Calgary was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return one to six members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1913, and again from 1921 to 1959. The district largely encompassed the boundaries of the city of Calgary, and was revised accordingly as the city grew.
Calgary history
Boundary history
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!colspan=4|Calgary 1909 boundaries
|-
!colspan=4|Bordering districts
|-
!North
!East
!West
!South
|-
|Gleichen
|Gleichen
|Okotoks
|Okotoks
|-
!colspan=4|Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 1909, An Act respecting the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|riding map goes here
|colspan=2 align=center|map in relation to other districts in rural Alberta goes here
|-
|colspan=4|Calgary.—All that portion of the City of Calgary as incorporated lying south of the Bow River.
|-
|colspan=4|Note: Boundaries came into force in 1909 and lasted until the district was abolished in 1913.
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!colspan=4|Calgary 1921 boundaries
|-
!colspan=4|Bordering districts
|-
!North
!East
!West
!South
|-
|Cochrane
|Gleichen
|Cochrane
|Okotoks
|-
!colspan=4|Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 1921, An Act to Amend The Motor Vehicle Act, The Unearned Increment Tax Act, and Certain other Acts and Ordinances.
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|riding map goes here
|colspan=2 align=center|map in relation to other districts in rural Alberta goes here
|-
|colspan=4|2. Section 2, as amended by section 1 of chapter 37 of the Statutes of Alberta, 1917: By adding thereto the following: "except the electoral districts of East Edmonton, West Edmonton and South Edmonton which shall hereafter constitute one electoral district to be called 'Edmonton' which shall return five members, and except the electoral districts of North Calgary, South Calgary and Centre Calgary which shall hereafter constitute one electoral district to be called 'Calgary' and which shall return five members, and except the electoral district of Medicine Hat which shall hereafter return two members."
|-
|colspan=4|Note: The electoral district was created by amalgamation of Centre Calgary, North Calgary and South Calgary in 1921. No original boundary description was created.
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!colspan=4|Calgary 1926 boundaries
|-
!colspan=4|Bordering districts
|-
!North
!East
!West
!South
|-
|Cochrane
|Gleichen
|Cochrane
|Okotoks
|-
!colspan=4|Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 1926, An Act to amend The Legislative Assembly Act.
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|riding map goes here
|colspan=2 align=center|map in relation to other districts in rural Alberta goes here
|-
|colspan=4|Calgary.—Commencing at the north-east corner of section 10, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian; thence west along the north boundary of sections 10 and 9, township 25, range 29 west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 and 7, in township 25, range 1, west of the 5th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7, in township 25, range 2, west of the 5th meridian; thence south along the meridian line between ranges 2, and 3, west of the 5th meridian to its intersection with the Elbow River; thence south-easterly down stream along the Elbow River to the point of its intersection with the north boundary of section 20, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian; thence east along the north boundary of sections 20, 21, 22, and 23, to the point of intersection of the north boundary of section 23, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian with the Bow River; thence southerly and down stream along the Bow River to the point of its intersection with the north boundary of sections 9 and 10, township 23, range 29, west of the 4th meridian to the north-east corner of section 10, township 23, range 29 west of the 4th meridian; thence north along the east boundary of sections 15, 22, 27 and 34, township 23 range 29, west of the 4th meridian and of sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 27, and 34, in township 24, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 3 and 10 in township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian to the point of commencement.
|-
|colspan=4|Note: The boundaries came into force in 1926.
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!colspan=4|Calgary 1930 boundaries
|-
!colspan=4|Bordering districts
|-
!North
!East
!West
!South
|-
|Cochrane
|Gleichen
|Cochrane
|Okotoks-High River
|-
!colspan=4|Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 1930, An Act to amend The Legislative Assembly Act.
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|200px
|colspan=2 align=center|map in relation to other districts in rural Alberta goes here
|-
|colspan=4|Calgary.—Commencing at the north-east corner of section 10, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian; thence west along the north boundary of sections 10 and 9, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 and 7, in township 25, range 1, west of the 5th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7, in township 25, range 2, west of the 5th meridian; thence south along the meridian line between ranges 2, and 3, west of the 5th meridian to its intersection with the Elbow River; thence south-easterly down stream along the Elbow River to the point of its intersection with the meridian line between ranges 1 and 2, west of the 5th meridian; thence south along the said meridian line between ranges 1 and 2, west of the 5th meridian, to the north-west corner of section 7, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian; thence east along the north boundary of sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian, and along the north boundary of sections 9 and 10, township 23, range 29, west of the 4th meridian; thence north along the east boundary of sections 15, 22, 27, and 35, township 23, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 27, and 34, in township 24, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 3 and 10 in township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, to the point of commencement.
|-
|colspan=4|Note: The boundaries came into force in 1930.
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!colspan=4|Calgary 1939 boundaries
|-
!colspan=4|Bordering districts
|-
!North
!East
!West
!South
|-
|Banff-Cochrane
|Gleichen
|Banff-Cochrane
|Okotoks-High River
|-
!colspan=4|Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 1939, An Act to Amend The Legislative Assembly Act.
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|riding map goes here
|colspan=2 align=center|map in relation to other districts in rural Alberta goes here
|-
|colspan=4|"Electoral Division of Calgary, the boundary whereof is as follows: Commencing at the north-east corner of section 10, in township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian; thence west along the north boundary of sections 10 and 9, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 and 7, in township 25, range 1, west of the 5th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7 in township 25, range 2, west of the 5th meridian; thence south along the meridian line between ranges 2, and 3, west of the 5th meridian to its intersection with the Elbow River; thence south-easterly downstream along the Elbow River to the point of its intersection with the meridian line between ranges 1 and 2, west of the 5th meridian, thence south along the said meridian line between ranges 1 and 2, west of the 5th meridian, to the north-west corner of section 7, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian; thence east along the north boundary of sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian, and along the north boundary of sections 9 and 10, township 23, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, to the north-east corner of section 10, township 23, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 27 and 34 in township 24, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, and of sections 3 and 10, in township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian, to the point of commencement.
|-
|colspan=4|Note: The boundaries came into force in 1940.
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!colspan=4|Calgary 1950 boundaries
|-
!colspan=4|Bordering districts
|-
!North
!East
!West
!South
|-
|Banff-Cochrane
|Gleichen
|Banff-Cochrane
|Banff-Cochrane
|-
!colspan=4|Legal description from the Statutes of Alberta 1950, An Act to Amend The Legislative Assembly Act.
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|riding map goes here
|colspan=2 align=center|map in relation to other districts in rural Alberta goes here
|-
|colspan=4|"Electoral Division of Calgary, the boundary whereof is as follows: Commencing at the north-east corner of section 10, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian; thence westerly along the north boundary of sections 10 and 9, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 and 7, in township 25, range 1, west of the 5th meridian, and of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 and 7, in township 25, range 2, west of the 5th meridian; thence southerly along the meridian line lying between ranges 2 and 3, west of the 5th meridian, to its intersection with the left bank of the Elbow River; thence south-easterly downstream along the said left bank to its intersection with the north boundary of the north-east quarter of section 19, township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian; thence easterly along the north boundary of sections 19 to 24. township 23, range 1, west of the 5th meridian and sections 21 and 22, township 23, range 29, west of the 4th meridian and the east boundary of sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 27 and 35, township 24, range 29, west of the 4th meridian and the east boundary of sections 3 and 10, township 25, range 29, west of the 4th meridian to the point of commencement.
|-
|colspan=4|Note: The boundaries came into force in 1952.
|}
Electoral history
The first iteration of the Calgary provincial electoral district in Alberta was created in the 1905 provincial boundary distribution. The district was known in that first election as Calgary City. Prior to 1905, when Calgary was still part of the North-West Territories, there were two districts East Calgary and West Calgary, which were split from the original Calgary North-West Territories district in 1894. Calgary district first came into existence when Calgary had a sufficiently large population to meet the requirements to elect members in the North-West Territories in 1884.
The first election in the district was held with the provincial general election of 1905. The election saw Liberal Minister of Public Works William Cushing win election against Conservative leader Richard Bennett. Cushing was named to the Rutherford prior to the election.
The number of seats in Calgary was increased to two in 1909. In that election Bennett and Cushing both won election, each elector in Calgary had two votes to vote for each seat. Bennett resigned to run for federal office and a by-election was held in 1911 to replace him.
The district was abolished and broken up into three electoral districts in 1913. The ridings were South Calgary, Centre Calgary, and North Calgary. In 1921 the Liberal government promised to bring in proportion representation. They did not and instead decided to combine the three Calgary districts and add two more seats. Voters had the option of casting up to five votes and the top five candidates were elected by plurality Block Voting). As previously under Block Voting, Calgary voters did not vote the straight party line and two Independent, two Labour and a Liberal MLA were elected.
The United Farmers of Alberta passed legislation in 1924 that changed both Edmonton and Calgary to Single Transferable Vote multi-member districts. The rest of the province had single member constituencies and used Alternative Vote, where vote transfers were conducted if the leading candidate did not have a clear majority of 50% on the first count.
The 1926 and 1930 elections saw Calgary elect all opposition candidates because the United Farmers government decided not to field any candidates there. Under Single Transferable Voting the number of spoiled ballots jumped sharply as a sizable number of electors continued marking ballots with an "X". Calgary's first STV election produced mixed representation with no party taking all the seats. The 1935 election saw Social Credit candidates sweep to power But Calgary again elected a mixture of SC and non-SC MLAs.
By the 1950s, Calgary and Edmonton had gone through significant growth. arriving at the final results in both cities would take days and was complicated in terms of counting the vote transfers. The length in terms of names on the ballots was causing long line-ups at polling stations, with electors taking as long as 15 minutes to mark their preferences. However, Calgary's ballot in 1955 held only 23 names and the voter was under no dictate to rank all the candidates on the list.
In 1957 the Social Credit government passed legislation standardizing the electoral system to First Past the Post across the province. The government passed a separate redistribution bill that divided Calgary and Edmonton into single member districts. In Calgary those districts were Calgary West, Calgary Glenmore, Calgary Bowness, Calgary North East, Calgary South East, Calgary Centre, and Calgary North. The last election held in the district, a by-election in 1957, was conducted under the first past the post method.
Party composition by date
1905–1913
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
| valign="top" | 1905
| valign="top" | 1909
|colspan=2 align=center |1911
|-
|Nov 9
|Mar 22
|Sep 21
|Oct 31
| Liberal
|colspan=4|1
| Conservative
|0
|1
|0
|1
|-
|bgcolor=white|
|Vacant
|colspan=2|0
|1
|0
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" | Total<br />
| 1
|colspan=3| 2
|}
1921–1959
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
|1921
|1922
|1923
|1926
|1930
|1932
|align=center colspan=2|1933
|1934
|1935
|1937
|1940
|1943
|1944
|1948
|align=center colspan=2|1952
|1955
|align=center colspan=2|1957
|-
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jul 18</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Nov 14</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jan 15</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jun 28</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jun 19</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Oct 14</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jan 19</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Nov 10</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jan 15</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Aug 22</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Aug 9</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Mar 21</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">May 23</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jul 8</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Aug 17</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Mar 1</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Aug 5</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Jun 29</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">?</span>
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Oct 2</span>
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Liberal</span>
|colspan=4|1
|colspan=3|2
|1
|2
|colspan=2|1
|colspan=3|0
|colspan=3|1
|colspan=3|2
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Conservative</span>
|colspan=3|0
|2
|3
|colspan=4|2
|colspan=2|1
!colspan=9|
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Progressive Conservative</span>
!colspan=16|
|colspan=2|1
|0
|1
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Social Credit</span>
!colspan=9|
|4
|3
|2
|1
|colspan=2|2
|3
|4
|colspan=4|3
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Co-operative Commonwealth</span>
!colspan=6|
|colspan=7|0
|colspan=3|1
|colspan=4|0
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Dominion Labor</span>
|colspan=3|2
|1
!colspan=16|
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Canadian Labor</span>
!colspan=4|
|colspan=5|1
|0
!colspan=10|
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Independent Labor</span>
|colspan=3|0
|1
|colspan=5|0
!colspan=11|
|-
||
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Independent</span>
|2
|1
|2
|colspan=3|0
|colspan=3|1
|0
|1
|colspan=2|3
|2
|1
|colspan=5|0
|-
|bgcolor=white|
|<span style="font-size: 75%;">Vacant</span>
|0
|1
|colspan=3|0
|1
|0
|1
|colspan=4|0
|1
|colspan=5|0
|1
|0
|-
|colspan="2"| Total
|colspan=4|5
|colspan=7|6
|colspan=5|5
|colspan=4|6
|}
Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)
{| class="wikitable"
!colspan=21|Members of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary
|-
!rowspan=2 colspan=2|Assembly
!colspan=3|Seat 1
!colspan=3|Seat 2
!colspan=3|Seat 3
!colspan=3|Seat 4
!colspan=3|Seat 5
!colspan=3|Seat 6
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Party
!colspan="2"|Name
!Party
!colspan="2"|Name
!Party
!colspan="2"|Name
!Party
!colspan="2"|Name
!Party
!colspan="2"|Name
!Party
|-
|1st
|1905
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3|William Cushing
|rowspan=3|Lib.
!colspan=3|
!colspan=12 rowspan=3|
|-
|rowspan=2|2nd
|1909
|rowspan=2 |
|Richard Bennett
|rowspan=2|Con.
|-
|1911
|Thomas Tweedie
|-
|colspan=21 align=center|See Centre Calgary, North Calgary and South Calgary 1913-1921
|-
|rowspan=2|5th
|1921
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=2|Alex Ross
|rowspan=2|Dom.<br />Lab.
|rowspan=2 |
|Robert Edwards
|rowspan=2|Ind.
|rowspan=6 |
|rowspan=6|Fred White
|rowspan=3|Dom.<br />Lab.
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=2|Robert Marshall
|rowspan=2|Lib.
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=2|Robert Pearson
|rowspan=2|Ind.
!colspan=3 rowspan=3|
|-
|1923
|William Davidson
|-
|6th
|1926
|rowspan=4 |
|Alexander McGillivray
|rowspan=4|Con.
|rowspan=4 |
|rowspan=3|George Webster
|rowspan=4|Lib.
|rowspan=7 |
|rowspan=7|John Irwin
|rowspan=7|Con.
|Robert Parkyn
|IL
|-
|rowspan=3|7th
|1930
|rowspan=3|Hugh Farthing
|rowspan=3|Can.<br />Lab.
|rowspan=5 |
|rowspan=8|John Bowlen
|rowspan=5|Lib.
||
|Harold McGill
|Con.
|-
|1933
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=2|Norman Hindsley
|rowspan=2|Ind.
|-
|1934
|William Ross
|-
|rowspan=3|8th
|1935
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3|Edith Gostick
|rowspan=3|SC
|rowspan=4 |
|rowspan=3|Ernest Manning
|rowspan=4|SC
|rowspan=12 |
|rowspan=6|Fred Anderson
|rowspan=12|SC
||
|rowspan=3|John Hugill
|SC
|-
|1937
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=2|Ind.
|-
|1940
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3|Ind.
|-
|rowspan=2|9th
|1940
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=2|James Mahaffy
|rowspan=2|Ind.
|William Aberhart
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3|Andrew Davison
|rowspan=3|Ind.
!colspan=3 rowspan=5|
|-
|1943
|bgcolor=white|
|colspan=2|Vacant
|-
|10th
|1944
|rowspan=7 |
|rowspan=7|Rose Wilkinson
|rowspan=7|SC
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=4|Howard MacDonald
|rowspan=2|Ind.
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3|Aylmer Liesemer
|rowspan=3|CCF
|-
|rowspan=2|11th
|1948
|rowspan=6|Fred Colborne
|rowspan=6 |
|rowspan=6|Hugh MacDonald
|rowspan=6|Lib.
|-
|1952
|rowspan=2 |
|rowspan=2|SC
|-
|12th
|1952
||
|Paul Brecken
|PC
|rowspan=4 |
|rowspan=4|Arthur Dixon
|rowspan=4|SC
|-
|rowspan=3|13th
|1955–1957
||
|Arthur Smith
|PC
|rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3|Grant MacEwan
|rowspan=3|Lib.
|-
|1957
|
|colspan=2|Vacant
|-
|1957–1959
||
|Ernest Watkins
|PC
|-
|colspan=21 align=center|See Calgary North East, Calgary South East 1959-1963, Calgary Bowness, Calgary Centre, Calgary North 1959-1971, Calgary Glenmore, Calgary West 1959-present
|}
Election results
1905
The Calgary electoral district was created when Alberta became a province independent of the North-West Territories in 1905. Calgary had previously had two seats when it was represented in the Legislative Assembly of the North-West Territories. This change created controversy because Conservatives accused the Liberals of creating more seats in northern Alberta where their support and organization was stronger. The two riding's previously represented in the city were West Calgary and East Calgary.
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
| colspan="3" align=center|1905 Alberta general election results
|colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout unknown</span>
|colspan="2" align=center|Swing
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | Affiliation
|Candidate
|Votes
|%
|Party
|Personal
|Liberal
|William Cushing
|1,030
|42.39%
|colspan=2 align=center|*
|Conservative
|Richard Bennett
|993
|40.86%
|colspan=2 align=center|*
|Labor
|Alex D. Macdonald
|407
|16.75%
|colspan=2 align=center|*
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|2,430
|colspan=3|100%
|-
|colspan="3" align="right"|Rejected, spoiled and declined
|colspan="4"|Records not kept
|-
|align=center colspan=7|Unknown eligible electors
|colspan=4|Liberal pickup new district
|colspan=2|Swing N/A
|-
|colspan=7 align=center|Returning Officer Ruben Askin Janes
|}
The election was a three-way contest but was primarily a two-way race. Richard Bennett the Conservative candidate and party leader was a well known lawyer and former North-West Territories MLA. William Henry Cushing the Liberal candidate had previously been a prominent Calgary municipal politician including serving as mayor. He also had a number of private enterprises in the building materials industry. Rounding out the field was labor activist and independent candidate Alex Macdonald.
The 1905 election was mired in controversy as election results see-sawed back and forth, claims of Conservative supporters being denied access to polling stations were made with supporters of Cushing having been found to run the polling stations. After the official results were released Cushing was declared the winner by 47 votes. Macdonald placed well behind in third place but still with a respectable showing taking close to 20% of the popular vote. The result in Calgary had been seen by the Conservatives as an embarrassing personal defeat for Bennett as the party got nearly shut out of office province wide. Bennett quickly resigned as leader and was replaced by Albert Robertson.
1909
About 6,000 voters cast votes in this election.
{| class="wikitable" align="left"
| colspan="3" align=center|1909 Alberta general election results
|colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout N/A%</span>
|-
| colspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
|Candidate
|Votes
|%
|Liberal
|William Cushing
|2,579
|26.90%
|Conservative
|Richard Bennett
|2,423
|25.27%
|Liberal
|William Egbert
|1,933
|20.16%
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|Thomas Blow
|1,907
|19.88%
|align=center|*
|George Howell
|747
|7.79%
|align=center|*
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|9,589
|colspan=3|100%
|-
|colspan="3" align="right"|Rejected, spoiled and declined
|colspan="3"|Records not kept
|-
|align=center colspan=6 |Unknown eligible electors
|-
|colspan=6|
{| class="wikitable collapsible innercollapse collapsed"
!align=center colspan=6 width=370|Returns, percentages and swing by party
|-
|colspan=2|Affiliation
|Votes
|Percent
|Seats
|Swing
|Liberal
|4,512
|47.06%
|1
|4.50%
|Conservative
|4,330
|45.15%
|1
|6.72%
|747
|7.79%
|0
|align=center|*
|colspan=4|Liberal hold
|colspan=2 rowspan=2|Swing 5.61%
|colspan=4|Conservative pickup new seat
|}
|}
The 1909 Alberta general election saw a second seat added to the Calgary electoral district. The riding was not split however. Instead the members were elected by Block Voting with electors having the right to select up to two candidates on the ballots. Voters did not cast their votes solidly for the two candidates of their preferred party so members of two different parties were elected.
The Conservatives and Liberals ran a slate of two candidates each, while the Socialists fielded one. William Cushing Minister of Public Works decided to run for a second term in office. The other Liberal candidate was prominent medical doctor William Egbert.
The Conservatives ran former party leader Richard Bennett who had previously contested the district in 1905. Thomas Blow who was also a medical doctor rounded out the slate. Bennett was unanimously acclaimed at the party nominating convention held on March 1, 1909, despite not attending. The second spot on the slate was contested between Blow and J.A. Carson. The two candidates were left over from ten nominees who either had their nomination withdrawn for various reasons or the candidates themselves or refused to let their name stand.
The Socialist Party selected George Howell to be its candidate. Howell worked as the secretary for the Calgary Trades and Labor council. Howell was a surprise choice by the Socialist nominating convention as he had not been running for the party nomination.
The results of the election showed a roughly even split between the Liberals and Conservatives, although with each voter casting up to two votes, the picture is far from clear. Each major candidate received approximately a quarter of the votes cast. But it seems voters did not vote solidly for a slate. The leading candidate of the Liberals and Conservatives took more votes than their running mates, so in the end one of each party took the seats. The Conservatives picked up one seat and the Liberal incumbent held his.
SPC candidate Howell took more votes than the Calgary Labour candidate had taken in 1905. He received support from about 12 percent of the voters. Howell's candidacy was not much of a factor, but Howell kept either of the main parties from gaining a clear majority in the popular vote.
1911 by-election
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="3" align=center|October 31, 1911 by-election results
|colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 53.82%</span>
|align=center|Swing
|-
| colspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
|Candidate
|Votes
|%
|Personal
|Dominion Labor
|Alex Ross
|7,294
|9.64%
|align=center|*
|Independent
|Robert Edwards
|6,400
|8.46%
|align=center|*
|Dominion Labor
|Fred White
|6,190
|8.18%
|align=center|*
|Liberal
|Robert Marshall
|5,246
|6.93%
|align=center|*
|Independent
|Robert Pearson
|5,141
|6.79%
|align=center|*
|Liberal
|George Webster
|4,391
|5.80%
|align=center|*
|Liberal
|Clinton Ford
|4,230
|5.59%
|align=center|*
|Dominion Labor
|Robert Parkyn
|4,082
|5.39%
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|Michael Costello
|3,808
|5.03%
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|C.F. Adams
|3,332
|4.40%
|align=center|*
|Liberal
|F. Langford
|3,282
|4.34%
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|Thomas Blow
|3,090
|4.08%
|align=center|*
|Liberal
|F.S. Selwood
|2,969
|3.92%
|align=center|*
|Independent
|Herbert Adshead
|2,878
|3.80%
|align=center|*
|Independent Labor
|Frederick Potts
|2,864
|3.78%
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|Edward Crandell
|2,663
|3.52%
|align=center|*
|Independent Labor
|Hannah Gale
|2,386
|3.15%
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|Samuel Hillocks
|2,282
|3.02%
|align=center|*
|Frank Williams
|1,745
|2.31%
|align=center|*
|Independent
|Alex Davidson
|1,423
|1.87%
|align=center|*
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total votes
|75,696
|align=left colspan="2"|100%
|-
|colspan="3" align="right"|Total ballots
|17,187
|colspan="2"|4.40 votes per ballot
|-
|colspan="3" align="right"|Rejected, spoiled and declined
|colspan="3"|90
|-
|align=center colspan=6 |32,103 eligible electors
|-
|colspan=6|
{| class="wikitable collapsible innercollapse collapsed"
!align=center colspan=6 width=370|Returns, percentages and swing by party
|-
|colspan=2|Affiliation
|Votes
|Percent
|Seats
|Swing
|Liberal
|20,118
|26.58%
|1
|align=center|*
|Dominion Labor
|17,566
|23.21%
|2
|align=center|*
|Independent
|15,842
|20.92%
|2
|align=center|*
|Conservative
|15,175
|20.05%
|0
|align=center|*
|Independent Labor
|5,250
|6.93%
|0
|align=center|*
|1,745
|2.31%
|0
|align=center|*
|colspan=4|Liberal pickup new seat
|colspan=2 rowspan=4|Swing N/A%
|colspan=4|Dominion Labor pickup two new seats
|colspan=4|Independent Robert Pearson pick up new seat
|colspan=4|Independent Robert Edwards pick up new seat
|}
|}
Note:
- Voters could cast votes for as many as five candidates.
1921 by-election
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="3" align=center|December 9, 1921 by-election results
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="3" align=center|January 15, 1923 by-election results
34,287 eligible electors
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="12" align=center|1926 Alberta general election results
|colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 53.82%</span>
|align=center rowspan=3|1st<br />count<br />swing
|-
| valign="bottom" colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
| valign="bottom" rowspan="2" |Candidate
|colspan=11 align=center|Quota (the vote threshold guaranteed to win a seat) 3,290
|-
|1st
|%
|2nd*
|4th
|5th
|6th
|7th
|8th*
|9th
|10th
|
|-
||
|Conservative
|Alexander McGillivray
|5,928
|30.04%
|3,290
!colspan=8|
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Conservative
|John Irwin
|1,662
|8.42%
|3,334
|3,290
!colspan=7|
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Liberal
|George Webster
|2,941
|14.90%
|3,144
|3,158
|3,191
|3,523
|3,290
!colspan=4|
|9.10%
|-
||
|Dominion Labor
|Fred J. White
|1,222
|6.19%
|1,247
|1,248
|1,467
|1,478
|1,479
|1,500
|2,676
|2,923**
|
||-1.99%
|-
||
|Independent Labor
|Robert Parkyn
|2,467
|12.50%
|2,506
|2,514
|2,554
|2,582
|2,583
|2,595
|2,664
|2,852**
|
|7.11%
|-
||
|Liberal
|Nellie McClung
|1,928
|9.77%
|1,971
|1,975
|1,980
|2,191
|2,193
|2,363
|2,433
|2,622
!
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Conservative
|Michael Costello
|1,221
|6.19%
|1,817
|1,827
|1,838
|1,864
|1,903
|1,924
|1,946
!colspan=2|
|1.16%
|-
||
|Dominion Labor
|Alex Ross
|1,265
|6.41%
|1,282
|1,298
|1,419
|1,444
|1,445
|1,454
!colspan=3|
||-3.23%
|-
||
|Liberal
|Robert Marshall
|626
|3.17%
|651
|651
|654
!colspan=6|
||-3.76%
|-
||
|Dominion Labor
|John Russell
|423
|2.14%
|435
|438
!colspan=7|
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Independent
|Frederick Potts
|54
|0.27%
|60
!colspan=8|
|align=center|-3.51%
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|19,737
|100%
|19,737
|19,733
|19,727
|19,716
|19,716
|19,716
|19,598
|18,276
|
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|Rejected, spoiled and declined 644
|colspan=2 align=right|Distributed
|2,638
|56
|432
|643
|44
|233
|1,336
|624
|
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|
|colspan=2 align=right|Exhausted
|0
|4
|6
|21
|0
|0
|118
|1,322
|
|-
|colspan=16|
{| class="wikitable collapsible innercollapse collapsed"
!align=center colspan=6 width=370|Returns, percentages and swing by party
|-
|colspan=2|Affiliation
|1st count votes
|1st count percent
|Seats
|1st count swing
|Conservative
|8,811
|44.65%
|2
|align=center|24.60%
|Liberal
|5,496
|27.84%
|1
|align=center|1.26%
|Dominion Labor
|2,910
|14.74%
|1
|align=center|-8.47%
|Independent Labor
|2.467
|12.50%
|1
|align=center|5.57%
|Independent
|54
|0.27%
|0
|align=center|-54.13%
|colspan=4|Conservative pickup two seats
|colspan=2 rowspan=4|Swing 18.81%
|colspan=4|Liberal hold 1 seat
|colspan=4|Dominion Labor hold 1 seat
|colspan=4|Independent Labor pickup 1 seat
|}
|}
- 2nd, 3rd, and 8th counts — transfer of surplus votes not needed by successful candidates elected in previous count. (transfers done in 3rd count not shown in above table)
- White and Parkyn elected without quota as they were last two candidates in the running with two seats remaining to be filled.
1930
Five MLAs elected through STV
Eligible voters 43,217
Turnout 56.70%
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="12" align=center|1930 Alberta general election results
|colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 56.70%</span>
|align=center rowspan=3|1st<br />count<br />swing
|-
| valign="bottom" colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
| valign="bottom" rowspan="2" |Candidate
|colspan=11 align=center|Quota (vote threshold guaranteed to take a seat) 3495
|-
|1st
|%
|2nd
|3rd
|4th
|5th
|6th
|7th
|8th
|9th
|10th
|-
||
|Conservative
|John Irwin
|5,520
|22.61%
|3,495
!colspan=8|
|align=center|14.19%
|-
||
|Liberal
|George Webster
|3,651
|14.95%
|3,651
|3,494
!colspan=7|
||-0.05%
|-
||
|Canadian Labor
|Fred J. White
|2,585
|10.59%
|2,659
|2,673
|2,874
|2,916
|3,335
|3,515
|3,492
!colspan=2|
||4.40%
|-
||
|Conservative
|Hugh Farthing
|2,279
|9.33%
|2,957
|2,966
|2,979
|2,994
|3,001
|3,132
|3,133
|3,731
!
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Liberal
|John Bowlen
|2,598
|10.64%
|2,667
|2,700
|2,711
|2,721
|2,727
|2,821
|2,823
|2,869
|3,588
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Conservative
|Harold McGill
|1,634
|6.69%
|2,226
|2,238
|2,252
|2,260
|2,266
|2,446
|2,449
|3,089
|3,293
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Independent
|Robert Parkyn
|1,544
|6.32%
|1,608
|1,616
|1,699
|1,856
|1,933
|2,056
|2,067
|2,106
|2,296
||-6.18%
|-
||
|Liberal
|Robert Wier
|1,191
|4.88%
|1,260
|1,328
|1,339
|1,344
|1,359
|1,502
|1,508
|1,579
!
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Conservative
|H.S. Patterson
|1,007
|4.12%
|1,368
|1,374
|1,382
|1,395
|1,405
|1,480
|1,480
!colspan=2|
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Citizens' Candidate
|A.C. MacKay
|992
|4.06%
|1,078
|1,083
|1,092
|1,097
|1,107
!colspan=4|
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Canadian Labor
|W.E. Turner
|575
|2.36%
|589
|590
|590
|590
!colspan=5|
|align=center|*
|John O'Sullivan
|460
|1.88%
|469
|469
|469
!colspan=6|
|align=center|*
|-
||
|Canadian Labor
|Thomas Vickers
|381
|1.57%
|390
|391
!colspan=7|
|align=center|*
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|24,417
|100%
|24,417
|24,417
|24,376
|24,162
|24,122
|23,941
|23,941
|23,855
|21,093
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|Rejected, spoiled and declined 253
|colspan=2 align=right|Distributed
|2,025
|157
|350
|255
|550
|926
|23
|1,394
|0
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|43,513 eligible electors
|colspan=2 align=right|Exhausted
|0
|0
|41
|214
|40
|181
|0
|86
|2,296
|-
|colspan=16|
{| class="wikitable collapsible innercollapse collapsed"
!align=center colspan=6 width=370|Returns, percentages and swing by party
|-
|colspan=2|Affiliation
|1st count votes
|1st count percent
|Seats
|1st count swing
|Conservative
|10,440
|42.75%
|3
|align=center|-1.90%
|Liberal
|7,440
|30.47%
|2
|align=center|2.63%
|Canadian Labor
|3,541
|14.52%
|1
|align=center|-0.22%
|Independent
|1,544
|6.32%
|0
|align=center|6.05%
|Citizens' Candidate
|992
|4.06%
|0
|align=center|*
|460
|1.88%
|0
|align=center|*
|colspan=4|Conservative pickup 1 new seat, hold 2 seats
|colspan=2 rowspan=3|Swing -2.70%
|colspan=4|Liberal pick 1 seat, hold 1 seat
|colspan=4|Canadian Labor hold 1 seat
|}
|}
1933 by-election
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="7" align=center|January 19, 1933 by-election results
| colspan="2" align="right"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 69.40%</span>
|align=center rowspan=3|1st<br />count<br />swing
|-
| valign="bottom" colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
| valign="bottom" rowspan="2" |Candidate
|colspan=6 align=center|13,919 vote threshold
|-
|1st
|%
|2nd
|3rd
|4th
|5th
|-
||
|Independent
|Norman Hindsley
|12,532
|45.03%
|?
|?
|?
|14,128
|%
|-
||
|Canadian Labor
|Amelia Turner
|10,504
|37.74%
|?
|?
|?
|12,307
|%
|-
||
|Independent Labor
|Robert Parkyn
|2,003
|7.20%
|?
|?
|?
!
|%
|-
||
|Independent
|A.C. McKay
|1,775
|6.37%
|?
|?
!colspan=2|
|%
|John O'Sullivan
|539
|1.94%
|?
!colspan=3|
|%
|-
||
|Independent
|D.R. Crighton
|478
|1.72%
!colspan=4|
|%
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|27,831
|100%
|
|
|
|26,435
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|Rejected, spoiled and declined 202
|colspan=2 align=right|Distributed
|
|
|
|
|-
|colspan=3 align=center|? eligible electors
|colspan=2 align=right|Exhausted
|
|
|
|1396
|}
The Canadian Labor Party Alberta branch nominated candidate Amelia Turner under their banner. The Co-operative Commonwealth executive decided to support and endorse her election campaign but did not nominate her as a candidate for the organization. Norman Hindsley ran as an Independent but was endorsed and supported by the Conservative party. <hr/> Note: Five seats were awarded in the Calgary Electoral District through single transferable vote. The Hare Quota, the number of votes needed to win a seat, was 7,653. There were a total of 10 ballot counts with Andrew Davison and William Aberhart elected on the first count.
1944
Five members elected
6,562 quota
(Armed Forces voters are identified separately in the First Count but are included in the un-bracketed total.)
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="3"|1944 ballot transfer results
| colspan="4" align="right"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 80.39%</span>
|-
| valign="bottom" colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="left"| Affiliation
| valign="bottom" rowspan="2" |Candidate
|colspan=4 align=center|6,562 quota
|-
| valign="top" |1st (Forces*)
| valign="top" align="center" |%
| valign="top" |Peak Votes
| valign="top" align="center" |Count
|Independent
|Andrew Davison
|7,754<br />(137)
|
|7,754
|1st
|Social Credit
|Fred Anderson
|6,655<br />(123)
|
|6,655
|1st
|Social Credit
|Rose Wilkinson
|5,042<br />(103)
|
|8,338
|15th
|Independent
|Howard MacDonald
|2,365<br />(20)
|
|6,897
|17th
|CCF
|Alymer Liesemer
|3,560<br />(76)
|
|6,077
|17th
|CCF
|Robert Alderman
|2,088<br />(43)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 17th
|Independent
|John J. Bowlen
|2,192<br />(25)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 16th
|Social Credit
|Art Larsen
|1,351<br />(33)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 15th
|CCF
|C.W.J. Helmer
|1,655<br />(72)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 14th
|Independent
|R.C. Carlile
|1,433<br />(10)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 13th
|CCF
|Ken Tory
|1,462<br />(49)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 12th
|Social Credit
|Edward Geehan
|1,162<br />(42)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 11th
|Social Credit
|C.M. Baker
|834<br />(30)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 9th
|CCF
|Herbert Wiertz
|504<br />(4)
|
|colspan=2|Eliminated 8th
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|39,309<br />(810)
|100%
|colspan=2 align=center|17 counts
|}
Note:
- In the 1944 election, some Canadian Forces personnel voted in the Calgary district. They were given special ballots intended to track how they voted. Service vote results are only available for the 1st count. They were included in the 39,309 valid vote total for the district. Later in this election, other Armed Forces voters, who had not already voted, voted for separate representation — by electing an Army, an Air Force and a Navy representative.
1948
Five members elected
39,101 valid votes
Quota 6517
1952
1955
1957 by-election
{| class="wikitable" align=right
| colspan="3" align=center|October 2, 1957 by-election results
|colspan="2"|<span style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout 34.37%</span>
|colspan="2" align=center|Swing
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" valign="top" | Affiliation
|Candidate
|Votes
|%
|Party
|Personal
|Progressive Conservative
|Ernest Watkins
|17,565
|43.69%
|
|align=center|*
|Social Credit
|Samuel Helman
|15,010
|37.33%
|
|align=center|*
|Labor
|Frank Bodie
|3,916
|9.74%
|colspan=2 align=center|*
|Liberal
|Reginald McCollough
|3,023
|7.52%
|
|align=center|*
|Independent
|Cliff Harris
|693
|1.72%
|colspan=2 align=center|*
|-
|colspan="3" align ="right"|Total
|40,207
|colspan=3|100%
|-
|colspan="3" align="right"|Rejected, spoiled and declined
|colspan="4"|Unknown
|-
|align=center colspan=7|117,000 eligible electors
|colspan=4|Progressive Conservative hold
|colspan=2|Swing ?%
|}
The October 1957 by-election held on October 2, 1957, was the last election held in the Calgary electoral district before it was officially split in 1959. This was the first election province wide since Single Transferable Vote was implemented in 1924 that First Past the Post was put to use. The changes were implemented in 1956 in An Act Representing Members of the Legislative Assembly.
The election was called after Progressive Conservative incumbent, Arthur Ryan Smith resigned to run in the 1957 Canadian federal election.
Five candidates offered themselves in the election. The Progressive Conservatives ran lawyer Ernest Watkins, who had arrived from England in 1952. Rounding out the field was Frank Bodie who ran on a Labor banner. Liberal candidate Reginald McCollough and Independent Cliff Harris who was running in the election to protest Alberta's liquor laws in force at the time.
|-
!colspan=4|Question A: Do you approve additional types of outlets for the<br /> sale of beer, wine and spirituous liquor subject to a local vote?
|-
!colspan=2|Ballot choice
!Votes
!%
|-
|bgcolor=green|
|Yes
|47,382
|77.41%
|-
|bgcolor=red|
|No
|13,830
|22.59%
|-
|align=right colspan=2|Total votes
|61,212
|100%
|-
|align=right colspan=2|Rejected, spoiled and declined
|colspan=2|391
|-
!colspan=4|114,986 eligible electors, turnout 53.57%
|-
!colspan=4|Question B1: Should mixed drinking be allowed<br />in beer parlours in Calgary and the surrounding areas?
|-
!colspan=2|Ballot choice
!Votes
!%
|-
|bgcolor=green|
|Yes
|49,669
|81.12%
|-
|bgcolor=red|
|No
|11,561
|18.88%
|-
|align=right colspan=2|Total votes
|61,230
|100%
|-
|align=right colspan=2|Rejected, spoiled and declined
|colspan=2|379
|-
!colspan=4|114,986 eligible electors, turnout 53.58%
|}
On October 30, 1957, a stand-alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive debate in the legislature. The plebiscite was intended to deal with the growing demand for reforming antiquated liquor control laws.
The plebiscite was conducted in two parts. Question A, asked in all districts, asked the voters if the sale of liquor should be expanded in Alberta, while Question B, asked in a handful of districts within the corporate limits of Calgary and Edmonton, asked if men and women should be allowed to drink together in establishments. However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.
Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the plebiscite were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones. Business owners who wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.
See also
- List of Alberta provincial electoral districts
- Canadian provincial electoral districts
References
Further reading
External links
- Elections Alberta
- The Legislative Assembly of Alberta
- Map of Calgary 1955