Ontario prohibition referendum, 1919

An Ontario prohibition referendum was held on October 20, 1919 (in conjunction with the 15th provincial election), on the repeal of the prohibition of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition had been passed by the provincial government in 1916 under the Ontario Temperance Act, though a clause required a referendum to be held on the issue after three years.

Referendum question

Are you in favour of the repeal of the Ontario Temperance Act?

Are you in favour of the sale of light beer containing not more than two and fifty-one hundredths per cent alcohol weight measure through Government agencies and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?

Are you in favour of the sale of light beer containing not more than two and fifty-one hundredths per cent alcohol weight measure in standard hotels in local municipalities that by a majority vote favour such sale and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?

Are you in favour of the sale of spirituous and malt liquors through Government agencies and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?

Unlike past prohibition referendums, the four questions were binding upon receiving a majority vote.

Results

Question 1 (repeal of Ontario Temperance Act)

Response	# of votes polled	% of votes polled
Yes	369,434	32.4
No	772,161	67.6
Total	1,141,595	100.0

Question 2 (sale of light beer through government agencies)

Response	# of votes polled	% of votes polled
Yes	401,893	35.2
No	741,007	64.8
Total	1,142,900	100.0

Question 3 (sale of light beer through hotels)

Response	# of votes polled	% of votes polled
Yes	386,680	33.8
No	755,933	66.2
Total	1,142,613	100.0

Question 4 (sale of spirits and malts through government agencies)

Response	# of votes polled	% of votes polled
Yes	449,370	39.3
No	693,524	60.7
Total	1,142,894	100.0

As none of the questions received a majority vote, prohibition was not repealed.

External links

Referendums in Ontario: A Historical Summary

Elections and referendums in Ontario

General elections	1867 1871 1875 1879 1883 1886 1890 1894 1898 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1919 1923 1926 1929 1934 1937 1943 1945 1948 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1977 1981 1985 1987 1990 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2014 next

By-elections	List of Ontario by-elections

Referendums	1894 1902 1919 1921 1924 2007

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