Westminster (electoral district)

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Westminster
Flag of British Columbia.svg British Columbia electoral district
Defunct provincial electoral district
Legislature Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
District created1890
District abolished1894
First contested 1890
Last contested 1890

Westminster was a provincial electoral district of British Columbia, Canada. It appeared in the 1890 election only. In 1894 it was succeeded by Westminster-Chilliwhack, Westminster-Delta, Westminster-Dewdney, and Westminster-Richmond, which were in the 1898 election succeeded by ridings named similarly, but without the "Westminster".

Contents

Note that this provincial riding should not be confused with the federal Westminster District riding which appeared only in the 1917 election, and which was succeeded by the Fraser Valley riding.

Geography and history

In the early 1880s, the Lower Fraser Valley south and east of the city of New Westminster was largely unpopulated, with voters there voting in one of the two New Westminster ridings (New Westminster or New Westminster City). With the opening of the Canadian Pacific Railway settlement of the lush Fraser Valley lands was rapid, and a new more rural riding — Westminster — was created spanning the entire lower Fraser from Richmond to Chilliwack. Increasing growth led to the riding's further subdivision for the 1894 election into four sub-ridings, Westminster-Chilliwhack, Westminster-Delta, Westminster-Dewdney, and Westminster-Richmond. The successor ridings dropped the Westminster-prefix for the 1903 election.

The name Westminster in the riding's name derives not so much from these areas being dependent on the city of New Westminster, but because it and all its successor ridings are all in the New Westminster Land District (beyond Chilliwack is the Yale Land District).

Electoral history

1890 British Columbia general election
PartyCandidateVotes%Elected
Government John Robson 50617.66Green check.svgY
Opposition Thomas Edwin Kitchen 50317.55Green check.svgY
Independent James Punch 48416.89Green check.svgY
Independent Colin Buchanan Sword 46116.08
Government John A. Kirkland42014.65
Government John Calvin Henderson34912.18
Independent Arthur Herring812.83
Opposition Marshall Sinclair622.16
Total valid votes2,866100.00
Source: Elections BC [1]
Note: Robson also won the seat of Cariboo in the 1890 general election, and resigned his Westminster seat prior to the first session of the new legislature.
British Columbia provincial by-election, November 7, 1890
Resignation of John Robson
PartyCandidateVotes%Elected
Independent Colin Buchanan Sword 47249.68Green check.svgY
Independent William Henry Ladner 28630.11
Independent Livingston Thompson13414.11
Independent Samuel Greer586.11
Total valid votes950100.00
Source: Elections BC [2]

See also

References

  1. "Electoral History of British Columbia 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. 1988. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  2. "Electoral History of British Columbia 1871-1986" (PDF). Elections BC. 1988. Retrieved January 9, 2025.