1947 Edmonton municipal election

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The 1947 municipal election was held November 5, 1947 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board, while four trustees were acclaimed to the separate school board. Voters also voted on two plebiscites, one of which approved two-year mayoral terms. Accordingly, Harry Ainlay's election made him the first mayor of Edmonton to serve a two-year term.

Contents

There were ten aldermen on city council, but five of the positions were already filled: Sidney Bowcott, Athelstan Bissett (SS), Sidney Parsons, James Ogilvie, and Frederick John Mitchell were all elected to two-year terms in 1946 and were still in office.

There were seven trustees on the public school board, but three of the positions were already filled: James MacDonald, John Morrison, and Robert Rae had been elected to two-year terms in 1946 and were still in office. The same was true on the separate board, where Adrian Crowe (SS), Francis Killeen, and James O'Hara were continuing.

Voter turnout

There were 18,676 ballots cast out of 76,112 eligible voters, for a voter turnout of 24.5%.

Results

Mayor

PartyCandidateVotes %
Civic Democratic Alliance Harry Ainlay 16,94891.60%
Independent Frederick Speed1,5548.40%

Aldermen

PartyCandidateVotesElected
Citizens' Committee Armour Ford10,998Green check.svgY
Citizens' Committee Harold Tanner 10,909SSGreen check.svgY
Citizens' Committee James McCrie Douglas 10,730SSGreen check.svgY
Citizens' Committee Charles Gariepy 9,398Green check.svgY
Citizens' Committee George Gleave8,229Green check.svgY
Civic Democratic AlliancePercy Gwynne7,031
Civic Democratic AllianceJohn Gillies6,953
Civic Democratic AllianceCharles Willis6,135
Civic Democratic AllianceNorman Finnemore5,451
Civic Democratic AllianceCharles Gilbert5,105
Independent Arthur Hamelin3,373
Independent Julia Kiniski 2,133
Independent Amy Speed1,133

Public school trustees

PartyCandidateVotesElected
Citizens' Committee Mary Butterworth10,490SSGreen check.svgY
Citizens' Committee George Brown10,390Green check.svgY
Citizens' Committee Stewart Graham8,697Green check.svgY
Citizens' Committee William Morrow8,617SSGreen check.svgY
Civic Democratic AllianceElizabeth Haynes7,463
Civic Democratic AllianceReta Rowan5,344
Civic Democratic AllianceRobert Boutilier4,701
Civic Democratic AllianceWilliam Chmiliar4,031
Independent Frederick Speed1,416

Separate (Catholic) school trustees

Weldon Bateman (SS), Joseph Gallant, Thomas Malone, and Joseph Pilon were acclaimed.

Plebiscites

Mayoral Term

Are you in favour of a two-year term for Mayor?

  • Yes - 9,959
  • No - 8,312

Civic Auditorium/Art and Recreation Centre

Shall the Council pass a bylaw to create a debt in the sum of $1,500,00.00 for the purpose of constructing, within the City of Edmonton, a municipal building to be used as a Civic Auditorium and an Art and Recreation Centre and issue serial debentures in the sum not exceeding 30 years with interest not exceeding 4% payable semi-annually?

  • Yes - 4,362
  • No - 4,105

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