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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Ponoka (provincial Electoral District)

Ponoka was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1986.

History

Ponoka was one of the original 25 electoral districts contested in the 1905 Alberta general election upon Alberta joining Confederation in September 1905. The district was redrawn frequently over the years but had remained largely a thin slice in central Alberta. The electoral district was named for the Town of Ponoka in central Alberta.

Ponoka was dissolved in the 1986 electoral district re-distribution to form the Ponoka-Rimbey electoral district.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Ponoka
Assembly Years Member Party
1st  1905–1909     John R. McLeod Liberal
2nd  1909–1913 William A. Campbell
3rd  1913–1917
4th  1917–1921     Charles Orin Cunningham Conservative
5th  1921–1921     Percival Baker United Farmers
 1921–1926 John Edward Brownlee
6th  1926–1930
7th  1930–1935
8th  1935–1940     Edith Rogers Social Credit
9th  1940–1944     Percy McKelvey Independent
10th  1944–1948     Ora B. Moore Social Credit
11th  1948–1952
12th  1952–1955 Glen F. Johnston
13th  1955–1959
14th  1959–1963
15th  1963–1967
16th  1967–1971 Neville S. Roper
17th  1971–1975     Donald J. McCrimmon Progressive Conservative
18th  1975–1979
19th  1979–1982
20th  1982–1986 Halvar C. Jonson
See Ponoka-Rimbey electoral district from 1986-2004

Election results

1905

1905 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John R. McLeod 375 58.59%
Conservative John A. Jackson 265 41.41%
Total 640
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 640 N/A
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1909

1909 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William A. Campbell 466 67.05% 8.46%
Conservative John A. Jackson 229 32.95% -8.46%
Total 695
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 1,026 67.74%
Liberal hold Swing 8.46%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1913

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William A. Campbell 485 51.65% -15.40%
Conservative George Gordon 257 27.37% -5.58%
Independent Percival Baker 197 20.98%
Total 939
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing -4.91%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1917

1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Orin Cunningham 888 50.89% 23.52%
Liberal William A. Campbell 857 49.11% -2.54%
Total 1,745
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing -11.25%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1921

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Percival Baker 1,391 63.06%
Liberal William A. Campbell 815 36.94% -12.17%
Total 2,206
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
United Farmers gain from Conservative Swing 12.17%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1921 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, December 9, 1921
Following the death of Percival Baker on July 19, 1921.
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers John Edward Brownlee Acclaimed
Total
United Farmers hold Swing
Source(s)
Mardon 107

1926

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers John Edward Brownlee 1,357 62.91% -0.14%
Liberal Marcus Crandall 453 21.00% -15.94%
Conservative Arthur Beaumont 347 16.09%
Total 2,157
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 3,207 67.26%
United Farmers hold Swing 7.90%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
See Mardon 107

1930

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers John Edward Brownlee Acclaimed
Total N/A
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
United Farmers hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
See Mardon 107

1935

1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Edith Rogers 2,295 59.30%
United Farmers John Edward Brownlee 879 22.71%
Liberal Robert McLaren 696 17.98%
Total 3,870
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 4,559 84.89%
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1940

Percy McKelvey was a candidate for the People's League (Alberta).


1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
First count
Independent Percy A. McKelvey 1,920 43.62%
Social Credit Edith Rogers 1,907 43.32% -15.98%
Co-operative Commonwealth Charles Aldo Johnson 575 13.06%
Total 4,402
Ballot transfer results
Independent Percy A. McKelvey 2,234 52.21%
Social Credit Edith Rogers 2,045 47.79%
Total 4,279
Rejected, spoiled and declined 121
Eligible electors / turnout 6,053 74.72% -10.17%
Independent gain from Social Credit Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1944

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ora B. Moore 2,208 52.09% 8.47%
Co-operative Commonwealth Ira D. Taylor 1,016 23.97% 10.91%
Independent Neil W. Nelson 778 18.35%
Labor–Progressive R. G. Calwell 237 5.59%
Total 4,239
Rejected, spoiled and declined 107
Eligible electors / turnout 5,964 72.87% -1.83%
Social Credit gain from Independent Swing 12.90%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1948

1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ora B. Moore 2,679 63.47% 11.38%
Co-operative Commonwealth A. D. Olsen 1,023 24.24% 0.27%
Liberal Robert McLaren 519 12.30%
Total 4,221
Rejected, spoiled and declined 241
Eligible electors / turnout 6,408 69.63% -3.24%
Social Credit hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1952

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Glen F. Johnston 2,377 54.13% -9.33%
Liberal Howard L. Larson 1,214 27.65% 15.35%
Co-operative Commonwealth Carroll J. Wenaas 800 18.22% -6.02%
Total 4,391
Rejected, spoiled and declined 298
Eligible electors / turnout 6,635 70.67% 1.04%
Social Credit hold Swing -6.37%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1955

1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
First count
Social Credit Glen F. Johnston 2,254 49.12% -5.01%
Liberal Clinton Reed 1,323 28.83% 2.18%
Co-operative Commonwealth J. W. Lee 698 15.21% -3.01%
Conservative W. E. Chiles 184 4.01%
Independent C. Kenyon 130 2.83%
Total 4,904
Ballot transfer results
Social Credit Glen F. Johnston 2,320 51.69%
Liberal Clinton Reed 1,417 31.57%
Co-operative Commonwealth J. W. Lee 751 16.73%
Total 4,488
Rejected, spoiled and declined 315
Eligible electors / turnout 6,876 71.32% 0.65%
Social Credit hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1959

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Glen F. Johnston 2,406 50.18% 1.06%
Progressive Conservative Ivor E. Davies 1,529 31.89%
Liberal Erwin E. Schultz 860 17.94% -10.89%
Total 4,795
Rejected, spoiled and declined 29
Eligible electors / turnout 6,751 71.46% 0.14%
Social Credit hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1963

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Glen F. Johnston 1,830 44.90% -5.28%
Independent Social Credit Neville S. Roper 1,721 42.22% -7.95%
Independent George F. Sharp 525 12.88%
Total 4,076
Rejected, spoiled and declined 31
Eligible electors / turnout 7,563 54.30% -17.15%
Social Credit hold Swing -7.81%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1967

1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Neville S. Roper 3,286 62.42% -24.70%
New Democratic Ed Nelson 1,464 27.81%
Liberal Derek R. Broughton 514 9.76%
Total 5,264
Rejected, spoiled and declined 33
Eligible electors / turnout 8,181 64.75% 10.44%
Social Credit hold Swing 15.97%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1971

1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Donald J. McCrimmon 2,712 44.12%
Social Credit Neville S. Roper 2,695 43.84% -18.58%
New Democratic Ed Nelson 598 9.73% -18.08%
Liberal Bernice Luce 142 2.31% -7.45%
Total 6,147
Rejected, spoiled and declined 22
Eligible electors / turnout 8,426 73.21% 8.47%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing -17.17%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1975

1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Donald J. McCrimmon 3,328 60.26% 16.14%
Social Credit Alvin Goetz 1,263 22.87% -20.97%
New Democratic Boug Lier 932 16.87% 7.15%
Total 5,523
Rejected, spoiled and declined 61
Eligible electors / turnout 9,024 61.88% -11.33%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 18.56%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1979

1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Donald J. McCrimmon 3,317 50.53% -9.73%
Social Credit Roy Kinley 1,856 28.27% 5.40%
New Democratic Bruce A. Beck 1,279 19.48% 2.61%
Liberal Gus Itzek 113 1.72%
Total 6,565
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 10,222 64.22% 2.34%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -7.57%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1982

1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Halvar C. Jonson 4,031 50.76% 0.23%
Western Canada Concept Tom Butterfield 2,646 33.32%
New Democratic C.W. (Bill) Loov 876 11.03% -8.45%
Reform Paul M. Bateman 235 2.96%
Independent Eric Ostergaard 154 1.94%
Total 7,942
Rejected, spoiled and declined 16
Eligible electors / turnout 11,032 72.14% 7.91%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -2.41%
Source(s)
Source: "Ponoka Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Plebiscite results

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Ponoka
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 1,500 53.96%
Yes 1,280 46.04%
Total votes 2,780 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 53
6,317 eligible electors, turnout 44.88%

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 supposedly 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. Ponoka voted against the proposal by a comfortable margin. The voter turnout in the district was just slightly 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 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 such as Ponoka 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.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Election results for Ponoka". abheritage.ca. Wayback Machine: Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "By-elections 1905-1973". elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  3. ^ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  4. ^ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  5. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  6. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1968. p. 1.
  7. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

52°41′42″N 113°34′48″W / 52.695°N 113.580°W / 52.695; -113.580