Election Results 1984

by Paul Geddes
October 1984

Well how did we do in 1984? In British Columbia our 12 candidates collected a total of 3,450 votes for 0.25% (one quarter of one percent) of the vote. Our 72 candidates across the country received 23,630 odd votes or 0.2% (one fifth of one percent) of the vote.

In British Columbia the Libertarians placed sixth, behind the major parties but also behind the Greens (0.6% of the BC vote) and the Rhinos (0.4% of the BC vote). We did finish ahead of the Communists, the Social Credit, and the Confederation of Regions.

Nationally, the Libertarians finished eighth. The Rhinos came in fourth (0.8% of the vote), the Parti National fifth (0.7%), the Confederation of Regions sixth (0.5%) and the Greens seventh with 27,302 votes (0.2% of the vote -- same as the Libertarians).

Nationally our candidates averaged 328 votes. In BC however, we only received an average of 287 votes. Candidates that did particularly well were Keith Dye in the Yukon (511 votes for 4.4% of the vote), John Hayes in Peterborough got the most votes for Libertarians in Canada with 1,474 (2.9%). The only other Libertarian to top a thousand was George Dance in York-Scarborough with 1.1% of the vote.

In BC, Wayne Marsden was our top vote getter coming in fourth with 738 votes (1.4% of the vote). Also to be commended is Ron Good, fourth with 489 votes (1.2%) in Prince George-Bulkley Valley and Martin Macdonald in Fraser Valley West with 421 votes (0.6%).

How did we do compared to the past? We ran 72 candidates compared to 58 in 1980, and 59 in 1979. Our vote total of 23,624 was up 61% from 14,652 votes in 1981. Our average vote per candidate was up 30% from our performance in 1980. The percentage growth figures may be somewhat misleading as the overall results are still disappointing. Three hundred votes per candidate is poor. Our ideas should have greater appeal than that.

We must learn from this election. What happened? Did people dislike our ideas? Did they like our ideas but think that voting conservative was a better way to protect liberty? Or perhaps they have not yet heard about us yet? We should find out which of these contentions is true so we can do better next time.