February 1912 Edmonton municipal election

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On September 27, 1911, the voters of Edmonton approved by plebiscite the amalgamation of Edmonton with Strathcona. A majority of Strathcona voters also voted in favour of amalgamation. [1]

Contents

Amalgamation was effected February 1, 1912. In anticipation of this, no election was held December 11, 1911 as would normally have been required (municipal elections in Edmonton at the time being held the second Monday of every December). Instead, elections were fixed for February 16, 1912.

A cartoon appearing in the Edmonton Bulletin on the morning of the election, depicting George S. Armstrong and B.J. Saunders vying for the mayoralty. Edmonton 1912 election.png
A cartoon appearing in the Edmonton Bulletin on the morning of the election, depicting George S. Armstrong and B.J. Saunders vying for the mayoralty.

Positions to be elected

With the amalgamation, Council's size was increased by two members, bringing the total number of aldermen to ten.

Due to a clause of the amalgamation agreement, in this election (and in each council hereafter to 1960) at least two of the elected councillors were required to come from the south side of the North Saskatchewan River.

In order to keep the staggered electoral system of aldermen in place, the five most popular of the aldermen elected in this election, (Henry Douglas, Charles Gowan, John Tipton, John Lundy, and Thomas J. Walsh), were elected to two-year terms, and the next five to one-year terms. The exception being that the most popular southside candidate was elected to a two-year term and the next-most-popular one to a one-year term. [2]

In addition to electing city council, the February 1912 elections also elected the entirety of the seven member board of trustees for the public school division (four members - Walter Ramsey, B H Nichols, Samuel Barnes, and Frank Crang - to two-year terms, three others to one-year terms) and three of five members of the board of trustees for the separate school division (Wilfrid Gariépy and Milton Martin having been elected to two-year terms in 1910).

Voter turnout

There were 2870 ballots cast. Information about the number of eligible voters is no longer available.

Results

(bold indicates elected, italics indicate incumbent)

Mayor

Aldermen

Aldermanic election was conduced using Plurality block voting. Each voter could cast up to ten votes, About 17,000 votes were cast by the 2870 voters who participated in this election. [3]

Elected

Not elected

Public School Trustees

Election was conduced using Plurality block voting. Each voter could cast up to four votes.

(unsuccessful candidates not shown here)

Separate (Catholic) School Trustees

John Cashman, James Collisson , and Joseph Henri Picard were elected. Detailed results are no longer available.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">James East</span>

James East was a politician and labour activist in Alberta, Canada. He was for a time and the longest-serving alderman in Edmonton's history, and was a defeated candidate at the provincial and federal levels. He was also an ardent monetary reformer.

References

  1. Monto Old Strathcona Edmonton's Southside Roots, p.318
  2. Rek, Municipal elections in Edmonton, p. 20
  3. Rek, Municipal elections in Edmonton, p. 20
  4. Edmonton Bulletin, Feb. 5, 1912
  5. Edmonton Bulletin, Feb. 5, 1912
  6. Edmonton Bulletin, Feb. 7, 1912