1986 Saskatchewan general election

The 1986 Saskatchewan general election, the twenty-first in the history of the province, was held on October 20, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

1986 Saskatchewan general election

← 1982 October 20, 1986 (1986-10-20) 1991 →
← outgoing members members →
64 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 33 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	82.1% [1] (1.8pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Grant Devine Allan Blakeney Ralph Goodale Party Progressive Conservative New Democratic Liberal Leader since November 9, 1979 July 4, 1970 June 13, 1981 Leader's seat Estevan Regina Elphinstone Assiniboia-Gravelbourg Last election 55 9 0 Seats before 54 8 0 Seats won 38 25 1 Seat change 16 17 1 Popular vote 244,382 247,683 54,739 Percentage 44.60% 45.20% 9.99% Swing 9.45pp 7.56pp 5.48pp
Premier before election Grant Devine Progressive Conservative Premier after election Grant Devine Progressive Conservative

Summary

The Progressive Conservative government of Premier Grant Devine was returned for a second term with a reduced majority in the legislature.

While the New Democratic Party managed to significantly increase its share of the popular vote and its presence in the legislature, former Premier Allan Blakeney's attempt to return to power was unsuccessful. Despite winning more votes than the Tories, much of the NDP margin was seen in landslides in the major urban centres of Regina and Saskatoon—while the party won eight seats in each of those cities, the NDP won only nine seats throughout the rest of the province. As a result, they were consigned to Official Opposition status for another term.

The Liberal Party captured almost 10% of the popular vote, but elected only one member—party leader Ralph Goodale—to the legislature.

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level

Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source	PC	NDP	LIB	Other	Undecided	ME	Sample
Election 1986	October 20, 1986		44.60	45.20	9.99	0.21			547,930
Angus Reid	October 6, 1986	[2]	48	42	8	—N/a	—N/a	3.9	806
CBC	October 2, 1986	[2]	50	41	9	—N/a	—N/a	2.9	1,400
NDP	January 1986	[3]	41	51	8	—N/a	—N/a	5	1,024
Institute for Social Economic Research	February 3, 1986	[4]	42.9	46.7	9.3	—N/a	—N/a	4−5	567
Angus Reid	October 26, 1985	[5]	34	58	8	—N/a	18	5	415
Institute for Social Economic Research	October 3, 1985	[6]	43.8	46.3	9.3	—N/a	24	—N/a	—N/a
Election 1982	April 26, 1982		54.07	37.64	4.51	3.78			535,085

Results

Party		Party leader	Candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				1982	Dissol.	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change
	Progressive Conservative	Grant Devine	64	55	54	38	-29.6%	244,382	44.60%	-9.45%
	New Democratic	Allan Blakeney	64	9	8	25	+212.5%	247,683	45.20%	+7.56%
	Liberal	Ralph Goodale	64	–	–	1	n/a	54,739	9.99%	+5.48%
	Western Canada Concept	Hilton J. Spencer (default)	9	–	2	–	-100%	458	0.08%	-3.18%
	Independent		3	–	–	–	–	358	0.07%	-0.23%
	Alliance		6	*	*	–	*	237	0.04%	*
	Communist		1	*	*	–	*	73	0.01%	*
Total			211	64	64	64	–	547,930	100%
Source: Elections Saskatchewan[7][8]

Note: * Party did not nominate candidates in previous election.

Percentages

Popular vote

New Democratic			45.20%
PC			44.60%
Liberal			9.99%
Others			0.20%

Seats summary

PC			59.38%
New Democratic			39.06%
Liberal			1.56%

Ranking

Party		Seats	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth
	Progressive Conservative	38	24	2	0	0
	New Democratic	25	38	1	0	0
	Liberal	1	2	61	0	0
	Western Canada Concept	0	0	0	9	0
	Independent	0	0	0	9	1

Riding results

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

Northwest Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates			Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal
Athabasca[9]		Pat Cardinal 457 (10.70%)	Frederick John Thompson 2,357 (55.20%)	Jim Durocher 1,456 (34.10%)		Frederick John Thompson
Cut Knife-Lloydminster[10]		Michael Hopfner 4,526 (52.32%)	Bob Long 3,677 (42.50%)	Virginia Fox 448 (5.18%)		Michael Alfred Hopfner
Meadow Lake[11]		George McLeod 3,711 (59.42%)	Bill Krasicki 2,183 (34.96%)	Henry E. Coupland 351 (5.62%)		George Malcolm McLeod
Redberry[12]		John Gerich 3,591 (53.91%)	Dennis Banda 2,791 (41.90%)	Aurele Lalonde 279 (4.19%)		John Gerich
Rosthern[13]		William Neudorf 5,700 (57.01%)	Edgar Epp 3,348 (33.49%)	Allan G. Turberfield 950 (9.50%)		Ralph Katzman**
The Battlefords[14]		Myles Morin 4,851 (47.11%)	Doug Anguish 4,908 (47.66%)	Ken McCaffrey 539 (5.23%)		Myles L. Morin
Turtleford[15]		Colin Maxwell 3,403 (50.13%)	Chris Sorenson 2,968 (43.73%)	Lucien Briere 417 (6.14%)		Colin Maxwell

Northeast Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Other
Cumberland[16]		Larry Wolkosky 1,416 (27.11%)	Keith Goulet 3,173 (60.74%)	Robin W. Turner 436 (8.34%)	Gordon "Popeye" Carle (Ind.) 199 (3.81%)		Lawrence Riel Yew**
Kelsey-Tisdale[17]		Neal Hardy 4,448 (54.19%)	Mike Martyn 3,452 (42.05%)	Bill Soloway 309 (3.76%)			Neal Herbert Hardy
Kinistino[18]		Josef Saxinger 3,900 (49.11%)	Don Cody 3,748 (47.20%)	Ray L Manègre 293 (3.69%)			Bernard Boutin**
Melfort[19]		Grant Hodgins 4,433 (56.14%)	Keith Davis 2,963 (37.53%)	Jerry Derkatz 500 (6.33%)			Grant Hodgins
Nipawin[20]		Lloyd Sauder 4,312 (55.98%)	Gilda Treleaven 2,975 (38.62%)	Ron J. Wassill 416 (5.40%)			Lloyd David Sauder
Prince Albert[21]		John Meagher 4,039 (37.17%)	Myron Kowalsky 6,059 (55.76%)	Rupert Baudais 768 (7.07%)			John Paul Meagher
Prince Albert-Duck Lake[22]		Sid Dutchak 3,915 (43.55%)	Eldon Lautermilch 4,448 (49.48%)	Marg Tornquist 627 (6.97%)			Sid Dutchak
Shellbrook-Torch River[23]		Lloyd Muller 4,145 (48.96%)	George Bowerman 3,941 (46.55%)	Ed Olchowy 380 (4.49%)			Lloyd John Muller

West Central Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Other
Arm River[24]		Gerald Muirhead 4,828 (57.67%)	Bob Robertson 2,948 (35.21%)	Kim Gleim 535 (6.39%)	Hilton J. Spencer (WCC) 61 (0.73%)		Gerald Muirhead
Biggar[25]		Harry Baker 3,882 (50.26%)	Pat Trask 3,449 (44.65%)	Sharon Hamilton 393 (5.09%)			Harry Daniel Baker
Humboldt[26]		Louis Domotor 3,693 (42.30%)	Eric Upshall 3,914 (44.83%)	Larry Benning 1,124 (12.87%)			Louis Albert Domotor
Kindersley[27]		Robert Andrew 4,882 (65.66%)	Wayne Welte 1,993 (26.81%)	Phillip Johnson 560 (7.53%)			Robert Lynal Andrew
Rosetown-Elrose[28]		Herbert Swan 4,276 (58.44%)	George Tweedle 2,530 (34.58%)	James D. McCullough 414 (5.66%)	Danny Brown (Ind.) 97 (1.32%)		Herbert Junior Swan
Wilkie[29]		John Britton 3,457 (48.35%)	Ted Zoller 2,151 (30.09%)	Nick Volk 1,541 (21.56%)			James William Arthur Garner**

East Central Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Other
Canora[30]		Lorne Kopelchuk 4,273 (54.65%)	Linda Kezima 3,271 (41.83%)	Carole Merriman 275 (3.52%)			Lloyd Hampton**
Kelvington-Wadena[31]		Sherwin Petersen 4,129 (50.97%)	Ken Folstad 3,565 (44.01%)	Orvall Enge 407 (5.02%)			Sherwin Petersen
Last Mountain-Touchwood[32]		Arnold Tusa 4,032 (47.69%)	Gordon MacMurchy 3,943 (46.63%)	Charles Schuler 480 (5.68%)			Arnold Tusa
Melville[33]		Grant Schmidt 4,575 (53.46%)	Matt Stecyk 3,302 (38.59%)	Mona Kines 643 (7.51%)	Arthur J. Pelzer (Alliance) 38 (0.44%)		Grant Schmidt
Pelly[34]		Rod Gardner 3,280 (49.47%)	Norm Lusney 3,113 (46.95%)	A. Ben Ferrie 237 (3.58%)			Norm Lusney
Quill Lakes[35]		Mervin Sigstad 3,405 (42.90%)	Murray Koskie 4,031 (50.78%)	Pat Morrison 502 (6.32%)			Murray Koskie
Saltcoats[36]		Walt Johnson 3,612 (47.47%)	Reg Knezacek 3,549 (46.64%)	Leslie Popp 448 (5.89%)			Walter Robert Johnson
Yorkton[37]		Lorne McLaren 4,408 (47.08%)	Gordon Roberts 4,189 (44.74%)	Susan Holmberg 664 (7.09%)	Ernest R. Lee (Alliance) 102 (1.09%)		Lorne A. McLaren

Southwest Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates					Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept	Other
Assiniboia-Gravelbourg[38]		Bill Fancourt 2,273 (28.72%)	Allen Engel 2,395 (30.26%)	Ralph Goodale 3,246 (41.02%)				Allen Engel
Maple Creek[39]		Joan Duncan 4,199 (60.87%)	Barry Elderkin 2,185 (31.68%)	Harold Pawlitza 514 (7.45%)				Joan Duncan
Moose Jaw North[40]		Keith Parker 4,273 (40.06%)	Glenn Hagel 5,370 (50.35%)	Tim Crosbie 970 (9.09%)	Nick Dowhy, Jr. 33 (0.31%)	Clifford H. Hume (Alliance) 20 (0.19%)		Keith Edward Parker
Moose Jaw South[41]		Arthur "Bud" Smith 2,823 (33.27%)	Lorne Calvert 4,959 (58.45%)	Irene McKenzie 653 (7.70%)	Phoebe Dowhy 49 (0.58%)			Arthur "Bud" Smith
Morse[42]		Art Martens 3,694 (56.12%)	Reg Gross 2,209 (33.56%)	Al Harder 605 (9.19%)	Burton Rempel 74 (1.13%)			Harold Martens
Shaunavon[43]		Ted Gleim 3,311 (47.70%)	Dwain Lingenfelter 2,968 (42.76%)	Jules Larochelle 662 (9.54%)				Dwain Lingenfelter
Swift Current[44]		Patricia Anne Smith 4,444 (50.71%)	John Penner 3,785 (43.19%)	Archie Green 486 (5.54%)	Orland McInnes 49 (0.56%)			Patricia Anne Smith
Thunder Creek[45]		Richard Swenson 3,773 (53.52%)	Betty Payne 1,864 (26.44%)	William Johnstone 1,375 (19.50%)	Robert Gleim 38 (0.54%)			Richard Swenson

December 15, 1988 By-election: Assiniboia-Gravelbourg

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Prog. Conservative	John Thomas Wolfe	3,164	44.31	+15.59
	NDP	Allen Engel	3,009	42.14	+11.88
	Liberal	Daryl Beatty	966	13.53	-27.48
Total			7,139	100.00

Southeast Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept
Bengough-Milestone[46]		Bob Pickering 3,740 (54.50%)	Jim Liggett 2,406 (35.06%)	Brent Knudsen 716 (10.44%)			Robert Hugh Pickering
Estevan[47]		Grant Devine 6,037 (63.43%)	Dan Tangjerd 2,766 (29.06%)	Leonard Ludwig 655 (6.88%)	Randy Shaver 60 (0.63%)		Grant Devine
Indian Head-Wolseley[48]		Doug Taylor 3,976 (57.82%)	Joe Zaba 1,794 (26.09%)	Donald E. Gabel 1,106 (16.09%)			Douglas Graham Taylor
Moosomin[49]		Don Toth 4,622 (60.22%)	William Sauter 2,429 (31.65%)	Myles Fuchs 624 (8.13%)			Larry Birkbeck**
Qu’Appelle-Lumsden[50]		John Gary Lane 4,490 (47.55%)	Suzanne Murray 3,763 (39.86%)	Linda Boxall 1,150 (12.18%)	Joey Gargol 39 (0.41%)		John Gary Lane
Souris-Cannington[51]		Eric Berntson 4,642 (67.70%)	Charlotte Rasmussen 1,529 (22.30%)	William H. Ireland 686 (10.00%)			Eric Berntson
Weyburn[15]		Lorne Hepworth 4,596 (52.65%)	Harry-Jae Elder 3,220 (36.88%)	Bill Rudachyk 859 (9.84%)	Edwin W. Appenheimer 55 (0.63%)		Lorne Henry Hepworth

Saskatoon

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Other
Saskatoon Centre[52]		Jack Sandberg 2,755 (35.55%)	Anne deBlois Smart 3,854 (49.74%)	Audrey Brent 1,119 (14.44%)	Norm Baker (Alliance) 21 (0.27%)		Jack Sven Sandberg
Saskatoon Eastview[53]		Pierre Martineau 6,356 (43.08%)	Dixie Campbell-Tymchatyn 5,745 (38.94%)	Vic Karwacki 2,653 (17.98%)			Kimberly Young**
Saskatoon Fairview[54]		Ross G. McQuarrie 3,368 (31.15%)	Bob Mitchell 6,539 (60.47%)	Al Cebryk 906 (8.38%)			Duane Weiman**
Saskatoon Mayfair[55]		Ray Meiklejohn 7,725 (45.53%)	Gord Gunoff 7,431 (43.80%)	Denis I. Quon 1,748 (10.30%)	Robert Bonsor (Ind.) 62 (0.37%)		Cal Glauser**
Saskatoon Nutana[56]		Mervyn Houghton 2,439 (30.77%)	Pat Atkinson 4,719 (59.52%)	Eugene V.J. Pulak 770 (9.71%)			Evelyn Bacon**
Saskatoon Riversdale[57]		Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk 2,114 (26.39%)	Roy Romanow 5,490 (68.52%)	Bernadine Droesse 408 (5.09%)			Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk
Saskatoon South[58]		Bob Myers 3,311 (40.09%)	Herman Rolfes 3,735 (45.23%)	Bernie Yuzdepski 1,212 (14.68%)			Robert Edward William Myers
Saskatoon Sutherland[59]		Paul Schoenhals 4,520 (40.98%)	Mark Koenker 5,210 (47.23%)	George Rathgeber 1,300 (11.79%)			Paul John Schoenhals
Saskatoon University[60]		Rick Folk 2,744 (35.81%)	Peter Prebble 3,400 (44.38%)	Robert G. Crowe 1,518 (19.81%)			Rick Folk
Saskatoon Westmount[61]		Gay Caswell 1,990 (27.06%)	John Edward Brockelbank 4,770 (64.87%)	Bill Purdy 593 (8.07%)			Gay Caswell

May 4, 1988 By-election: Saskatoon Eastview

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	Bob Pringle	6,685	53.53	+14.59
	Prog. Conservative	Toni Davidson	3,330	26.67	-16.41
	Liberal	Pat Beck	2,473	19.80	+1.82
Total			12,488	100.00

Regina

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Other
Regina Centre[62]		Roy Wellman 2,088 (26.59%)	Ned Shillington 4,737 (60.34%)	Ed Nordhagen 953 (12.14%)	Kimball Cariou (Communist) 73 (0.93%)		Edward Shillington
Regina Elphinstone[63]		Al Empringham 1,678 (22.50%)	Allan Blakeney 5,288 (70.90%)	Don McGregor 492 (6.60%)			Allan Blakeney
Regina Lakeview[64]		Tim Embury 2,989 (33.93%)	Louise Simard 4,185 (47.52%)	June L. Blau 1,634 (18.55%)			Tim Embury
Regina North[64]		Ken Skilnick 3,109 (30.38%)	Kim Trew 6,008 (58.72%)	Tom Townsend 1,098 (10.73%)	Ian Bruce Clarke (Alliance) 17 (0.17%)		Jack Klein
Regina North East[65]		Noel Klock 2,962 (27.70%)	Edwin Tchorzewski 6,845 (64.03%)	Paul Thériault 884 (8.27%)			Edwin Tchorzewski
Regina North West[66]		Alvin Law 4,517 (33.02%)	John Solomon 7,970 (58.27%)	John MacGowan 1,152 (8.42%)	Bill Sveinson (Alliance) 39 (0.29%)		Bill Sveinson
Regina Rosemont[67]		Gordon Dirks 3,828 (36.82%)	Robert Lyons 5,805 (55.84%)	Christine Crowther 763 (7.34%)			Gordon Dirks
Regina South[68]		Jack Klein 4,115 (44.98%)	Margaret Fern 3,462 (37.84%)	Kevin Moore 1,572 (17.18%)			Paul Rousseau**
Regina Victoria[69]		Metro Rybchuk 2,128 (26.35%)	Harry Van Mulligen 4,782 (59.23%)	Alvey Halbgewachs 1,164 (14.42%)			Metro Rybchuk
Regina Wascana[70]		Gordon Martin 5,176 (41.75%)	Bob Goos 5,121 (41.30%)	Cam McCannell 2,101 (16.95%)			Gord Currie**

May 4, 1988 By-election: Regina Elphinstone

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	Dwain Lingenfelter	4,309	77.33	+6.43
	Prog. Conservative	Myrna Petersen	694	12.46	-10.04
	Liberal	Ron Eistetter	569	10.21	+3.61
Total			5,572	100.00

See also

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