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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Little Bow

Little Bow was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 2019.

Throughout its history, this district has been dominated by agricultural activities. Because the area is prone to summer time drought and frequent water rationing, agriculture has been limited to grain crops and cattle ranches. The 2003 BSE crisis, and the subsequent closure of the US border to Canadian cattle, became a major election issue.

The district's major communities, Vulcan, Coalhurst, the Siksika Nation, Arrowwood, Picture Butte and Mossleigh provide service centres for area's agricultural and oil & gas industries.

History

The electoral district was created in the 1913 boundary redistribution from four different districts. It was primarily carved out of Lethbridge District and also took land from the eastern portion of High River, Claresholm and Nanton.

The 2010 electoral boundary re-distribution saw the electoral district change only slightly as a portion of land was moved into the district from Highwood.

The Little Bow electoral district was dissolved in the 2017 electoral boundary re-distribution, and portions of the district would form the Cardston-Siksika and Taber-Warner electoral districts.

Boundary history

Representation history

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Little Bow
Assembly Years Member Party
See High River 1905–1913, Claresholm,
Lethbridge District, and Nanton 1909–1913
3rd 1913–1917 James McNaughton Liberal
4th 1917–1921
5th 1921–1926 Oran McPherson United Farmers
6th 1926–1930
7th 1930–1935
8th 1935–1940 Peter Dawson Social Credit
9th 1940–1944
10th 1944–1948
11th 1948–1952
12th 1952–1955
13th 1955–1959
14th 1959–1963
1963 Vacant
15th 1963–1967 Raymond Speaker Social Credit
16th 1967–1971
17th 1971–1975
18th 1975–1979
19th 1979–1982
1982 Independent
20th 1982–1985
1985 Political Alternative
1985-1986 Representative
21st 1986–1987
1987-1989 Progressive Conservative
22nd 1989–1992
1992 Vacant
1992-1993 Barry McFarland Progressive Conservative
23rd 1993–1997
24th 1997–2001
25th 2001–2004
26th 2004–2008
27th 2008–2012
28th 2012–2014 Ian Donovan Wildrose
2014–2015 Progressive Conservative
29th 2015–2017 Dave Schneider Wildrose
2017–2019 United Conservative
See Cardston-Siksika and Taber-Warner 2019–

The electoral district was created in 1913 in the controversial and scandal ridden redistricting that year. It was created from four different ridings which had a mixture of representation primarily Liberals as well as Independents and a Conservative.

Through the first 100 years in the history of this district, it was only represented by five members of the Legislative Assembly. Historically, voters in this riding tended to favour the candidate more than the party, as shown by Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Raymond Speaker's lengthy term in office.

The first representative elected in 1913 was Liberal candidate James McNaughton. He won re-election with a landslide majority in 1917. McNaughton would be defeated running for his third term in office by United Farmers of Alberta candidate Oran McPherson.

McPherson became Speaker of the Legislature in 1922. He was re-elected to his second term in 1926 defeating McNaughton for the last time and acclaimed to his third term in 1930. Near the end of his third term McPherson went through a scandal-ridden divorce that made front-page headlines. He lost favour with his constituents at a time when the United Farmers lost popularity due to the great depression and the John Edward Brownlee sex scandal.

Little Bow would change representatives in 1935. The electors went along with most of the province in returning a Social Credit candidate. Peter Dawson would easily defeat McPherson with a landslide majority as his party formed government. Dawson became the second speaker of the Assembly to represent the district in 1937.

Dawson would enjoy a long career in the Assembly easily winning re-election in 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1955 and 1959 without his popular support dropping below 50%. On March 24, 1963, McPherson would die from a heart attack. Little Bow would be left vacant until the 1963 general election held a few months later.

The 1963 election saw Social Credit candidate Raymond Speaker win his first election easily with 64% of the popular vote. He would be re-elected to his second term with a landslide in 1967. After the election Premier Ernest Manning appointed Speaker to the provincial cabinet as a Minister without Portfolio. When Premier Harry Strom came to power in 1968, Speaker remained in cabinet, this time becoming Minister of Social Development.

Speaker would win his third term in office in the 1971 election with a large majority. He would lose his cabinet post as his party was swept out of government. He would win re-election as a Social Credit MLA with large majorities in 1975 and 1979 despite the near total collapse of his party.

On October 5, 1982, Speaker, who was acting as parliamentary leader of the Social Credit caucus, had issues with Party leader Rod Sykes. After a motion to disband the moribund party failed, Speaker and Walt Buck resigned from Social Credit to run as independents in the 1982 election. He retained his seat with just over 50% of the popular vote.

After the 1982 election, Speaker and Buck tried to form the official opposition instead of the two man NDP caucus. The legislature denied them funding and they didn't get the same budget that the NDP had because they weren't a party. In 1984 they registered the Political Alternative Association with Elections Alberta, which they quickly renamed the Representative Party of Alberta. Speaker became leader of the party and led it into the 1986 election.

The Representative Party would hold its two seats with Speaker winning his seventh term in office. He would abandon the Representative Party to cross the floor to the Progressive Conservative caucus in 1987. Speaker ran for re-election as a Progressive Conservative candidate in 1989 and won his eighth term. He was re-appointed to cabinet by Premier Don Getty as Minister of Municipal Affairs after an 18-year absence.

Speaker vacated his seat in 1992 after being nominated by the Reform Party of Canada to run for a seat to the House of Commons of Canada. After Speaker left, a contentious and divided by-election took place. Progressive Conservative candidate Barry McFarland barely retained this seat for the party. The Liberals came very close to taking back Little Bow, with its best result in 70 years.

McFarland was re-elected five times without serious difficulty. He retired in 2012, and Wildrose candidate Ian Donovan took the seat. Donovan crossed the floor to the Tories in 2014. He was narrowly defeated in his bid for a second term by his replacement as Wildrose candidate, Dave Schneider. It was the first time in the riding's history that its member had not been returned for a second term. Because of the Electoral Boundary changes as of the 2019 election, Schneider became the last Member of the Legislative Assembly to represent the Little Bow riding.

Legislative election results

1913

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James McNaughton 721 52.02%
Conservative John T. MacDonald 339 24.46%
Independent F.A. Bryant 202 14.57%
Socialist Alfred Buddon 124 8.95%
Total 1,386
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 1,772 N/A
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1917

1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James McNaughton 808 77.39% 25.37%
Socialist Homer Thomas 236 22.61%
Total 1,044
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 2,909 35.89%
Liberal hold Swing 13.61%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1921

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Oran Leo McPherson 1,554 64.48%
Liberal James McNaughton 856 35.52% -41.88%
Total 2,410
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 3,258 73.97% 38.08%
United Farmers gain from Liberal Swing -12.91%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1926

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Oran Leo McPherson 1,367 57.01% -7.48%
Liberal James McNaughton 556 23.19% -12.33%
Conservative P.M. Patterson 475 19.81%
Total 2,398
Rejected, spoiled and declined 123
Eligible electors / turnout 3,235 77.93% 3.96%
United Farmers hold Swing 2.43%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1930

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Oran Leo McPherson Acclaimed
Total N/A
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A
United Farmers hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1935

1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 2,322 66.34%
United Farmers Oran Leo McPherson 704 20.11%
Liberal L.H. Stack 474 13.54%
Total 3,500
Rejected, spoiled and declined 113
Eligible electors / turnout 4,110 87.91%
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1940

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 2,162 51.53% -14.82%
Independent E.H. Griffin 2,034 48.47%
Total 4,196
Rejected, spoiled and declined 146
Eligible electors / turnout 5,048 86.01% -1.89%
Social Credit hold Swing -21.59%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1944

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 1,958 55.14% 3.61%
Independent J.D. Hagerman 826 23.26%
Co-operative Commonwealth Rudolph Kotkas 767 21.60%
Total 3,551
Rejected, spoiled and declined 18
Eligible electors / turnout 4,674 76.36% -9.66%
Social Credit hold Swing 14.41%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1948

1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 1,865 55.08% -0.06%
Independent George M. Carson 1,086 32.07%
Co-operative Commonwealth John P. Griffin 435 12.85% -8.75%
Total 3,386
Rejected, spoiled and declined 173
Eligible electors / turnout 4,740 75.08% -1.27%
Social Credit hold Swing -4.44%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1952

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 2,668 65.39% 10.31%
Liberal Maxwell R. Morrison 1,001 24.53%
Co-operative Commonwealth David S. Smith 411 10.07% -2.77%
Total 4,080
Rejected, spoiled and declined 265
Eligible electors / turnout 6,121 70.99% -4.10%
Social Credit hold Swing 8.93%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1955

1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 2,481 57.03% -8.36%
Liberal Varno Westersund 1,359 31.24% 6.71%
Conservative Norman Scotney 510 11.72%
Total 4,350
Rejected, spoiled and declined 257
Eligible electors / turnout 6,123 75.24% 4.26%
Social Credit hold Swing -7.53%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1959

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Peter Dawson 2,939 64.86% 7.83%
Progressive Conservative Bernard W. Tonken 989 21.83%
Liberal Donald A. McNiven 603 13.31% -17.93%
Total 4,531
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11
Eligible electors / turnout 5,805 78.24% 3.00%
Social Credit hold Swing 8.62%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1963

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Albert Speaker 3,368 64.01% -0.86%
Progressive Conservative Douglas H. Galbraith 1,245 23.66% 1.83%
Liberal Arthur W. Ulrich 649 12.33% -0.97%
Total 5,262
Rejected, spoiled and declined 24
Eligible electors / turnout 7,582 69.72% -8.53%
Social Credit hold Swing -1.35%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1967

1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Albert Speaker 3,367 68.48% 4.47%
Independent Arthur W. Ulrich 978 19.89%
New Democratic John K. Head 572 11.63%
Total 4,917
Rejected, spoiled and declined 16
Eligible electors / turnout 7,413 66.55% -3.17%
Social Credit hold Swing 4.12%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1971

1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Albert Speaker 3,400 58.53% -9.95%
Progressive Conservative John C. Green 2,114 36.39%
New Democratic Edward H. Rodney 295 5.08% -6.55%
Total 5,809
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 11
Eligible electors / Turnout 7,382 78.84% 12.30%
Social Credit hold Swing -13.22%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1975

1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Albert Speaker 3,132 57.64% -0.89%
Progressive Conservative George McMorris 2,019 37.15% 0.76%
Liberal Ben Loman 157 2.89%
New Democratic Wayne Doolittle 126 2.32% -2.76%
Total 5,434
Rejected, spoiled and declined 11
Eligible electors / turnout 7,354 74.04% -4.80%
Social Credit hold Swing -0.83%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1979

1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Raymond Albert Speaker 3,748 65.63% 7.99%
Progressive Conservative Richard Papworth 1,684 29.49% -7.67%
New Democratic Beth Jantzie 236 4.13% 1.81%
Liberal John W. Fujimargari 43 0.75% -2.14%
Total 5,711
Rejected, spoiled and declined 22
Eligible electors / turnout 8,238 69.59% -4.45%
Social Credit hold Swing 7.83%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1982

1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Raymond Albert Speaker 3,174 50.09%
Progressive Conservative Cliff Wright 2,144 33.83% 4.35%
Western Canada Concept Wayne Lawlor 851 13.43%
New Democratic Beth Jantzie 168 2.65% -1.48%
Total 6,337
Rejected, spoiled and declined 15
Eligible electors / turnout 8,168 77.77% 8.17%
Independent notional hold Swing -9.94%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Raymond Speaker crossed the floor to become an Independent in 1982.

1986

1986 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Representative Raymond Albert Speaker 3,791 63.65%
Progressive Conservative Cliff Wright 1,805 30.31% -3.53%
Confederation of Regions Dean Oseen 158 2.65%
New Democratic Christina Tomaschuk 137 2.30% -0.35%
Liberal Ben Loman 65 1.09%
Total 5,956
Rejected, spoiled and declined 10
Eligible electors / turnout 9,604 62.12% -15.65%
Representative notional hold Swing 8.55%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Raymond Speaker crossed the floor to become an Representative in 1985.

1989

1989 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Raymond Albert Speaker 3,907 79.54% 49.23%
Liberal Elzien Schopman 579 11.79% 10.70%
New Democratic Keith Ford 426 8.67% 6.37%
Total 4,912
Rejected, spoiled and declined 7
Eligible electors / turnout 9,145 53.79% -8.33%
Progressive Conservative notional hold Swing 17.20%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Raymond Speaker crossed the floor to become an Progressive Conservative in 1987.

1992 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, March 5, 1992
following the resignation of Raymond Speaker on January 3, 1992
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 1,966 35.20 -44.34
Liberal Donna Graham 1,704 30.51 18.72
New Democratic Ruth Scalplock 601 10.76 2.09
Social Credit Al Strom 521 9.33
Alliance Larry Haller 399 7.14
Confederation of Regions Dean Oseen 394 7.06
Total 5,585
Rejected, spoiled and declined 18
Eligible electors / turnout 9,158 61.18%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -31.53
Source(s)
Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (1992). The report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Little Bow by-election held Thursday, March 5, 1992 (Report). Edmonton: Alberta Legislative Assembly, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer.

1993

1993 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 6,709 67.24% 32.04%
Liberal Donna L. Graham 2,886 28.93% -1.58%
New Democratic Rod Lachmuth 382 3.83% -6.93%
Total 9,977
Rejected, spoiled and declined 26
Eligible electors / turnout 15,087 66.30% 5.12%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 16.81%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1997

1997 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 6,726 69.56% 2.32%
Liberal Alida Hess 2,075 21.46% -7.47%
New Democratic Marko Hilgersom 868 8.98% 5.15%
Total 9,669
Rejected, spoiled and declined 55
Eligible electors / turnout 17,896 54.34% -11.97%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 4.89%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 1997 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

2001

2001 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 6,881 64.80% -4.76%
Liberal Arij Langstraat 2,534 23.86% 2.40%
Independent Jon Koch 885 8.33%
New Democratic Andrea Enes 319 3.00% -5.97%
Total 10,619
Rejected, spoiled and declined 17
Eligible electors / turnout 18,771 56.66% 2.33%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -3.58%
Source(s)
Source: "Little Bow Official Results 2001 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

2004

2004 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 4,899 54.24% -10.56%
Liberal Arij Langstraat 1,961 21.71% -2.15%
Alberta Alliance Jay Phin 857 9.49%
Social Credit Brian Cook 554 6.13%
Separation Grant Shaw 433 4.79%
New Democratic Hugh Logie 328 3.63% 0.63%
Total 9,032
Rejected, spoiled and declined 55
Eligible electors / turnout 19,835 45.81% -10.85%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -4.20%

2008

2008 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 5,150 58.06% 3.82%
Wildrose Kevin Kinahan 2,051 23.12% 12.63%
Liberal Everett Tanis 1,080 12.18% -9.54%
New Democratic Duane Petluk 322 3.63% 0.00%
Green Marie Read 267 3.01%
Total 8,870
Rejected, spoiled and declined 32
Eligible electors / turnout 20,788 42.82% -2.99%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 1.20%
Source(s)
Source: "66 - Little Bow, 2008 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

2012

2012 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Wildrose Ian A. Donovan 6,750 54.03% 30.91%
Progressive Conservative John Kolk 4,502 36.04% -22.02%
New Democratic Bev Muendel-Atherstone 767 6.14% 2.51%
Liberal Everett Tanis 474 3.79% -8.38%
Total 12,493
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 52
Eligible electors / turnout 23,572 53.22% 10.40%
Wildrose gain from Progressive Conservative Swing -8.47%
Source(s)
Source: "70 - Little Bow, 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

2015

2015 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Wildrose David Schneider 4,803 35.35% -18.68%
Progressive Conservative Ian A. Donovan 4,793 35.28% -0.76%
New Democratic Bev Muendel-Atherstone 3,364 24.76% 18.62%
Liberal Helen McMenamin 377 2.77% -1.02%
Social Credit Caleb Van Der Weide 249 1.83%
Total 13,586
Rejected, spoiled and declined 42
Eligible electors / turnout 25,516 53.41% 0.19%
Wildrose hold Swing -8.96%
Source(s)
Source: "70 - Little Bow, 2015 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Senate nominee election results

2004

2004 Senate nominee election results: Little Bow Turnout 45.49%
Affiliation Candidate Votes % votes % ballots Rank
Progressive Conservative Bert Brown 3,805 16.94% 51.29% 1
Progressive Conservative Betty Unger 2,861 12.74% 38.56% 2
  Independent Link Byfield 2,771 12.33% 37.35% 4
Progressive Conservative Cliff Breitkreuz 2,184 9.72% 29.44% 3
Progressive Conservative Jim Silye 2,028 9.03% 27.34% 5
Alberta Alliance Vance Gough 1,992 8.87% 26.85% 8
Progressive Conservative David Usherwood 1,892 8.42% 25.50% 6
Alberta Alliance Michael Roth 1,843 8.20% 24.84% 7
Alberta Alliance Gary Horan 1,648 7.34% 22.21% 10
  Independent Tom Sindlinger 1,442 6.41% 19.44% 9
Total votes 22,466 100%
Total ballots 7,419 3.03 votes per ballot
Rejected, spoiled and declined 2,712

Voters had the option of selecting four candidates on the ballot

2012

Student vote results

2004

Participating schools
Calvin Christian School
Champion School
Coalhurst High School
Dorothy Danliesh Elementary School
Huntsville School
Lomond Colony School
Noble Central School
Picture Butte High School
R.I. Baker Middle School
St. Josephs' School

On November 19, 2004, a student vote was conducted at participating Alberta schools to parallel the 2004 Alberta general election results. The vote was designed to educate students and simulate the electoral process for persons who have not yet reached the legal majority. The vote was conducted in 80 of the 83 provincial electoral districts with students voting for actual election candidates. Schools with a large student body that reside in another electoral district had the option to vote for candidates outside of the electoral district then where they were physically located.

2004 Alberta student vote results
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Barry McFarland 396 41.12%
  Liberal Arij Langstraat 176 18.28%
  New Democrat Hugh Logie 114 11.84%
Alberta Alliance Jay Phin 106 11.01%
  Social Credit Brian Cook 98 10.17%
Separation Grant Shaw 73 7.58%
Total 963 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 74

2012

2012 Alberta student vote results
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative John Kolk %
Wildrose Ian Donovan
  Liberal Everett Tanis %
  NDP Bev Muendel-Atherstone %
Total 100%

Plebiscite results

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?
1,069     28.42% 2,716     71.76%
Province wide result: Option A passed.

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Little Bow
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 1,584 51.50%
No 1,492 48.50%
Total Votes 3,076 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 1
5,715 Eligible Electors, Turnout 53.84%

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 woman were 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. Little Bow just barely voted in favour of the proposal with both sides polling a strong vote. Voter turnout in the district was one of the best in the province, significantly above 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 considered 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 that wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.

Daylight saving plebiscites

1967

District data from the 1967 daylight saving plebiscite

Do you favour province-wide daylight saving time?
For Against
1,365   27.98% 3,185   72.01%
Province wide result: Failed

1971

District data from the 1971 daylight saving plebiscite

Do you favour province-wide daylight saving time?
For Against
2,306   40.17% 3,434   59.83%
Province wide result: Passed

See also

References

  1. ^ Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (June 2010). "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta. Final Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. ISBN 978-0-9865367-1-7. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  2. ^ Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (October 2017). "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta. Final Report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. ISBN 978-1-988620-04-6. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  3. ^ Electoral Divisions Act, S.A. 2003, c. E-4.1
  4. ^ "Bill 28 Electoral Divisions Act" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. 2010.
  5. ^ "Wildrose MLAs leave party to join PCs". Global Edmonton. November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  6. ^ "Senate Nominee Election 2004 Tabulation of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. March 1, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2009.
  7. ^ "School by School results". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  8. ^ "Riding by Riding Results - the Candidates". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
  9. ^ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  10. ^ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  11. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  12. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1958. p. 1.
  13. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

50°24′N 113°00′W / 50.4°N 113.0°W / 50.4; -113.0