Lethbridge (provincial electoral district)

Lethbridge was a provincial electoral district in Alberta mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1909, and again from 1921 to 1971.[1]

Lethbridge
Alberta electoral district
Defunct provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
District created1905
District abolished1909
District re-created1921
District re-abolished1971
First contested1905
Last contested1967

History

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Lethbridge
Assembly Years Member Party
1st  1905–1906     Leverett George DeVeber Liberal
 1906–1909 William Charles Simmons
See Lethbridge District electoral district from 1909-1913
and Lethbridge City electoral district from 1909-1921
5th  1921–1926     John Smith Stewart Independent
6th  1926–1930     Andrew Smeaton Labor
7th  1930–1935
8th  1935–1937     Hans E. Wight Social Credit
 1937–1940     Peter M. Campbell Independent
9th  1940–1944
10th  1944–1948     John C. Landeryou Social Credit
11th  1948–1952
12th  1952–1955
13th  1955–1959
14th  1959–1963
15th  1963–1967
16th  1967–1971
See Lethbridge-East electoral district from 1971-Present
and Lethbridge-West electoral district from 1971-Present

The riding has existed twice, from 1905 to 1909, and again from 1921 to 1971. The Lethbridge electoral district was founded as one of the original 25 electoral districts contested in the 1905 Alberta general election upon Alberta joining Confederation in September 1905. The electoral district was a continuation of the Lethbridge electoral district responsible for returning a single member to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1891 to 1905.[2]

In 1905, the Lethbridge electoral district covered a large patch of southern Alberta and was subsequently broken into Lethbridge District and Lethbridge City in 1909. After Lethbridge District was broken up into Taber and Little Bow in 1913, Lethbridge City was all that remained, using the Lethbridge name; in 1921 Lethbridge was reformed after City was dropped from the name.

The Lethbridge electoral district was abolished in the 1971 electoral district re-distribution, and the territory was formed into Lethbridge-East and Lethbridge-West electoral districts.

The riding was named after the Southern Alberta City of Lethbridge.

Representation

Liberal Leverett George DeVeber was elected as the first representative for the Lethbridge electoral district in 1905, DeVeber had previously held the Lethbridge seat in the Northwest Territories Legislature from 1898 to 1905.[2][3] DeVeber's time as the representative was short as he was appointed to the Senate on March 8, 1906.[4]

Election results

1905 general election

1905 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalLeverett George DeVeber63956.55%
ConservativeWilliam Carlos Ives49143.45%
Total 1,130
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/AN/A
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1906 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, April 12, 1906
Upon Leverett George DeVeber's appointment to the Senate of Canada on March 8, 1906
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalWilliam Charles Simmons54343.90%
LaborFrank Henry Sherman46337.43%
ConservativeA. E. Keffer23118.67%
Total 1,237
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/AN/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
"By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020.

1921 general election

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
IndependentJohn Smith Stewart2,25262.11%
LaborJohn Marsh1,37437.89%
Total 3,626
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 5,54965.35%
Independent pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1926 general election

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
%Votes
final count
±%
LaborAndrew Smeaton1,58437.11%1,962-0.78%
ConservativeRichard R. Davidson1,45934.18%1,713
LiberalWalter S. Galbraith1,22528.70%
Total 4,268
Rejected, spoiled and declined 273
Eligible electors / turnout 6,35371.48%6.13%
Labor gain from Independent Swing -10.64%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1930 general election

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
%Votes
final count
±%
LaborAndrew Smeaton2,03643.89%2,2386.78%
IndependentWilliam D. L. Hardie1,59834.45%1,978
IndependentRobert Barrowman1,00521.66%
Total 4,639
Rejected, spoiled and declined 308
Eligible electors / turnout 7,37767.06%-4.42%
Labor hold Swing 3.26%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1935 general election

1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditHans E. Wight3,70055.71%
LiberalRobert Barrowman1,94629.30%
LaborAndrew Smeaton6549.85%-34.04%
ConservativeG. W. Green3415.13%
Total 6,641
Rejected, spoiled and declined 182
Eligible electors / turnout 8,36081.61%14.56%
Social Credit gain from Labor Swing 8.48%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1937 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, December 2, 1937
Upon the resignation of Hans E. Wight
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Independent MovementPeter M. Campbell4,09955.56%
Social CreditA. J. Burnap3,27944.44%-11.27%
Total valid votes 7,378
Rejected, spoiled, and declined
Electors / turnout
Independent Movement gain from Social Credit Swing N/A
Source(s)
"By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020.

1940 general election

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Independent MovementPeter M. Campbell4,31861.01%5.55%
Social CreditA. E. Smith2,76038.99%-5.45%
Total 7,078
Rejected, spoiled and declined 274
Eligible electors / turnout 8,81583.40%1.79%
Independent Movement hold Swing -2.20%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1944 general election

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
%Votes
final count
±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou2,36737.59%2,692-1.40%
IndependentDavid Horton Elton2,24735.68%2,388
Co-operative CommonwealthB. F. Tanner1,46423.25%
Labor–ProgressiveEugene Scully2193.48%
Total 6,297
Rejected, spoiled and declined 42
Eligible electors / turnout 9,19068.98%-14.43%
Social Credit gain from Independent Movement Swing -10.05%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1948 general election

1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou3,82954.40%16.82%
LiberalH. B. McLaughlin1,76825.12%
Co-operative CommonwealthEmil S. Vaselenak1,44120.47%-2.77%
Total 7,038
Rejected, spoiled and declined 507
Eligible electors / turnout 11,61164.98%-4.00%
Social Credit hold Swing 13.69%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1952 general election

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou4,97572.35%17.95%
LiberalRex J. Tennant1,90127.65%2.53%
Total 6,876
Rejected, spoiled and declined 658
Eligible electors / turnout 14,01853.75%-11.24%
Social Credit hold Swing 7.71%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1955 general election

1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou4,78850.28%-22.07%
LiberalAlan Cullen3,36135.30%7.65%
ConservativeC.J. Black8839.27%
Co-operative CommonwealthJames E. Helwig4905.15%
Total 9,522
Rejected, spoiled and declined 418
Eligible electors / turnout 15,63563.58%9.83%
Social Credit hold Swing -14.86%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1959 general election

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou7,25062.01%11.72%
Progressive ConservativeThomas Spanos2,91724.95%
LiberalRobery Henry Jeacock1,52513.04%-22.25%
Total 11,692
Rejected, spoiled and declined 45
Eligible electors / turnout 18,11964.78%1.20%
Social Credit hold Swing 11.04%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1963 general election

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou6,97560.23%-1.78%
LiberalAlan Cullen3,78632.69%19.65%
New DemocraticJames Taylor8207.08%
Total 11,581
Rejected, spoiled and declined 34
Eligible electors / turnout 20,11757.74%-7.04%
Social Credit hold Swing -4.76%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1967 general election

1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Social CreditJohn C. Landeryou6,15544.42%-15.80%
Progressive ConservativeWilfred Browns4,12829.79%
LiberalJohn I. Boras2,23716.15%-16.55%
New DemocraticKlaas Buijert1,3359.64%2.55%
Total 13,855
Rejected, spoiled and declined 49
Eligible electors / turnout 21,44964.82%7.09%
Social Credit hold Swing -6.45%
Source(s)
Source: "Lethbridge Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Plebiscite results

1923 prohibition plebiscite

Options presented on the ballot Votes[5] %
(a) Prohibition - Meaning thereby a continuance and development of present Liquor Legislation; that is, meaning the Abolition of the Sale of all Liquors excepting for strictly Medicinal Sacramental, Manufacturing and Scientific Purposes. 1,342 %
(b) Licensed Sale of Beer - Meaning thereby, the Sale of Beer in Licensed Hotels and other Premises, as provided in the proposed Temperance Act. 56 %
(c) Government Sale of Beer - Meaning thereby, the Sale of Beer by or through Government Vendors for consumption in Private Residences under Government Control and Regulations - other Liquors to be sold through Doctor's Prescription for Medicinal Purposes. 53 %
(d) Government Sale of All Liquors - Meaning thereby, the Sale of all Liquors by or through Government Vendors. Beer to be consumed on Licensed Premises and in Private Residences. Wines and Spirits to be purchased in limited quantities under permit issued by the government, under Government Control and Regulations. 3,157 %
Total 4,914 100%
Spoiled Ballots 307

1948 Electrification Plebiscite

District results from the first province wide plebiscite on electricity regulation.

Option A Option B
Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being continued by the Power Companies? Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being made a publicly owned utility administered by the Alberta Government Power Commission?
4,237     64.90% 2,291     35.10%
Province wide result: Option A passed.

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Lethbridge[6]
Question A: Do you approve additional types of outlets for the
sale of beer, wine and spirituous liquor subject to a local vote?
Ballot Choice Votes %
No 4,119 50.66%
Yes 4,012 49.34%
Total Votes 8,131 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 66
15,974 Eligible Electors, Turnout 51.32%

On October 30, 1957 a stand-alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive debate in the Legislature. The plebiscite was intended to deal with the growing demand for reforming antiquated liquor control laws.[7]

The plebiscite was conducted in two parts. Question A asked in all districts, asked the voters if the sale of liquor should be expanded in Alberta, while Question B asked in a handful of districts within the corporate limits of Calgary and Edmonton asked if men and woman were allowed to drink together in establishments.[6]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Lethbridge and Wetaskiwin were the only cities in Alberta to vote against the proposal. It was defeated by the narrowest margins with polls showing a clear split between the north and south sections of the city.[7] The voter turnout in the district was well above the province wide average of 46% with well over half the electors turning out to vote.[6]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[6] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered the results binding.[8] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[9]

Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the Plebiscite such as Lethbridge were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones, business owners that wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.[10]

See also

References

  1. "Election results for Lethbridge". abheritage.ca. Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. "North-West Territories: Council and Legislative Assembly, 1876-1905" (PDF). Saskatchewan Archives. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
  3. "Lethbridge Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  4. "The Hon. Leverett George DeVeber, Senator". Parlinfo. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. "Official Referendum Vote In Lethbridge". Lethbridge Daily Herald. November 16, 1923. p. 1.
  6. Alberta Gazette. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  7. "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  8. "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  9. "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1968. p. 1.
  10. "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

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