Cardston (provincial electoral district)

Last updated

Cardston
Flag of Alberta.svg Alberta electoral district
Defunct provincial electoral district
Legislature Legislative Assembly of Alberta
District created1905
District abolished1993
First contested 1905
Last contested 1989

Cardston was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1993. [1]

Contents

History

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Cardston
AssemblyYearsMemberParty
1st  1905–1909   John William Woolf Liberal
2nd  1909–1912
 1912–1913 Martin Woolf
3rd  1913–1917
4th  1917–1921
5th  1921–1926   George L. Stringam United Farmers
6th  1926–1930
7th  1930–1935
8th  1935–1940   Nathan Eldon Tanner Social Credit
9th  1940–1944
10th  1944–1948
11th  1948–1952
12th  1952–1955 Edgar W. Hinman
13th  1955–1959
14th  1959–1963
15th  1963–1967
16th  1967–1971 Alvin F. Bullock
17th  1971–1975 Edgar W. Hinman
18th  1975–1979   John Thompson Progressive Conservative
19th  1979–1982
20th  1982–1986
21st  1986–1989 Jack Ady
22nd  1989–1993
See Cardston-Chief Mountain electoral district from 1993-1997

Cardston was one of the original 25 electoral districts contested in the 1905 Alberta general election upon Alberta joining Confederation in September 1905. The district was carried over from the old Cardston electoral district which returned a single member to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1902 to 1905. The member for the Northwest Territories seat, John William Woolf would be elected in the 1905 Alberta general election. [2]

The riding has always occupied the most southern portion of the province along the Canada / United States border.

The Cardston electoral district was abolished in the 1993 electoral boundary re-distribution, with the borders of the Pincher Creek-Crowsnest electoral district shifted south into Cardston, and the district was renamed Cardston-Chief Mountain.

The riding was named after the Town of Cardston and this region is considered one of the most conservative in the province.

Boundary history

Election results

1905

The 1905 election was between Liberal candidate John William Woolf and Conservative candidate John Parrish. Woolf was well known rancher and politician in the area. He had served as the district representative in the Northwest Territories Legislature from 1902 to 1905. [4] Woolf also served briefly on the local government as a municipal councilor in the town of Cardston. [5] Woolf won the district on election day easily defeating Parish with a landslide taking nearly 70% of the popular vote. [6]

1905 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John William Woolf 48069.57%
Conservative John F. Parrish21030.43%
Total690
Rejected, spoiled and declinedN/A
Eligible electors / turnout690N/A
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1909

1909 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John William Woolf 52157.44%-12.12%
Conservative Levi Harker38642.56%12.12%
Total907
Rejected, spoiled and declinedN/A
Eligible electors / turnoutN/AN/A
Liberal hold Swing -12.12%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1912 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, May 27, 1912
Upon John William Woolf's resignation
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Martin Woolf 67155.78%-1.68%
Conservative John F. Parrish53244.22%1.68%
Total1,203
Rejected, spoiled and declinedN/A
Eligible electors / turnoutN/AN/A
Liberal hold Swing
Source(s)
"By-elections". elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta . Retrieved June 24, 2020.

1913

1913 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Liberal Martin Woolf 51851.96%
Conservative C. Jensen47948.04%
Total997
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1917

1917 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Martin Woolf 97256.38%4.42%
Conservative W. G. Smith75243.62%-4.42%
Total1,724
Rejected, spoiled and declinedN/A
Eligible electors / turnout2,21377.90%0.91%
Liberal hold Swing 4.42%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1921

1921 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
United Farmers George L. Stringham 1,34068.54%
Liberal Martin Woolf 61531.46%-24.92%
Total1,955
Rejected, spoiled and declinedN/A
Eligible electors / turnout2,46579.31%1.41%
United Farmers gain from Liberal Swing 12.16%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1926

1926 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
United Farmers George L. Stringham 1,32855.20%-13.35%
Liberal W. H. Caldwell59824.85%-6.60%
Conservative J. Y. Card48019.95%
Total2,406
Rejected, spoiled and declined126
Eligible electors / turnout3,26977.45%-1.86%
United Farmers hold Swing -3.37%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1930

1930 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
United Farmers George L. Stringham 1,36462.31%7.12%
Liberal R. Christie82537.69%12.83%
Total2,189
Rejected, spoiled and declined48
Eligible electors / turnout3,42065.41%-12.05%
United Farmers hold Swing -2.86%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1935

1935 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Nathan Eldon Tanner 2,02766.18%
United Farmers George L. Stringham 56518.45%-43.87%
Liberal D. O. Wight47115.38%-22.31%
Total3,063
Rejected, spoiled and declined129
Eligible electors / turnout3,34495.45%30.05%
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing 11.55%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1940

1940 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Nathan Eldon Tanner 2,16054.44%-11.74%
Independent S. H. Nelson1,80845.56%
Total3,968
Rejected, spoiled and declined79
Eligible electors / turnout4,94181.91%-13.55%
Social Credit hold Swing -19.43%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1944

1944 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Nathan Eldon Tanner 2,10464.44%10.01%
Independent William G. Matson59218.13%-27.43%
Co-operative Commonwealth Edward Leavitt56917.43%
Total3,265
Rejected, spoiled and declined20
Eligible electors / turnout4,54972.21%-9.69%
Social Credit hold Swing 18.72%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1948

1948 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Nathan Eldon Tanner 1,98167.73%3.29%
Liberal Briant W. Stringam94432.27%
Total2,925
Rejected, spoiled and declined127
Eligible electors / turnout5,08959.97%-12.24%
Social Credit hold Swing -5.43%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1952

1952 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Edgar W. Hinman 2,01176.15%8.42%
Liberal Gordon Gregson63023.85%-8.42%
Total2,641
Rejected, spoiled and declined99
Eligible electors / turnout4,89156.02%-3.95%
Social Credit hold Swing 8.42%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1955

1955 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Edgar W. Hinman 1,81364.80%-11.35%
Liberal John F. Webster98535.20%11.35%
Total2,798
Rejected, spoiled and declined81
Eligible electors / turnout4,66161.77%5.75%
Social Credit hold Swing -11.35%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1959

1959 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Edgar W. Hinman 2,20573.60%8.80%
Progressive Conservative John A. Spencer79126.40%
Total2,996
Rejected, spoiled and declined7
Eligible electors / turnout4,53766.19%4.42%
Social Credit hold Swing 8.80%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1963

1963 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Edgar W. Hinman 2,52768.08%-5.52%
Liberal John F. Webster1,03527.88%
New Democratic Colin H. Holt1504.04%
Total3,712
Rejected, spoiled and declined4
Eligible electors / turnout6,62356.11%-10.08%
Social Credit hold Swing -3.50%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1967

1967 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Alvin F. Bullock 2,12047.23%-20.85%
Progressive Conservative Larry L. Lang1,69237.69%
Independent Robert D. Burt57312.76%
New Democratic Leslie N. Howard1042.32%-1.72%
Total4,489
Rejected, spoiled and declined11
Eligible electors / turnout7,25162.06%5.95%
Social Credit hold Swing -15.33%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1971

1971 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Social Credit Edgar W. Hinman 2,83154.20%6.98%
Progressive Conservative Larry L. Lang2,39245.80%8.11%
Total5,223
Rejected, spoiled and declined63
Eligible electors / turnout8,97558.90%-3.16%
Social Credit hold Swing -0.56%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1975

1975 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative John Thompson 2,89959.90%14.10%
Social Credit Roy Sprackman1,82637.73%-16.48%
New Democratic Kelty Paul1152.38%
Total4,840
Rejected, spoiled and declined10
Eligible electors / turnout8,53856.80%-2.09%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing 6.88%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1979

1979 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative John Thompson 2,83253.99%-5.90%
Social Credit Broyce G. Jacobs 2,19641.87%4.14%
Liberal Paul Shaw1152.19%
New Democratic Rosemarie M. Buchanan1021.94%-0.43%
Total5,245
Rejected, spoiled and declined10
Eligible electors / turnout8,94458.75%1.95%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -5.02%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1982

1982 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative John Thompson 3,73859.36%5.37%
Western Canada Concept Steve Pinchak2,30936.67%
New Democratic Leslie Howard2503.97%2.03%
Total6,297
Rejected, spoiled and declined24
Eligible electors / turnout9,76164.76%6.00%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 5.28%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1986

1986 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative Jack Ady 2,67960.28%0.92%
Independent Steve Pinchak1,37630.96%
New Democratic Cynthia Cunningham3898.75%4.78%
Total4,444
Rejected, spoiled and declined15
Eligible electors / turnout9,64146.25%-18.51%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 3.31%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1989

1989 Alberta general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative Jack Ady 3,48374.63%14.35%
Liberal Beth Wendorff66714.29%
New Democratic Don Ferguson51711.08%2.32%
Total4,667
Rejected, spoiled and declined13
Eligible electors / turnout8,10557.74%11.49%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 15.51%
Source(s)
Source: "Cardston Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Plebiscite results

1948 electrification plebiscite

District results from the first province wide plebiscite on electricity regulation.

Option AOption B
Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being continued by the Power Companies?Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being made a publicly owned utility administered by the Alberta Government Power Commission?
1,268 votes (46.00%)1,488 votes (54.00%)
Province wide result: Option A passed.

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Cardston [7]
Question A: Do you approve additional types of outlets for the
sale of beer, wine and spirituous liquor subject to a local vote?
Ballot choiceVotes%
No1,78679.06%
Yes47320.94%
Total votes2,259100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined13
4,296 eligible electors, turnout 52.89%%

On October 30, 1957 a stand-alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the 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. [8]

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 woman were allowed to drink together in establishments. [7]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Cardston recorded the strongest vote in the province against expanded sale of liquor, this was likely due to the strong Mormon communities in the district, which had made Cardston a dry city since 1904. [9] The district also recorded a strong voter turnout. It was well above the province wide average of 46 percent. [7]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957. [7] At first the Social Credit government said it did not consider the results binding, [10] but soon the government repealed the existing liquor legislation and introduced an entirely new Liquor Act. [11]

A majority in Cardston were opposed and prohibition was in effect in the town until 2023. [12] [13] Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against expanded liquor sales such as Cardston were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones, business owners that wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license. [14]

See also

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References

  1. "Election results for Cardston". abheritage.ca. Wayback Machine: Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. "North-West Territories: Council and Legislative Assembly, 1876-1905" (PDF). Saskatchewan Archives. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  3. "Chapter 3: An Act to establish and provide for the government of the Province of Alberta". Statutes of Canada. Government of Canada. July 20, 1905. p. 84.
  4. "History of the Northwest Territories Legislature 1876-1905" (PDF). Saskatchewan Archives. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
  5. Shaw, Keith. Chief mountain country : a history of Cardston and district. Cardston and District Historical Society. p. 86.
  6. "Cardston Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  8. "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  9. Edmonton Bulletin, Jan. 26, 1907
  10. "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  11. "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1968. p. 1.
  12. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/cardston-plebiscite-liquor-sales-1.6813460 [ bare URL ]
  13. https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/cardston-alberta-ends-alcohol-prohibition [ bare URL ]
  14. "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

49°12′N113°18′W / 49.2°N 113.3°W / 49.2; -113.3