| Election Name: | 1917 Saskatchewan general election |
| Country: | Saskatchewan |
| Flag Year: | 1905 |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Party Colour: | no |
| Party Name: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1912 Saskatchewan general election |
| Previous Year: | 1912 |
| Previous Mps: | 3rd Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan |
| Elected Mps: | members |
| Next Election: | 1921 Saskatchewan general election |
| Next Year: | 1921 |
| Next Mps: | 5th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan |
| Seats For Election: | 62 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan |
| Majority Seats: | 32 |
| Leader1: | William Martin |
| Leader Since1: | 1916 |
| Leaders Seat1: | Regina City |
| Last Election1: | 45 |
| Seats1: | 51 |
| Seat Change1: | 6 |
| Popular Vote1: | 106,552 |
| Percentage1: | 56.7% |
| Swing1: | 0.3pp |
| Leader2: | Wellington Willoughby |
| Leader Since2: | 1912 |
| Leaders Seat2: | Moose Jaw City |
| Last Election2: | 8 |
| Seats2: | 7 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| Popular Vote2: | 68,243 |
| Percentage2: | 36.3% |
| Swing2: | 5.7pp |
| Premier | |
| Before Election: | William Martin |
| Posttitle: | Premier after election |
| After Election: | William Martin |
The 1917 Saskatchewan general election was held on June 26, 1917, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.
After replacing Walter Scott as leader of the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan and premier of the province, William M. Martin led the party to its fourth consecutive victory, winning all but 8 of the 59 seats in the legislature.
The Conservative Party of Wellington Willoughby continued to lose popular support.
This was the first Saskatchewan election in which women were allowed to vote and run for office. However, none were declared elected in this vote; the first Saskatchewan woman elected an MLA was after a 1918 by-election.
The Non-Partisan League, forerunner of the Progressive Party of Saskatchewan, nominated candidates for the first time, although none were successful. Labour candidates also appeared for the first time.
David John Sykes became the first Independent to sit in the Saskatchewan legislature. He was nominated by the Liberal, Conservative and Non-Partisan League organizations, and thus was acclaimed this election.[1]
An at-large service vote was held to elect three soldiers from October 3 to October 13, 1917. All service members were not affiliated, and were elected to represent Saskatchewan residents stationed in France, Belgium and Great Britain.
| Party | Party Leader |
| Seats | Popular Vote | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Elected | % Change | Votes | % | % Change | William M. Martin | 58 | 46 | 51 | +13.3% | 106,552 | 56.68% | align="right" | -0.28% | Wellington Willoughby | 53 | 7 | 7 | – | 68,243 | 36.30% | align="right" | -5.68% | Independent | 10 | – | 1 | +100% | 4,440 | 2.36% | +1.30% | 7 | – | 7,267 | 3.87% | William Geo. Baker (default) | 2 | – | 1,474 | 0.79% | ||||||||||
| Sub-total | 130 | 53 | 59 | – | 187,976 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soldiers' vote (Province at large) | 14 | 3 | 13,655 | 6.77% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 144 | 53 | 62 | +11.3% | 201,631 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: Elections Saskatchewan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For complete electoral history, see individual districts
1 Magnus Ramsland died in 1918. In the resulting by-election, he was succeeded by his widow Sarah Ramsland, the first woman ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.
Like other provinces Saskatchewan held a service vote – actually two separate votes – for Saskatchewan residents in the Canadian armed services fighting during World War I. The first vote was for France and Belgium – two members were elected in a block vote; the top member represented France and the second member elected represented Belgium. Another member was also elected to represent troops in Great Britain. Three seats in the Legislature were set aside for these soldier-MLAs.
| Candidate | Votes | % | elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Harris Turner | 3,938 | France | ||
| Captain Frederick Bagshaw | 1,791 | Belgium | ||
| Lt. Col. Alexander Ross | 978 | |||
| Private Kenneth Crawford | 798 | |||
| Sergeant William Reade | 577 | |||
| Sapper John Arthur Gibson | 379 | |||
| Major Robert Henry Smith | 365 | |||
| Sgt. Major William Harry Wilson | 233 | |||
| Lieutenant Alfred Haigh | 216 |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lt. Col. James Albert Cross | 2,698 | ||
| Captain Alfred Manville | 691 | ||
| Sergeant Arthur Eaton | 504 | ||
| Sergeant Samuel Barraclough | 273 | ||
| Captain Daniel Lochead | 214 |