1944 Saskatchewan general election

The 1944 Saskatchewan general election was the tenth provincial election in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 15, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

1944 Saskatchewan general election

June 15, 1944 (1944-06-15)
52 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 27 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   PC Leader Tommy Douglas William John Patterson Rupert Ramsay Party Co-operative Commonwealth Liberal Progressive Conservative Leader since July 17, 1942 1935 February 15, 1944 Leader's seat Weyburn Cannington Ran in Saskatoon City (lost) Last election 10 38 0 Seats won 47 5 0 Seat change 37 33 ±0 Popular vote 211,364 140,901 42,511 Percentage 53.13% 35.42% 10.69% Swing 34.4pp 10.03pp 1.18pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader — Joseph Needham Party Labor-Progressive Social Credit Leader since — 1935 Leader's seat — Did not run Last election 2 2 Seats won 0 0 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 2,067 249 Percentage 0.52% 0.06% Swing 1.41pp 15.84pp
Premier before election William John Patterson Liberal Premier after election Tommy Douglas Co-operative Commonwealth

The election was held six years after the previous election. There is normally a five-year limit on the lifespan of Parliaments and provincial assemblies in Canada, but the emergency brought on by the Second World War allowed the government to delay the election temporarily.

Tommy Douglas standing under a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation election billboard with C.M. Fines and Clarence Gillis shortly after the historic 1944 election that swept the Saskatchewan CCF to power.

It marked the first time a socialist government was elected anywhere in Canada. Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) leader Tommy Douglas became the premier of the province.

The CCF won 47 of the 52 seats in the legislature, and over half the popular vote, despite a very negative campaign by the governing Liberal Party. The Liberals, led by William John Patterson, accused Douglas of being a communist.

The Liberal popular vote fell by 10 percentage points, and they won only five seats. It is still the worst defeat of a sitting government in Saskatchewan's history.

The Social Credit Party of Saskatchewan, which had won 16% of the vote and two seats in the 1938 election, collapsed; the party had only one candidate, who won only 249 votes.

The Communist Party-led Unity movement reverted to the name Labor-Progressive Party, and lost both of the seats it had won in 1938.

The Conservative Party, renamed the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan and led by Rupert Ramsay, won over 10% of the vote, but no seats.

An at-large service vote was held for Saskatchewan residents in the Canadian armed services fighting during World War II. This special vote elected three nonpartisan members to represent Saskatchewan soldiers, sailors and airmen stationed in 1.) Great Britain, 2.) the Mediterranean region and 3.) Newfoundland and Canada outside the province. Alberta had a similar system during the war.