1920 Calgary municipal election

The 1920 Calgary municipal election was held on December 15, 1920 to a Mayor and six Aldermen to sit on Calgary City Council for two years, and two Aldermen to sit for one year. Additionally a Commissioner, three members for the Public School Board and two members for the Separate School Board were elected.

1920 Calgary municipal election

← 1919 December 15, 1920 1921 →
 
Candidate Samuel Hunter Adams Issac G. Ruttle
Popular vote 5,249 2,786
Percentage 65.33% 34.67%

Mayor before election

Robert Colin Marshall

Elected mayor

Samuel Hunter Adams

There were twelve aldermen on city council, but six of the positions were already filled: Frank Freeze, George Harry Webster, Annie Gale, and Fred Shouldice, were all elected to two-year terms in 1919 and were still in office. Both Samuel Hunter Adams and Issac G. Ruttle resigned their positions as Aldermen to run for mayor.

A number of plebiscites were held, all requiring a majority to pass.

The election was held under the Single Transferable Voting/Proportional Representation (STV/PR) with the term for Alderman being two years and the Mayor being one year.[1]

Background

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In the 1920 election for mayor, Adams ran against his only challenger, and fellow alderman Isaac G. Ruttle. Adams and Ruttle were both friends and agreed to spend only $100 during the election, $50 for advertisements in the Calgary Herald and $50 for advertisements in the Albertan. During the campaign both candidates would travel together as Adams did not have a car, and alternated who would speak first at each event. Eventually both candidates broke the agreement to spend only $100 with Ruttle placing advertisements between films in one of the City's theaters, and Adams countered with a $25 advertisement in the Market Examiner. Adams won the election held on December 15, 1920 with approximately 60% of the vote and assumed the role of Calgary's 21st Mayor on January 3, 1920, serving until January 2, 1923.[2]

Results

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Mayor

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Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Dominion Labor Samuel Hunter Adams 5,249 65.33%  Y
Dominion Labor Issac G. Ruttle 2,786 34.67%
Total valid votes 8,803
Approximate rejected ballots 1,200

Council

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Party Candidate Votes % Count Term Length Elected
Dominion Labor Fred J. White 1,222 15.44% 1st 2 Years  Y
Dominion Labor John Sidney Arnold 924 11.68% 1st 2 Years  Y
Civic Government Association John Hugill 905 11.44% 1st 2 Years  Y
Dominion Labor Walter Little 813 10.28% 2nd 2 Years  Y
Civic Government Association Alexander McTaggart 758 9.58% 3rd 2 Years  Y
Civic Government Association Charles Stevenson 691 8.73% 8th 2 Years  Y
Civic Government Association Neil I. McDermid 705 8.91% 8th 1 Year  Y
Independent Geoffrey Silvester 431 5.45% X 1 Year  Y
Independent George E. Williams 367 4.64%
Independent George D. Batchelor 359 4.54%
Independent William Turner 295 3.73%
Independent W. H. Beal 262 3.31%
Independent J. B. Douglas 180 2.28%
Total valid votes 7,912
Approximate rejected ballots 1,200

Commissioner

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Party Candidate Votes % Elected
Dominion Labor A. J. Samis 4,496 58.01%  Y
Dominion Labor A. G. Broatch 2,192 28.28%
Dominion Labor Angus Smith 1,062 13.70%
Total valid votes 7,750
Approximate rejected ballots 1,200

Public School Board

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Party Candidate Votes % Count Elected
Civic Government Association H. A. Sinnott 3,167 24.62% 1st  Y
Independent Marion Carson 1,363 17.68% 1st  Y
Dominion Labor Lillie C. Woodhall 1,004 15.81% 3rd  Y
Civic Government Association Robert H. Parkyn 954 13.00%
Independent H. M. McCallum 954 12.22%
Total valid votes 7,343

Separate School Board

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Party Candidate Votes % Count Elected
Civic Government Association J. Harcourt O'Reilly 155 24.62% 1st  Y
Independent R. J. McLean 79 17.68% 1st  Y
Dominion Labor M. J. Sheedy 83 15.81%
Civic Government Association McKay 36 13.00%
Independent Fay 26 12.22%
Total valid votes 379

Plebiscites

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Gas Plebiscite

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Gas Plebiscite Votes %
To let rates stand, no franchise changes 5,417 74.49%
Council proposal, 42 cent gas, 2.5 years 337 4.63%
Mayor proposal, 50 cent gas, rebate 208 2.86%
Company proposal, arbitration 1,310 18.01%

Curfew Bylaw

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To institute Curfew Law in Calgary.

Curfew Bylaw Votes %
Yes 4,421 60.82%
No 2,848 39.18%

Aldermen Pay

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To pay Aldermen $500 per year.

Aldermen Pay Votes %
Yes 2,895 39.59%
No 4,417 60.41%

Capitalize Street Railway Expenditures Bylaw

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Vote on bylaw to capitalize $250,000 street railway expenditures.

Capitalize Street Railway Bylaw Votes %
For 1,635 43.00%
Against 2,167 57.00%

Waterworks Extension Programme Bylaw

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Vote on bylaw for waterworks extension programme.

Waterworks Extension Bylaw Votes %
For 2,057 53.28%
Against 1,804 46.72%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Election Results". The Calgary Daily Herald. No. 4021. December 16, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  2. ^ Olson, Kirsten; Sanders, Harry (October 18, 2013). "5 Calgary elections more interesting than this one". CBC News. CBC News. Retrieved February 28, 2020.