1946 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election

Last updated

1946 Hamilton municipal election
Flag of Hamilton.svg
← 1945December 9, 19461947 →
 
Candidate Samuel Lawrence Donald A. Clarke
Party Co-operative Commonwealth Independent
Popular vote37,95426,395
Percentage58.98%41.02%
Wards of the City of Hamilton from 1931-1949.jpg
Each of Hamilton's eight wards. Electors would send two Alderman per ward to City Hall in addition to four Controllers and one Mayor elected at-large.
Mayor before election

Samuel Lawrence
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation

Contents

Elected Mayor

Samuel Lawrence
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation

The 1946 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 9, 1946, to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, as well as members of the local Board of Education. [1] Held immediately following the 1946 Stelco strike, the election set a record for voter turnout, with 65.1% of eligible voters casting a ballot. [2]

Election campaign

In light of the city's labour situation, interest in the vote increased in the months leading up to election day, with speculation about mayoral contenders and candidates for council regular news in the Hamilton Spectator. [3] [4] [5]

The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) fielded a slate of candidates for each of the positions on council. The party nominated Sam Lawrence for the mayoralty, Roy Aindow for Board of Control, and candidates for alderman in every ward but Ward One. Only Wards Four and Seven had contested Board of Education races, the CCF nominated Norman Draker in Ward Four. [1]

The Labor-Progressive Party nominated candidates, most notably Helen Anderson, a prominent party member and two-term Ward Seven Alderman. [6]

The Hamilton Women's Civic Club, a right-leaning organization dominated by Controller Henderson, nominated candidates for office. Henderson had received considerable public criticism for her stance on the strike at Stelco, having challenged the picketers by crossing the line in August, and subsequently becoming one of the city's strongest anti-Lawrence figures. [7] WCC candidates campaigned on a platform of civic impartiality, despite receiving the backing of a strong political organization, and defended the actions of Henderson on the grounds of maintaining the rule of law and upholding her oath of office. [8]

Mayoral election

Sitting Mayor Sam Lawrence had amassed considerable support over the course of the summer's strike, and anti-Lawrence candidates began discussing potential scenarios in the month leading up to the vote. [9] Controller Andrew Frame initially sought the office, but withdrew in early November in favour of either Controller Donald Clarke or Alderman Herbert Hannah. Hannah withdrew a week later, lending his support to Clarke. [10] In his withdrawal announcement, Hannah indicated that he wished to see anti-Lawrence forces unite and remove the mayor from office. Those allied against Lawrence rallied around the conservative Clarke. [7]

"The Mayor, himself, and his supporters, have made it clear that matters of administrative policy will be secondary issues. Backed by a powerful section of the C.C.F., Sam Lawrence has determined to seek endorsement of the electors on his record of blind partnership in office, rather than defend his inept record of municipal business administration."

Alderman Herbert Hannah, Saturday, November 9, 1946. [11]

The early campaign was marred by allegations that the Hamilton Municipal Employees' Association, Local 167, donated to Lawrence's campaign. It was quickly revealed that the Local's financial secretary, C. P. Goodes, was responsible and was removed from his position upon the circulation of a petition signed by 90% of employees at City Hall. [12] The issue was quickly resolved and the union distanced itself from the actions of Goodes following a meeting of their membership. [13]

The Lawrence campaign was centred on "constructive change" and the mayor's 21-year tenure on council. The main issues the mayor ran on were the extension of the franchise to all citizens of legal age, supporting existing social services, extending public ownership over utilities, and the widening of King William Street. [14]

Clarke's campaign made an issue of Lawrence's political affiliations, running on the importance of an impartial and independent citizen occupying the office of Mayor. The Controller promised that his administration would "protect individual rights [and] safeguard our economic assets." [15]

The issue of partisanship proved to be a major point of contention between the candidates and, during a community forum at Westdale Secondary School, Lawrence and Clarke traded barbs over affiliation. Clarke argued that "the basic issue at stake is whether we are to have a party-free administration of one dominated by a political party", prompting Lawrence to fire back with "It is well-known to the people of this city where I stand...At least [the C.C.F. is] clean and above board. We prepare a program and present it to the electorate; we don't disguise ourselves," [16] a reference to Clarke's own Conservative affiliations.

On election night, Lawrence and Clarke remained close, with the Mayor's margin over his competitor increasing steadily as returns came in from across the city. At 10:30, Clarke conceded defeat to Lawrence after capturing only Wards One, Two, and Three.

Summary of the December 9, 1946 Hamilton, Ontario Mayoral Election
CandidateEndorsing PartyPopular vote
# %±%
Samuel Lawrence(incumbent) CCF 37,95459%n/a
Donald ClarkeIndependent26,39541%n/a
Total votes64,34962.27%n/a
Registered voters103,334100%
Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on their supporting party's or group's colour.
Sources: "Don Clarke On Top In Three Wards, Final Figures Show", Hamilton Spectator, News, December 11, 1946, pp. 15.

Board of Control election

The campaign for Board of Control was more tense than in previous years thanks to the large number of candidates who entered the race. The fight for the four seats on the Board became highly ideological, pitting the right-leaning Controllers Nora-Frances Henderson, Hugh McDermid McIntyre, and William Alfred Weir, as well as Ward One Alderman Herbert Hannah and Ward Five Alderman Douglas Belling Gordon, against a broad spectrum of candidates on the left, notably the Labor-Progressive Party nominee Helen Anderson, who was a Ward Seven Alderman, and the C.C.F. candidate, Roy Aindow. Andrew Frame, a veteran and former Controller, and Walter Thomas Carroll comprised the remainder of the nine-candidate field.

Henderson remained a favourite throughout the race. A 12-term Controller at the time of the election, the politically conservative Henderson became the de facto leader of the anti-Lawrence faction on Council. Henderson was heartily endorsed by the Hamilton Spectator, who called her, "One of the best public servants this city has ever had. A woman of integrity, intelligence and great courage," [1] and was the focus of a full-page photo spread, chronicling her average day on the campaign trail. [17] Her campaign centred primarily on her political independence, as well as her opposition to a proposal to widen King William Street, and her support for open-shop unionization of the city's employees, noting that she could not, "be a party to the union shop which would compel us to refuse work to a man or woman who did not want to join a union." [18]

Considerable attention was paid to Helen Anderson, the sitting Ward Seven Alderman and organizer for the Labor-Progressive Party. In a profile done by the Hamilton Spectator, she was described as a "shrewd, aggressive, extreme Leftist." [1] Central to her campaign was more housing for the city's working-class residents, a better redistribution of wealth, and a move away from a business-centred approach to municipal governance. [19] The Spectator dedicated an editorial to her candidacy, writing that "those who sleep on the assurance that this minority is a bit of a joke may find out too late that it is anything but a joke." [20]

Andrew Frame was an incumbent Controller, veteran of World Wars I and II and the former secretary of the Hamilton Boy Scouts. [1] His platform took issue with a proposal to widen King William Street, which he opposed on financial grounds, improving housing for veterans, and developing a bathing beach for the city's youth [21]

Hugh McDermid McIntyre was a Scottish-Canadian printer and sitting member of the Board of Control. [1]

Roy Aindow was a World War I veteran, union organizer and candidate supported by the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. The Hamilton Spectator described Aindow as "Intelligent, likable, [and] a conscientious partisan." [1] Aindow ran on his record of serving in the military, and vowed to improve labour relations in the city and building more public housing. [22]

Two of the prominent candidates in the race were William Alfred Weir and Herbert Reginald Hannah. Weir was a sitting member of the Board of Control, and, as the Spectator noted, "not inclined to controversy," [1] while Hannah was one of Ward 1's Aldermen, described by the Hamilton Spectator as "aggressive, keen, competent." [1]

Douglas Belling Gordon was, at the time, an Alderman for Ward Five, and was viewed as a critic of the administration. [1] Gordon campaigned on providing housing for returning veterans and installing parking meters to provide revenue for civic improvement projects. [23] Rounding out the field was Walter Thomas Carroll, who was listed as having no fixed employment and a "well-known figure in Ward 5." [1] Carroll ran on a platform of better sewage management for the city after a personal campaign to clean up Hamilton Harbour attracted the interest of the Drew government. [24]

Candidates for the December 9, 1946 Hamilton, Ontario Board of Control Election Election
CandidateEndorsing PartyPopular vote
 %±%
Nora-Frances Henderson(incumbent)Women's Civic Club27,5231
Helen Anderson Labor-Progressive 24,5682
Andrew Hamilton Frame(incumbent)Independent24,3493
Hugh McDermid McIntyre(incumbent)Independent23,1464
Roy Aindow CCF 20,8425
William Alfred Weir (incumbent)Independent19,0666
Herbert Reginald HannahIndependent17,9387
Douglas Belling GordonIndependent12,6708
Walter Thomas CarrollIndependent2,8019
Total votesn/a100%
Registered voters103,334n/a
Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on their supporting party's or group's colour.
Sources: "Results: Board of Control", Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday, December 10, 1946, pp. 15.

Aldermanic elections

Summary of the December 9, 1946 Hamilton, Ontario Ward One Alderman Election
CandidateEndorsing PartyPopular vote
# %±%
Leslie Parker(incumbent)Independent5,83059.44%n/a
Henry Arnott HicksIndependent Liberal4,42245.08%n/a
Charles FlahertyIndependent2,46225.1%n/a
Gordon McLellandIndependent1,94119.78%n/a
William ThompsonIndependent9419.59%n/a
Total votes9,80868.8%n/a
Registered voters14,241100%
Note 1: Candidate campaign colours are based on their supporting party's or group's colour.
Note 2: Each Ward elected two aldermen to represent them at City Council.
Sources: "Results: Aldermen", Hamilton Spectator, News, Tuesday, December 10, 1946, pp. 15.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto City Council</span> Governing body of Toronto

Toronto City Council is the governing body of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario. Meeting at Toronto City Hall, it comprises 25 city councillors and the mayor of Toronto. The current term began on November 15, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Lawrence (Canadian politician)</span> Canadian politician and trade unionist

Samuel Lawrence was a Canadian politician and trade unionist. He was the first member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and subsequently served as Mayor of Hamilton, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Municipal election in Canada

The 1988 Hamilton municipal election was held on November 14, 1988 to elect a Regional Chairman, a Mayor, sixteen members to Hamilton, Ontario City Council, seventeen members to the Hamilton Board of Education and thirteen members to the Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic Separate School Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span>

The 1985 Hamilton municipal election was held on November 12, 1985 to elect a Mayor, sixteen members to Hamilton, Ontario City Council, fourteen members to the Hamilton Board of Education and sixteen members to the Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic Separate School Board. In addition, this election was accompanied by a referendum question asking voters if they wanted to directly elect individuals to the office of Regional Chairman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Hamilton, Ontario</span>

Politically, Hamilton is known for producing groundbreaking, colourful and left-wing politicians. Locally, though, the big political stories have included the controversial amalgamation of Hamilton with its suburbs in 2001, the destruction of green space around the Red Hill Valley to make way for the Red Hill Creek Expressway, and plans to build a Light Rail Transit line in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Canadian municipal election

The 2000 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election held on November 13, 2000, to elect municipal officials for the City of Hamilton. On election day, Hamiltonians elected a mayor, 15 city councillors, and trustees for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. This was the first election of the "New" City of Hamilton after the dissolution of the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth and the amalgamation of Dundas, Stoney Creek, Flamborough, Ancaster, Glanbrook, and Waterdown with the existing city of Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Canadian municipal election

The 1997 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election held on November 10, 1997, to elect municipal officials for the City of Hamilton. Hamiltonions selected one mayor, one regional chairperson, and seventeen members of the Hamilton City Council, who were elected on a two-tier basis, as well as members of both the English and French Public and Catholic School Boards. The suburban communities of Ancaster, Flambrough, Glanbrook, Dundas and Stoney Creek, each elected town councils for the last time before amalgamation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Canadian municipal election

The 1994 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election held on November 14, 1994, to elect municipal officials for the City of Hamilton. Hamiltonions selected one mayor, one regional chairman, and sixteen alderman to the Hamilton City Council, as well as members of both English and French Public and Catholic School Boards. Voters in the municipality also had the opportunity to cast a ballot for the Regional Chairman of the Hamilton-Wentworth region.

The Labor-Progressive Party was the legal front of the Communist Party of Canada and several provincial wings of the party from 1943 to 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1944 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span>

The 1944 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 4, 1944 to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council. Voters also elected one member per-ward to the local Public School Board for a two-year term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Municipal election

The 2014 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election that occurred on October 27, 2014, to select one mayor, fifteen members of the Hamilton City Council and members of both English and French Public and Catholic School Boards. As per the Ontario Municipal Elections Act, nominations opened on January 2, 2014, and closed on September 12, 2014. Four new councillors were elected in open seats across Hamilton while all incumbents who stood for re-election had returned to office. Though marked by a steep decline in voter turnout, this election was historic, as it saw the election of Hamilton's first openly gay and first racialized members of city council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1950 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span>

The 1950 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 6, 1950, to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, as well as members of the local Board of Education. In addition, this election was accompanied by six referendums, each dealing with a major issue in the city at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Canadian municipal election

The 1991 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election held on November 12, 1994, to select one Regional Chairman, one Mayor, two alderman for each of the city's eight wards for a total of sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, and members of both English and French Public and Catholic School Boards. This election marked one of the most stunning turnovers in local history, with four incumbent aldermen being defeated by political newcomers and Ward 3 Alderman Brian Hinkley being soundly defeated in his bid for the mayoralty against incumbent Mayor Bob Morrow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1932 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Election in Canada

The 1932 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 5, 1932 to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, two from each of the city's eight wards. Voters also cast ballots for trustees for the public school board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1933 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span>

The 1933 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 4, 1933 to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, two from each of the city's eight wards. Voters also cast ballots for trustees for the public school board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1934 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span>

The 1934 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 3, 1934, to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, two from each of the city's eight wards. Voters also cast ballots for trustees for the public school board.

The 1930 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 1, 1930 to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario, City Council, two from each of the city's eight wards. Voters also cast ballots for trustees for the public school board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Hamilton, Ontario, municipal election</span> Canadian municipal election

The 2018 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election that occurred on October 22, 2018, as per the Ontario Municipal Elections Act, 1996. Residents of Hamilton selected one mayor, members of the Hamilton City Council, and members of both the English and French Public and Catholic School Boards.

The 1927 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 5, 1927 to select one Mayor, one Hydro Commissioner, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario, City Council, two from each of the city's eight wards. Voters also cast ballots for trustees for the public school board, and in two bylaw referendum questions regarding an expansion to Hamilton's General Hospital and the city's sewer system.

The 1935 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 2, 1935 to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario, City Council, two from each of the city's eight wards. Voters also cast ballots for trustees for the public school board, and in three plebiscites that sought to restructure elections for both city council and the public school board.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Monday's Vote: A Look At The Candidates", Hamilton Spectator, News, Dec. 7, 1946, pp. 6
  2. ↑ "Largest Percentage Ever Of Electors Casts Votes", Hamilton Spectator, News, Dec. 10, 1946, pp. 7.
  3. ↑ "Find Increasing Increasing In Civic Elections Here", Hamilton Spectator, News, Nov. 7, 1946, pp. 7.
  4. ↑ "Two Man Fight For Mayoralty Now Rumoured", Hamilton Spectator, News, Nov. 8, 1946, pp. 10.
  5. ↑ "Seven Candidates May Be In Field For Controllers", Hamilton Spectator, News, Nov. 11, 1946, pp. 7.
  6. ↑ "Controller Henderson heads field with Anderson second", Hamilton Spectator, News, Dec. 10, 1946.
  7. 1 2 Freeman, Bill and Marsha Hewitt, Their Town: The Mafia, The Media, and the Party Machine, James Lorimer & Co., Toronto: 1979, pp. 51-52.
  8. ↑ "The Hamilton Women's Civic Club (Advertisement), Hamilton Spectator, News, December 4, 1946, pp. 13.
  9. ↑ "Controller Frame Will Not Contest Mayoralty Office", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 1, 1946, pp 7.
  10. ↑ "Two Man Fight For Mayoralty Now Rumoured", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 8, 1946, pp 10.
  11. ↑ "Hannah Reveals Withdrawal From Mayoralty Fight", Hamilton Spectator, News, Saturday, November 9, 1946, pp. 7
  12. ↑ "Union Grant To Mayor's Election Fund Stirs Storm", Hamilton Spectator, News, Thursday, November 21, 1946, pp 7.
  13. ↑ "Municipal Employee Body Cancels Election Grant", Hamilton Spectator, News, Saturday, November 23, 1946, pp 7-8.
  14. ↑ "Mayor Lawrence", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp 14.
  15. ↑ "Donald Clarke", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp 14.
  16. ↑ "Clarke Condemns Partisanship In Municipal Politics", Hamilton Spectator, News, Thursday December 5, 1946, pp 19.
  17. ↑ "Events Of A Day In The Busy Life Of A Candidate For Civic Office", Hamilton Spectator, Lifestyle, Thursday, December 5, 1946, pp 14.
  18. ↑ "Nora Frances Henderson", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp 14.
  19. ↑ "Mrs. Helen Anderson", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp. 14.
  20. ↑ "It Starts Right Here", Hamilton Spectator, Editorial, Friday, November 29, 1946, pp. 6.
  21. ↑ "Andrew H. Frame" Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp. 14.
  22. ↑ "Roy Aindow", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp 14.
  23. ↑ "Douglas B. Gordon" Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp. 14.
  24. ↑ "Walter T. Carroll", Hamilton Spectator, News, Friday, November 22, 1946, pp. 14.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.