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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Edson (provincial Electoral District)

Edson was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1986.

History

The electoral district was created during the 1913 Alberta general election from all of Lac Ste. Anne and the western portions of the Innsifail, Olds, Stony Plain and Red Deer provincial electoral districts.

Despite numerous boundary revisions in the province, Edson kept most of its original area. The riding was abolished into the new West Yellowhead riding in 1986.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Edson
Assembly Years Member Party
3rd  1913–1917     Charles Wilson Cross Liberal
4th  1917–1921
5th  1921–1926
6th  1926–1930     Christopher Pattinson Dominion Labor
7th  1930–1935
8th  1935–1940     Joseph Unwin United Farmers
9th  1940–1944     Angus James Morrison Dominion Labor
10th  1944–1948     Norman Willmore Social Credit
11th  1948–1952
12th  1952–1955
13th  1955–1959
14th  1959–1963
15th  1963–1967
16th  1967–1971     William Switzer Liberal
17th  1971–1975     Robert Wagner Dowling Progressive Conservative
18th  1975–1979
19th  1979–1982 Ian Reid
20th  1982–1986
See West Yellowhead electoral district from 1986-Present

Election results

1913

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Wilson Cross 671 51.03%
Conservative H. H. Verge 644 48.97%
Total 1,315
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1917

1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Wilson Cross 1,116 62.91% 11.88%
Conservative J. R. McIntosh 455 25.65% -23.32%
Socialist John Reid 203 11.44%
Total 1,774
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing -5.72%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1921

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Wilson Cross 1,321 57.94% -4.97%
Dominion Labor John Diamond 959 42.06%
Total 2,280
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing -10.44%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1926

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
First count
Dominion Labor Christopher Pattinson 1,116 40.13% -1.93%
Conservative A. McIntyre 963 34.63%
Liberal F. J. Doyle 702 25.24% -32.70%
Total 2,781
Ballot transfer results
Dominion Labor Christopher Pattinson 1,219 51.70%
Conservative A. McIntyre 1,139 48.30%
Liberal F. J. Doyle Eliminated
Total 2,358
Rejected, spoiled and declined 5
Eligible electors / turnout 4,765 58.47%
Dominion Labor gain from Liberal Swing -5.67%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1930

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Dominion Labor Christopher Pattinson 2,434 75.80% 35.73%
Liberal Chas. E. Payne 777 24.20% -1.04%
Total 3,211
Rejected, spoiled and declined 139
Eligible electors / turnout 5,455 61.41%
Dominion Labor hold Swing 23.53%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1935

1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
First count
Social Credit Joseph Unwin 2,154 41.52%
Liberal John Sedgwick Cowper 1,620 31.23% 7.03%
Dominion Labor Christopher Pattinson 1,414 27.26% -48.54%
Total 5,188
Ballot transfer results
Social Credit Joseph Unwin 2,443 54.16%
Liberal John Sedgwick Cowper 2,068 45.84%
Dominion Labor Christopher Pattinson Eliminated
Total 4,511
Rejected, spoiled and declined 279
Eligible electors / turnout 7,192 76.02%
Social Credit gain from Dominion Labor Swing -25.80%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1940

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
First count
Dominion Labor Angus James Morrison 2,211 44.59% 17.33%
Social Credit Joseph Unwin 1,949 39.31% -2.31%
Co-operative Commonwealth W. L. Dickout 798 16.10%
Total 4,958
Ballot transfer results
Dominion Labor Angus James Morrison 2,558 54.92%
Social Credit Joseph Unwin 2,100 45.08%
Co-operative Commonwealth W. L. Dickout Eliminated
Total 4,658
Rejected, spoiled and declined 298
Eligible electors / turnout 7,228 71.78%
Dominion Labor gain from Social Credit Swing 0.00%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1944

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Willmore 2,536 57.60% 18.29%
Co-operative Commonwealth W. H. Dixon 1,280 29.07% 12.97%
Labor–Progressive George Brownlow 587 13.33%
Total 4,403
Rejected, spoiled and declined 111
Eligible electors / turnout 6,747 66.90%
Social Credit gain from Dominion Labor Swing 14.26%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1948

1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Willmore 2,543 50.58% -7.02%
Co-operative Commonwealth Christopher Pattinson 1,715 34.11% 5.04%
Liberal William E. Robinson 770 15.31%
Total 5,028
Rejected, spoiled and declined 428
Eligible electors / turnout 8,337 65.44%
Social Credit hold Swing -6.03%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1952

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Willmore 2,480 55.79% 5.22%
Liberal William Switzer 1,965 44.21% 28.89%
Total 4,445
Rejected, spoiled and declined 335
Eligible electors / turnout 7,862 60.80%
Social Credit hold Swing -2.44%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1955

1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Willmore 2,529 51.96% -3.83%
Liberal William Switzer 2,146 44.09% -0.11%
Conservative Thomas Booker 192 3.94%
Total 4,867
Rejected, spoiled and declined 445
Eligible electors / turnout 7,515 70.69%
Social Credit hold Swing -1.86%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1959

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Willmore 3,074 57.07% 5.11%
Progressive Conservative Chris. H. R. Nielsen 1,678 31.15%
Liberal Melvyn A. Parkyn 634 11.77% -32.32%
Total 5,386
Rejected, spoiled and declined 22
Eligible electors / turnout 8,835 61.21%
Social Credit hold Swing 9.02%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1963

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Norman Willmore 2,668 56.29% -0.79%
Liberal Bertram E. Schoeppe 1,371 28.92% 17.15%
New Democratic James D. Torgersen 701 14.79%
Total 4,740
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11
Eligible electors / turnout 8,647 54.94%
Social Credit hold Swing 0.72%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1967

1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Switzer 2,803 41.03% 12.11%
Social Credit Arthur O. Jorgensen 2,372 34.72% -21.56%
New Democratic Neil Reimer 1,656 24.24% 9.45%
Total 6,831
Rejected, spoiled and declined 27
Eligible electors / turnout 9,457 72.52%
Liberal gain from Social Credit Swing -10.53%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1971

1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert Wagner Dowling 3,900 59.13%
Social Credit Rollie Mohr 1,947 29.52% -5.21%
New Democratic Walter Seewitz 749 11.36% -12.89%
Total 6,596
Rejected, spoiled and declined 217
Eligible electors / turnout 10,058 67.74%
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing 11.65%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1975

1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Robert Wagner Dowling 3,872 65.09% 5.96%
New Democratic John Lindsay 1,426 23.97% 12.62%
Social Credit Ralph Bond 651 10.94% -18.57%
Total 5,949
Rejected, spoiled and declined 12
Eligible electors / turnout 10,506 56.74%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 5.75%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1979

1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ian Reid 4,517 53.70% -11.38%
New Democratic Ron Hodgins 2,958 35.17% 11.20%
Social Credit W.L. Land 676 8.04% -2.91%
Liberal Herbert Maris 260 3.09%
Total 8,411
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 13,855 60.71%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -11.29%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1982

1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ian Reid 6,003 57.07% 3.36%
New Democratic Eilir Thomas 3,232 30.73% -4.44%
Western Canada Concept Lynn Lewis 1,284 12.21%
Total 10,519
Rejected, spoiled and declined 35
Eligible electors / turnout 16,208 65.12%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 3.90%
Source(s)
Source: "Edson Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Plebiscite results

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Edson
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 %
Yes 2,222 82.08%
No 485 17.92%
Total votes 2,707 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 14
7,823 eligible electors, turnout 34.82%

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.

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 women should be allowed to drink together in establishments.

Province wide, Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts, while Question B passed in all five districts. Edson voted in favour of the proposal, with the largest percentage in the province. Voter turnout in the district was dismal, falling significantly below the province wide average of 46%.

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

Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the plebiscite were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones. Business owners who wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.

See also

References

  1. ^ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  2. ^ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  3. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  4. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1958. p. 1.
  5. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

53°35′N 116°26′W / 53.59°N 116.43°W / 53.59; -116.43