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Peace River (provincial electoral district)

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Coordinates: 59°N 118°W / 59°N 118°W / 59; -118
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For the federal electoral district, see Peace River (electoral district).
Peace River
Alberta electoral district
Peace River within Alberta, 2017 boundaries
Provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
MLA
 
 		 
Dan Williams
United Conservative
District created1905
First contested1905
Last contested2019

Peace River is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting. The district used instant-runoff voting from 1926 to 1957.

It is one of two Alberta districts in operation since the birth of the province (alongside St. Albert). Peace River is a reliable bellwether district, held by governing political parties for most of its history — former MLA Debbie Jabbour is no exception, as she was elected for the first time in 2015 when the Alberta NDP came to power for the first time. Peace River last elected an opposition MLA in 1940.

Geography

Peace River encompasses a largely rural area in the northwest corner of Alberta. Urban municipalities within the riding include the towns of Grimshaw, High Level, Manning, Peace River, and Rainbow Lake, as well as the village of Nampa. The riding also includes the entirety of two rural municipalities (Mackenzie County and the County of Northern Lights) and portions of three others (Improvement District No. 24, the Municipal District of Peace No. 135, and Northern Sunrise County).

Four First Nations are located within the riding's boundaries: Beaver First Nation, Dene Tha' First Nation, Little Red River Cree Nation, and Tallcree First Nation.

Peace River borders the ridings of Central Peace-Notley to the southwest, Lesser Slave Lake to the southeast, and Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo to the east. The riding also borders British Columbia to the west and the Northwest Territories to the north.

History

Peace River was established when the province was created in 1905, covering the western section of what had been the District of Athabasca, which had never been represented in the North West Assembly. The district boundaries have been revised many times over the last century, but have always contained the town of Peace River and the northwestern section of the province.

The 2010 boundary redistribution saw the district gain a portion of land that belongs to the Municipal District of Northern Lights that was in the old Dunvegan-Central Peace district.[1] In the 2017 redistribution, it gained Grimshaw from Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley.

Boundary history

Representation history

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Peace River[3]
Assembly Years Member Party
1st 1905 Lucien Dubuc
(member-elect) 		Independent
1905–1906 Vacant
1906–1909 Thomas Brick Independent Liberal
2nd 1909–1913 James Cornwall Liberal
3rd 1913–1917 Alphaeus Patterson Conservative
4th 1917–1921 William Rae Liberal
5th 1921 Donald Kennedy United Farmers
1921 Vacant
1921–1926 Herbert Greenfield United Farmers
6th 1926–1930 Hugh Allen
7th 1930–1935 William Bailey
8th 1935–1940 William Lampley Social Credit
9th 1940–1944 Eld Martin Independent
10th 1944–1948 William Gilliland Social Credit
11th 1948–1952
12th 1952–1955
13th 1955–1959
14th 1959–1961
1961 Vacant
1961–1963 Euell Montgomery Social Credit
15th 1963–1967
16th 1967–1971 Robert Wiebe
17th 1971–1975 Al Adair Progressive
Conservative
18th 1975–1979
19th 1979–1982
20th 1982–1986
21st 1986–1989
22nd 1989–1993
23rd 1993–1997 Gary Friedel
24th 1997–2001
25th 2001–2004
26th 2004–2008 Frank Oberle
27th 2008–2012
28th 2012–2015
29th 2015–2019 Debbie Jabbour New Democratic
30th 2019–present Dan Williams United Conservative

The electoral district was created in 1905 when the province was founded. The first election held that year was a two-way race between Liberal candidate James Cornwall and Independent candidate Lucien Dubuc. Both were supporters of the Rutherford government.

The election results took weeks to come back. The results of the election were never released to the public; they were overturned by the cabinet due to significant irregularities and the riding was declared vacant. Dubuc who had won decided not to run again, but instead challenged the calling of a new election in court.

Dubuc failed in court and a new election was held on February 15, 1906. Thomas Brick, an Independent Liberal who was encouraged to run by local farmers, won with a landslide over Cornwall. Brick only held the district for a single term. He was initially going to run for a second term but dropped out during the campaign in 1909. Cornwall would being the only candidate in the race was acclaimed.

Cornwall only held the district for a single term. Near the end of the 3rd Legislative Assembly, Cornwall announced his retirement saying he was through with politics. He had been the subject of investigation in the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal that rocked the Rutherford government.

The lands in the Peace River district experienced a great influx of settlers during this period. The 1913 election would be hotly contested with Conservative Alphaeus Patterson defeating future MLA William Rae and former Athabasca MLA William Bredin.

Rae would pick up the district in 1917 after Patterson retired. He would hold the district until he was defeated in 1921 by United Farmers candidate Donald Kennedy. Kennedy resigned his seat very quickly so that Premier Herbert Greenfield could have a seat in the legislature. Greenfield only represented the district for a single term. His replacement was United Farmers candidate Hugh Allen.

Allen only served for a single term, retiring in 1930. The United Farmers chose William Bailey as his replacement. Bailey served from 1930 until he was defeated by Social Credit candidate William Lampley in the 1935 general election.

Lampley served until 1940 when he was defeated by Independent Eld Martin. Martin also served a single term before Social Credit candidate William Gilliland defeated him in the 1944 election.

Gilliland held the district for a number of terms. He was re-elected in 1948, 1952, 1955 and 1959. He died on October 26, 1961 leaving the seat vacant.

The by-election held that year was won by Social Credit candidate Euell Montgomery. He held the district for three terms, winning re-election in 1963 before retiring in 1967. The last Social Credit member to hold the riding was Robert Wiebe, elected in 1967.

The 1971 election saw Wiebe defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Al Adair. Adair held the district for six terms, being re-elected in 1975, 1979, 1982, 1986 and again in 1989. The Progressive Conservative dominance over Peace River continued as candidate Gary Friedel won the district in 1993. He lasted two more terms winning in 1997 and 2001 before retiring in 2004.

In 2004, Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle was elected to represent Peace River. He was re-elected to a second term in 2008, and served as the province's Energy Minister.

In 2015, a close race saw NDP MLA Debbie Jabbour defeat Oberle by a mere 282 votes. Jabbour was subsequently also elected as Deputy Speaker of the province, and is the current representative for Peace River.

Legislature results

Elections in the 1900s

1905 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
Independent Liberal Lucien Dubuc Unknown
Liberal James Cornwall Unknown
Total votes Unknown
Independent Liberal pickup new district.


The first election held in 1905 in the Peace River electoral district took place on November 9, 1905 with the rest of the province.[4]

The race was contested by James Cornwall who was a fur trader and businessman well known in northern Canada. He established trading posts all over north county. Cornwall's candidacy was officially endorsed by the provincial Liberals.[4]

The other candidate in the race was Independent Lucien Dubuc. He was a lawyer and later became a judge and was a legal pioneer in Alberta's history. Dubuc despite being independent supported the government of Premier Alexander Rutherford.[4]

Pundits had expected Cornwall to win the district easily.[4] The returns came back 56 days after polls had closed as returning officer George Mcleod had to travel 1,100 miles to pick up the ballot boxes before returning to Edmonton.[5]

Dubuc was elected but the cabinet refused to recognize the results on the grounds that a proper election was never really held and returns were incomplete as polling stations were missed.[6] A new election was called for February 15, 1906 instead.[7] Dubuc challenged the calling of a new election in court.[8] The case was lost when the judge ruled that the courts have no jurisdiction in dealing with matters regarding elections and that responsibility is the purview of the legislature.[9]

Alberta provincial by-election, February 15, 1906
Upon the invalidation of the 1905 result by Cabinet
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Liberal Thomas Brick 125 79.11
Liberal James Cornwall 33 20.89
Total votes 158
Independent Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

The provincial cabinet which overturned the 1905 election results due to significant irregularities issued a new writ for February 15, 1906.[7]

The candidates in the race were James Cornwall, who was the official Liberal candidate. He decided to run for office a second time. The second candidate in the race was Peace River resident, fur trader Thomas Allen Brick who was a supporter of the Rutherford government and ran as an Independent Liberal.[10]

Brick was nominated by a large group of residents living in the town of Peace River. asked resident and farmer Brick to run for office and represent them in Edmonton[11] The returns were announced by returning officer George McLeod on March 5, 1906.[12] Brick won easily, taking almost 80% of the 158 votes cast to defeat Cornwall in a landslide.[13]

The results were certified on April 24, 1906 by the Clerk of the Executive Council in Edmonton two months after the start of the opening session of the 1st Alberta Legislative Assembly thus completing the 1905 general election.[14]

1909 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal James Cornwall Acclaimed
Total votes 0
  Liberal gain from Independent Liberal
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 4, 2010.

The 1909 general election in the Peace River district was scheduled to take place on July 7, 1909. The only other riding in the province that had not yet voted was the Athabasca electoral district which was scheduled to vote on July 15, 1909. This was almost five months after the rest of the province had voted.[15]

The two candidates initially in the race were incumbent Independent Liberal Thomas Brick and Liberal James Cornwall, who had run in the district twice before. Brick decided however to drop out of the race before the nomination deadline. Cornwall was the only candidate left in the race. He was acclaimed to office on June 30, 1909.[16]

Elections in the 1910s

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Alphaeus Patterson 475 49.53
Liberal William Rae 437 45.57
Independent Liberal William Bredin 47 4.90
Total votes 959
Eligible electors / turnout 1,166 82.25
  Conservative gain from Liberal
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

The 1913 election in the Peace River electoral district took place on September 23, 1913. It was the last district to vote in the general election.[17]

There were three candidates chosen to run in the district. This was the first election in which the provincial Conservatives nominated a candidate; they chose Alphaeus Patterson to run under their banner.[17]

The provincial Liberals chose William Archibald Rae, a pioneer barrister in the district, to run under their banner. Former Member of the Legislative Assembly William Bredin decided to also run as an Independent Liberal. All three candidates were residents of the town of Grande Prairie.[17]

The election results showed a tight race between Patterson and Rae. Patterson won less than half of the popular vote while Bredin helped split the Liberal vote enough to allow Patterson to win.

Turnout and interest in the election were substantially up, as a wave of settlement had happened in the constituency in recent years.[17]

1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Rae 1,994 62.92 +17.35
Conservative Dan Minchin 712 22.47 -27.06
Independent Harry Adair 463 14.61
Total votes 3,169
Eligible electors / turnout Unknown — —
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +22.21
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1920s

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Donald Kennedy 3,291 62.68
Liberal William Rae 1,336 25.45 -37.47
Independent E.S. Farr 623 11.87
Total votes 5,250
Eligible electors / turnout 7,468 70.30 —
United Farmers gain from Liberal Swing +50.08
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
Alberta provincial by-election, December 9, 1921
Upon the resignation of Donald M. Kennedy
Party Candidate Votes
United Farmers Herbert Greenfield Acclaimed
Total votes 0
Eligible electors 7,468
  United Farmers hold
Source(s)
"By-elections 1905-1973". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on June 7, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2010.

A series of by-elections were needed after the United Farmers government took power in 1921. The United Farmers caucus chose Herbert Greenfield as the new Premier. Unfortunately he lacked a seat in the legislature.[18]

Incumbent United Farmers MLA Donald MacBeth Kennedy resigned his district after only holding it for a few months to pursue a seat in the 1921 Canadian federal election. The only other seat available was Ponoka which had been made vacant by the death of United Farmers MLA Percival Baker. Of the two choices Greenfield chose to run in Peace River.[18]

Along with this by-election and Ponoka five other ministerial by-elections to confirm cabinet ministers were called for an election day of December 9, 1921. This was set for one week after the 1921 Canadian federal election. The by-election writ was dropped on November 16, 1921.

Greenfield ran unopposed and was acclaimed at the nomination deadline held on December 2, 1921. The timing of the by-elections was deliberately chosen to coincide with the federal election to ensure that opposition candidates would be unlikely to oppose the cabinet ministers.[18]

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Hugh Allen 2,548 54.87 -7.81
Liberal Joe McIsaac 1,131 24.35 -1.10
Conservative A.R. McMillan 965 20.78
Total valid votes 4,644
Rejected, spoiled and declined 354
Eligible electors / turnout 7,050 70.89 —
United Farmers hold Swing -3.36
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1930s

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers William Bailey 1,331 62.61 +7.74
Independent C.W. Frederick 795 37.39
Total valid votes 2,126
Rejected, spoiled and declined 116
Eligible electors / turnout 4,695 47.75 -23.14
United Farmers hold Swing -14.83
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Lampley 2,269 45.75
Liberal E.L. Lamont 1,389 28.00
United Farmers William Bailey 994 20.04 -42.57
Conservative Gerald William Baldwin 308 6.21
Final count
Social Credit William Lampley 2,474 56.59 +10.84
Liberal E.L. Lamont 1,898 43.41 +15.41
  Exhausted ballots 588
Total valid votes 4,960
Rejected, spoiled and declined 269
Eligible electors / turnout 7,508 69.65 +21.90
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing +44.16
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 10, 2010.

Elections in the 1940s

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Movement Eld Martin 2,253 51.59
Social Credit William Lampley 2,114 48.41 +2.66
Total valid votes 4,367
Rejected, spoiled and declined 160
Eligible electors / turnout 7,546 59.99 -9.66
Independent Movement gain from Social Credit Swing +24.47
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Stunned by the Social Credit victory in 1935, the Liberals and Conservatives jointly endorsed candidates across Alberta in what was known as the Independent Citizen's Association. This was the last time an opposition MLA was elected in Peace River.

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Gilliland 2,503 54.01 +5.60
Co-operative Commonwealth J.W. Eastman 940 20.29
Independent Eld Martin 806 17.39 -34.20
Labor–Progressive Eleanor Ashworth 385 8.31
Total valid votes 4,634
Rejected, spoiled and declined 90
Eligible electors / turnout 7,528 62.75 +2.76
Social Credit gain from Independent Movement Swing +19.90
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Gilliland 3,191 62.48 +8.47
Co-operative Commonwealth Albert Bossert 1,087 21.29 +1.00
Liberal J.J. Rousseau 829 16.23
Total valid votes 5,107
Rejected, spoiled and declined 504
Eligible electors / turnout 9,147 61.34 -1.41
Social Credit hold Swing +3.74
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1950s

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Gilliland 3,352 58.37 -4.11
Liberal Peter Dechant 1,214 21.14 +4.91
Co-operative Commonwealth Samuel Simpson 1,177 20.49 -0.80
Total valid votes 5,743
Rejected, spoiled and declined 470
Eligible electors / turnout 10,738 57.86 -3.48
Social Credit hold Swing -4.51
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Gilliland 3,456 53.83 -4.54
Liberal Wilbur Freeland 2,184 34.02 +12.88
Co-operative Commonwealth S.D. Simpson 780 12.15 -8.34
Total valid votes 6,420
Rejected, spoiled and declined 488
Eligible electors / turnout 10,927 63.22 +5.36
Social Credit hold Swing -8.71
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Gilliland 2,864 60.88 +7.05
Progressive Conservative Harold Sissons 1,190 25.30
Liberal James Mann 650 13.82 -20.20
Total valid votes 4,704
Rejected, spoiled and declined 19
Eligible electors / turnout 7,398 63.84 +0.62
Social Credit hold Swing -18.25
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1960s

Alberta provincial by-election, October 26, 1961
Due to the death of F. Gilliland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Euell Montgomery 2,561 63.22 +2.34
Progressive Conservative Harold Sissons 765 18.88 -6.42
Liberal Wilbur Freeland 725 17.90 +4.08
Total valid votes 4,051
Rejected, spoiled and declined —
Eligible electors / turnout 6,500 62.32 -1.52
Social Credit hold Swing +4.38
Source(s)
"By-elections 1905-1973". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on June 7, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Euell Montgomery 2,782 60.42 -2.80
Liberal Victor O'Reilly 980 21.29 +3.39
Progressive Conservative Harold Sissons 842 18.29 -0.59
Total valid votes 4,604
Rejected, spoiled and declined 8
Eligible electors / turnout 8,272 55.71 -6.61
Social Credit hold Swing -3.10
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Robert Wiebe 2,860 53.49 -6.93
New Democratic Harry Reinders 1,338 25.02
Independent Edward Whitney 1,149 21.49
Total valid votes 5,347
Rejected, spoiled and declined —
Eligible electors / turnout 9,756 54.81 -0.90
Social Credit hold Swing -15.98
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1970s

1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Al Adair 3,188 50.23
Social Credit Robert Wiebe 2,437 38.40 -15.09
New Democratic Hans Jorgensen 722 11.37 -13.65
Total valid votes 6,347
Rejected, spoiled and declined 59
Eligible electors / turnout 11,289 56.75 +1.94
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +32.66
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Al Adair 3,567 61.00 +10.77
New Democratic John Hokanson 1,292 22.09 +10.72
Social Credit Budd Dennis 897 15.34 -23.06
Independent Liberal Vera Lane 92 1.57
Total valid votes 5,848
Rejected, spoiled and declined 23
Eligible electors / turnout 10,782 54.45 -2.30
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +10.75
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Al Adair 3,901 59.80 -1.20
New Democratic Richard Collins 1,604 24.59 +2.50
Social Credit Garry Gaudet 784 12.02 -3.32
Liberal Donald Freeland 234 3.59
Total valid votes 6,523
Rejected, spoiled and declined 4
Eligible electors / turnout 12,480 52.30 -2.15
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -1.85
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1980s

1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Al Adair 4,688 56.33 -3.47
Western Canada Concept Jim Kalman 1,657 19.91
New Democratic Richard Collins 1,541 18.52 -6.07
Independent Joseph Kessler 225 2.70
Liberal Laura Deedza 211 2.54 -1.05
Total 8,322
Rejected, spoiled and declined 28
Eligible electors / turnout 14,924 55.95 +3.65
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -11.69
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1986 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Al Adair 3,775 59.95 +3.62
New Democratic Adele Boucher Rymhs 2,057 32.67 +14.15
Representative Joseph Kessler 291 4.62 +1.92
Independent Anna Pidruchney 174 2.76
Total valid votes 6,297
Rejected, spoiled and declined 15
Eligible electors / turnout 15,069 41.89
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -5.27
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1989 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Al Adair 3,749 57.78 -2.17
New Democratic Adele Boucher Rymhs 1,613 24.86 -7.81
Liberal Erich Wahl 1,127 17.37
Total valid votes 6,489
Rejected, spoiled and declined 17
Eligible electors / turnout 15,808 41.16 -0.73
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -4.99
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.

Elections in the 1990s

1993 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gary Friedel 3,156 43.38 -14.40
Liberal Elmer Cardinal 2,402 33.01 +15.64
New Democratic Brian Dewar 1,192 16.38 -8.48
Confederation of Regions Ed Kary 526 7.23
Total valid votes 7,276
Rejected, spoiled and declined 24
Eligible electors / turnout 14,660 49.80 +8.64
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -15.02
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
1997 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gary Friedel 3,745 61.72 +18.34
Liberal Bruce MacKeen 2,323 38.28 +5.27
Total valid votes 6,068
Rejected, spoiled and declined 46
Eligible electors / turnout 16,613 36.80 -13.00
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +11.81
Source(s)
"1997 General Election". Elections Alberta. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012.

Elections in the 2000s

2001 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gary Friedel 3,782 64.43 +2.71
Liberal Susan Calihoo 1,544 26.30 -11.98
New Democratic Steve Crocker 338 5.76
Alberta First John Iftody 206 3.51
Total valid votes 5,870
Rejected, spoiled and declined 22
Eligible electors / turnout 16,176 36.42 -0.38
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +7.35
Source(s)
"Peace River Official Results 2001 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
2004 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle 2,884 54.90 -9.53
Liberal Adam Bourque 1,092 20.79 -5.51
New Democratic Stephen Crocker 546 10.39 +4.63
Alberta Alliance Garry Checknita 537 10.22
Social Credit Patsy Lindberg 194 3.70
Total valid votes 5,253
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 26
Eligible electors / turnout 17,142 30.80 -5.62
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -7.52
Source(s)
"Peace River Statement of Official Results 2004 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
2008 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle 3,265 64.63 +9.73
New Democratic Adele Boucher Rymhs 1,248 24.70 +14.31
Wildrose Alliance George Beinert 539 10.67 +0.45
Total valid votes 5,052
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 29
Eligible electors / turnout 18,921 26.70 -4.10
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -2.29
Source(s)
The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly. Elections Alberta. July 28, 2008. pp. 502–507.

Elections in the 2010s

2012 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle 4,339 55.69 -8.94
Wildrose Alan Forsyth 2,213 28.40 +17.73
New Democratic Wanda Laurin 730 9.37 -15.33
Liberal Remi Tardif 509 6.53
Total valid votes 7,791
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 40
Registered electors / turnout 19,452 40.26 +13.56
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -13.34
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "Electoral Division Results: Peace River". Retrieved July 10, 2018.
2015 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Debbie Jabbour 3,821 39.37 +30.00
Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle 3,529 36.36 -19.33
Wildrose Nathan Steinke 1,979 20.39 -8.01
Alberta Party Sherry Hilton 376 3.87
Total valid votes 9,705
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 40
Registered electors / turnout 20,464 47.62 +7.36
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +24.67
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "Electoral Division Results: Peace River". Retrieved July 10, 2018.
2019 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Dan Williams 9,770 69.40 +13.18
New Democratic Debbie Jabbour 3,139 22.30 -18.01
Alberta Party Dakota House 721 5.12 1.65
Freedom Conservative Connie Russell 249 1.77 –
Liberal Remi J. Tardif 198 1.41 –
Total 14,077 99.18 –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 117 0.82
Turnout 14,194 60.51
Eligible voters 23,458
United Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +15.59
Source(s)
Source: "77 - Peace River, 2019 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Senate nominee results

2004 Senate nominee election district results

2004 Senate nominee election results: Peace River[19] Turnout 30.77%
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Votes % Ballots Rank
Progressive Conservative Betty Unger 2,125 14.84% 48.57% 2
Progressive Conservative Bert Brown 1,957 13.67% 44.73% 1
Progressive Conservative Cliff Breitkreuz 1,618 11.30% 36.98% 3
  Independent Link Byfield 1,515 10.58% 34.63% 4
Progressive Conservative David Usherwood 1,469 10.26% 33.58% 6
Progressive Conservative Jim Silye 1,280 8.94% 29.26% 5
Alberta Alliance Michael Roth 1,198 8.37% 27.38% 7
Alberta Alliance Vance Gough 1,078 7.53% 24.64% 8
Alberta Alliance Gary Horan 1,071 7.47% 24.48% 10
  Independent Tom Sindlinger 1,009 7.04% 23.06% 9
Total votes 14,320 100%
Total ballots 4,375 3.27 votes per ballot
Rejected, spoiled and declined 899

Voters had the option of selecting 4 candidates on the ballot.

2012 Senate nominee election district results

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?
1,914     42.90% 2,547     57.10%
Province wide result: Option A passed.

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Peace River[20]
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 1,871 68.09%
No 877 31.91%
Total votes 2,748 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 14
10,020 eligible electors, turnout 27.57%

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.[21]

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.[20]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Peace River overwhelmingly voted in favour of the proposal by a wide margin. Voter turnout in the district was extremely low, almost half the province wide average of 46%.[20] This decline in turnout was attributed to heavy rains, high winds and flooding conditions in the district that kept people away from polling stations.[21]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[20] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not consider the results binding.[22] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[23]

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.[24]

Student vote results

2004 election

Participating schools[25]
Blue Hills Community School
Good Shepherd School
Hill Crest Community School
Manning Elementary School
Rosary School
Spirit of the North School
T.A. Norris Jr. High

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 than where they were physically located.

2004 Alberta student vote results[26]
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle 296 49.50%
  Liberal Adam Borque 86 14.38%
  NDP Stephen Crocker 84 14.05%
  Social Credit Patsy Lindberg 69 11.54%
Alberta Alliance Garry Checknita 63 10.53%
Total 598 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 42

References

  1. ^ "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta" (PDF). Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission. June 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. ^ "E‑4.1". Statutes of the Province of Alberta. Government of Alberta. 2003. pp. 62–63.
  3. ^ "Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta 1905-2006" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 30, 2007. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d "Attorney-General Cross Has Over Five-Hundred to the Good in Edmonton". Vol. 33 No. 110. Manitoba Free Press. November 10, 1905. p. 1.
  5. ^ "G.T.P. May Take Pine River Pass". Vol 33 No. 202. Manitoba Free Press. December 23, 1905. p. 12.
  6. ^ Brad Stelfox; David Leonard & Bob Wynes. "The Arrival of Euro-Canadian Homesteaders and the Emergence of an Agricultural Sector" (PDF). DMI. pp. 7–10.
  7. ^ a b "Chips From The Block". Vol 1 No. 18. The Lethbridge Herald. January 31, 1906. p. 1.
  8. ^ "Peace River Election". Vol 33 No. 202. Manitoba Free Press. February 26, 1906. p. 10.
  9. ^ "The Peace River Case". Vol 33. No. 221. Manitoba Free Press. March 20, 1906. p. 11.
  10. ^ "Local Notes". Vol 33 No. 213. Manitoba Free Press. March 10, 1906. p. 28.
  11. ^ Hunt, Katherine (1984). Peace River remembers : Peace River, Alberta, and adjacent districts. Sir Alexander Mackenzie Historical Society. p. 69.
  12. ^ "Brick Elected in Peace River". Vol 1. No. 18. The Lethbridge Herald. March 8, 1905. p. 1.
  13. ^ "Peace River Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  14. ^ Alberta Gazette. Queens Printer. April 30, 1906. p. 2.
  15. ^ "To Be Contest For Both Seats". Vol. II, no. 138. The Lethbridge Daily Herald. May 14, 1909.
  16. ^ "Cornwall Elected". Vol 36 No. 309. Manitoba Free Press. July 1, 1909. p. 5.
  17. ^ a b c d "Ready For Peace River Election". Vol 41 No. 48. Manitoba Free Press. August 30, 1913. p. 15.
  18. ^ a b c "Provincial By-elections On December 9". Vol XIV No. 285. The Lethbridge Daily Herald. November 16, 1921. p. 9.
  19. ^ "Senate Nominee Election 2004 Tabulation of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  20. ^ a b c d Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  21. ^ a b "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  22. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  23. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1958. p. 1.
  24. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.
  25. ^ "School by School results". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  26. ^ "Riding by Riding Results - the Candidates". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2008.

59°N 118°W / 59°N 118°W / 59; -118

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