954 34.40% 73.80% 14,860 6,906 659 216 183 50 114 134 23,122
Viau Lib Lib 17,086 66.12% 9,658 37.38% 71.05% 17,086 7,428 864 118 344 25,840
Viger Lib Lib 20,060 68.28% 12,106 41.21% 76.92% 20,060 7,954 617 235 86 131 295 29,378
Vimont PQ Lib 16,169 50.07% 1,409 4.36% 79.56% 16,169 14,760 854 429 82 32,294
Westmount Lib Lib 18,458 76.55% 15,083 62.55% 69.66% 18,458 3,375 1,916 63 301 24,113
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ André Asselin was the PC leader
  = 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[edit]

Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[1]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
 Liberal 99 23
 Parti Québécois 23 99
 New Democratic 79 11
 Progressive Conservative 18 22 8
 Christian Socialist 8 24 28
 Union Nationale 6 6 5
 Parti indépendantiste 4 22 11
 Independent 2 7 6
 Green 2 5 2
 Regroupement autonome des jeunes 1 1
 Independent Liberal 1
 Humanist 3 6
 United Social Credit 3 2
 Socialist Movement 3 2
 Commonwealth of Canada 5
 Communist 2
 Workers 2
Resulting composition of the 31st Quebec Legislative Assembly[2]
Source Party
Lib PQ Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 36 16 52
Open seats held 5 3 8
Byelection loss reversed 4 4
Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance 1 1
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 37 37
Open seats gained 13 13
Byelection gains held 7
Total 99 23 122


See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Drouilly, Pierre (December 4, 2017). "Élections québécoises de 1981". donneesquebec.ca. Atlas des élections au Québec.
  2. ^ a b "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[edit]

External links[edit]