1935 Calgary municipal election

The 1935 Calgary municipal election was held on November 20, 1935, to elect a Mayor and six Aldermen to sit on Calgary City Council. Along with positions on Calgary City Council, three trustees for the Public School Board, and three trustees for the Separate School Board were elected.[1] Nominations closed on November 4, 1935.[2]

1935 Calgary municipal election

← 1934 November 20, 1935 1936 →
 
W.H.
Candidate Andrew Davison Walter Reginald Herbert Fred J. White
Party Independent Social Credit Labor
Popular vote 13,011 10,956 3,013
Percentage 47.95% 40.38% 11.10%

Mayor before election

Andrew Davison

Elected mayor

Andrew Davison

Calgary City Council governed under "Initiative, Referendum and Recall" which is composed of a Mayor, Commissioner and twelve Aldermen all elected to staggered two year terms. Mayor Andrew Davison and six Aldermen: Douglas Cunnington, Frank Roy Freeze, William Ayer Lincoln, Robert Henry Parkyn, and Aylmer John Eggert Liesemer elected in 1934 continued in their positions.[1]

Background

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The election was held under the Single Transferable Voting/Proportional Representation (STV/PR) with the term for candidates being two years.

W. R. Herbert contested the Mayor's seat for the Social Credit Party, which successfully swept the Legislative Assembly months earlier in the 1935 Alberta general election. Social Credit Premier William Aberhart had previously stated that he did not favour the Social Credit party entering municipal politics.[3] During the campaign it came to light that Herbert's business "Herbert Pain and Varnish Co., Ltd." was in three years in arrears for business tax and water service, however, Herbert was not disqualified.[4]

Alderman Fred J. White resigned halfway through his two-year term to content the Mayor's seat.

Results

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Results from Calgary Daily Herald.[5]

Mayor

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Candidate Votes Percent
Andrew Davison 13,011 47.95%
W. R. Herbert 10,956 40.38%
Fred J. White 3,013 11.10%
Fred Peat 152 0.56%

Least popular candidates were eliminated, their votes transferred, and Davison eventually accumulated a majority of votes to win the seat.[6]

Council

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Quota for election was 3,313.

Party Candidate Votes % Count Elected
C.G.A. Alexander John MacMillan 3,519 %  Y
C.G.A. Douglas Cameron Sinclair 2,787 %  Y
Dominion Labor William George Southern 2,299 %  Y
Social Credit James William Gillman 1,731 %  Y
Social Credit Rose Wilkinson 1,778 %  Y
Social Credit James Gourley 1,586 %  Y
C.G.A. Robert Henry Weir 1,505 %  Y
Social Credit D.W. Mitchell 1,929 %
C.G.A. George Lancaster 1,469 %
Social Credit G.W. Walters 1,409 %
Social Credit F.A. Battisto 1,229 %
Social Credit G.W. Edmunds 954 %
Communist Murdoch Clarke 511 %
Dominion Labor Charles K. Vernon 315 %
Independent E.D. Battrum 259 %
Dominion Labor A.T. Pippard 212 %
Dominion Labor Joseph Sykes 148 %
Total valid votes

Public School Board

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The quota was 3,053

Candidate Votes Percent count
E.J. Chambers 5,684
D.A. Anderson 3,354
James L. Cromarty 2,034
J.S. McMurchy 3,389
Amelia Turner 3,608
C.R. Pearce 2,713
Arthur Craig 2,015
P.L. Brooks 864
Kay Rankin 539

Separate school board

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Candidate Votes Percent count
P.V. Burgard 625
Roland McGuinness 561
Patrick Cregan 407
C.J. Jones 477
L.L. Plotkins 179

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Davison beats Herbert in record vote". Calgary Daily Herald. November 22, 1935. p. 1. ProQuest 2252806841. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "35 Nominated for City Election Honors". Calgary Daily Herald. November 4, 1935. p. 9. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. ^ "Mayor Challenges Social Crediter To Prove Charges". Calgary Daily Herald. November 13, 1935. p. 14. ProQuest 2252890896.
  4. ^ "Herbert Not Disqualified By Tax Debt". Calgary Daily Herald. November 14, 1935. p. 13. ProQuest 2252800308.
  5. ^ "27,000 Electors Mark Ballots in Calgary Civic Election". Calgary Daily Herald. November 21, 1935. p. 8. ProQuest 2252806739. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  6. ^ Calgary Herald