The 1959 Prince Edward Island general election was held in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island on September 1, 1959.
The governing Liberals of Premier Alex W. Matheson were defeated by the Progressive Conservatives led by Walter R. Shaw, who gained a massive number of districts across the Island to earn a majority government, despite a close result in the popular vote.
The defeat of the Matheson-led Liberals marked the end of the longest serving government in Island history. The Liberals had governed for 24 straight years since their initial victory in the 1935 general election, a feat that would not be rivaled by any other provincial government on the Island.
Party standings
+ ↓ 22 8 PC Liberal
PartyParty LeaderSeatsPopular Vote1955ElectedChange#%ChangeWalter R. Shaw322+1943,84550.9%+5.9%LiberalAlex W. Matheson278-1942,21449.1%-5.9%
Members elected
The Legislature of Prince Edward Island had two levels of membership from 1893 to 1996 - Assemblymen and Councillors. This was a holdover from when the Island had a bicameral legislature, the General Assembly and the Legislative Council.
In 1893, the Legislative Council was abolished and had its membership merged with the Assembly, though the two titles remained separate and were elected by different electoral franchises. Assembleymen were elected by all eligible voters of within a district, while Councillors were only elected by landowners within a district.
Kings
District Assemblyman Party Councillor Party 1st Kings John R. McLean Progressive Conservative Melvin J. McQuaid Progressive Conservative 2nd Kings Walter Dingwell Progressive Conservative Leo Rossiter Progressive Conservative 3rd Kings Thomas A. Curran Progressive Conservative Douglas McGowan Progressive Conservative 4th Kings Lorne Bonnell Liberal Alexander Wallace Matheson Liberal 5th Kings Stephen Hessian Liberal George Saville Liberal
Queens
District Assemblyman Party Councillor Party 1st Queens Frank Myers Progressive Conservative Walter Russell Shaw Progressive Conservative 2nd Queens Philip Matheson Progressive Conservative Reginald Bell Progressive Conservative 3rd Queens Andrew B. MacRae Progressive Conservative J. Russell Driscoll Progressive Conservative 4th Queens J. Stewart Ross Liberal Harold P. Smith Liberal 5th Queens J. David Stewart Progressive Conservative Alban Farmer Progressive Conservative
Prince
District Assemblyman Party Councillor Party 1st Prince Hubert Gaudet Progressive Conservative Don Campbell Progressive Conservative 2nd Prince George Dewar Progressive Conservative Robert Grindlay Progressive Conservative 3rd Prince Henry Wedge Progressive Conservative Keith Harrington Progressive Conservative 4th Prince J. George MacKay Liberal Cleveland Baker Liberal 5th Prince Hubert B. MacNeill Progressive Conservative G. Lorne Monkley Progressive Conservative
Sources