1947 Edmonton municipal election

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1947 municipal election was held November 5, 1947 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board, while four trustees were acclaimed to the separate school board. Voters also voted on two plebiscites, one of which approved two-year mayoral terms. Accordingly, Harry Ainlay's election made him the first mayor of Edmonton to serve a two-year term.

There were ten aldermen on city council, but five of the positions were already filled: Sidney Bowcott, Athelstan Bissett (SS), Sidney Parsons, James Ogilvie, and Frederick John Mitchell were all elected to two-year terms in 1946 and were still in office.

There were seven trustees on the public school board, but three of the positions were already filled: James MacDonald, John Morrison, and Robert Rae had been elected to two-year terms in 1946 and were still in office. The same was true on the separate board, where Adrian Crowe (SS), Francis Killeen, and James O'Hara were continuing.

Voter turnout[]

There were 18,676 ballots cast out of 76,112 eligible voters, for a voter turnout of 24.5%.

Results[]

  • bold or Green tickY indicates elected
  • italics indicate incumbent
  • "SS", where data is available, indicates representative for Edmonton's South Side, with a minimum South Side representation instituted after the city of Strathcona, south of the North Saskatchewan River, amalgamated into Edmonton on February 1, 1912.

Mayor[]

Party Candidate Votes %
Civic Democratic Alliance Harry Ainlay 16,948 91.60%
Independent Frederick Speed 1,554 8.40%

Aldermen[]

Party Candidate Votes Elected
Citizens' Committee Armour Ford 10,998 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Harold Tanner 10,909 SS Green tickY
Citizens' Committee James McCrie Douglas 10,730 SS Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Charles Gariepy 9,398 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee George Gleave 8,229 Green tickY
Civic Democratic Alliance Percy Gwynne 7,031
Civic Democratic Alliance John Gillies 6,953
Civic Democratic Alliance Charles Willis 6,135
Civic Democratic Alliance Norman Finnemore 5,451
Civic Democratic Alliance Charles Gilbert 5,105
Independent Arthur Hamelin 3,373
Independent Julia Kiniski 2,133
Independent Amy Speed 1,133

Public school trustees[]

Party Candidate Votes Elected
Citizens' Committee Mary Butterworth 10,490 SS Green tickY
Citizens' Committee George Brown 10,390 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Stewart Graham 8,697 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee William Morrow 8,617 SS Green tickY
Civic Democratic Alliance Elizabeth Haynes 7,463
Civic Democratic Alliance Reta Rowan 5,344
Civic Democratic Alliance Robert Boutilier 4,701
Civic Democratic Alliance William Chmiliar 4,031
Independent Frederick Speed 1,416

Separate (Catholic) school trustees[]

Weldon Bateman (SS), Joseph Gallant, Thomas Malone, and Joseph Pilon were acclaimed.

Plebiscites[]

  • Financial plebiscite items required a minimum two-thirds "Yes" majority to bring about action

Mayoral Term[]

Are you in favour of a two-year term for Mayor?

  • Yes - 9,959
  • No - 8,312

Civic Auditorium/Art and Recreation Centre[]

Shall the Council pass a bylaw to create a debt in the sum of $1,500,00.00 for the purpose of constructing, within the City of Edmonton, a municipal building to be used as a Civic Auditorium and an Art and Recreation Centre and issue serial debentures in the sum not exceeding 30 years with interest not exceeding 4% payable semi-annually?

  • Yes - 4,362
  • No - 4,105

References[]

Retrieved from ""