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Vermilion (provincial electoral district)

Coordinates: 53°24′N 110°48′W / 53.4°N 110.8°W / 53.4; -110.8
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Vermilion
Alberta electoral district
Defunct provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
District created1905
District abolished1971
First contested1905
Last contested1967

Vermilion was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1971.[1]

History

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Vermilion
Assembly Years Member Party
1st  1905–1906     Matthew McCauley (politician) Liberal
 1906–1909 James Bismark Holden
2nd  1909–1910 Archibald Campbell
 1910–1913 Arthur Lewis Sifton
3rd  1913–1917
4th  1917–1917
 1917–1921 Arthur W. Ebbett
5th  1921–1926     Richard Gavin Reid United Farmers
6th  1926–1930
7th  1930–1935
8th  1935–1940     William A. Fallow Social Credit
9th  1940–1944
10th  1944–1948 William R. Cornish
11th  1948–1952
12th  1952–1955
13th  1955–1959     Russell J. Whitson Liberal
14th  1959–1963     Ashley Cooper Social Credit
15th  1963–1967
16th  1967–1971
See Vermilion-Viking electoral district from 1971-1993

Vermilion was one of the original 25 electoral districts contested in the 1905 Alberta general election upon Alberta joining Confederation in September 1905. In the 1970 electoral district re-distribution, the Vermilion electoral district would be abolished and would be reformed as Vermilion-Viking, the boundaries for the new district would be a continuation of the Vermilion boundaries as adjusted prior to the 1963 Alberta general election.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Matthew McCauley was elected as the first member for the Vermilion district, he had previously served as the first Mayor of Edmonton and member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories for the Edmonton electoral district. McCauley's time in the Alberta Legislature was limited to less than a year when he resigned his seat in 1906 after his appointment to be Warden of the Edmonton Penitentiary, the first of its kind in Alberta.

Election results

1905 general election

The Returning Officer for the 1905 election was Thomas J. Cunningham.[2]

1905 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Matthew McCauley 673 73.07%
Conservative Frank Fane 248 26.93%
Total 921
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout 921 N/A
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1906 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, July 16, 1906
Upon Matthew McCauley's appointment as warden of Edmonton Penitentiary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Bismark Holden Acclaimed
Total N/A
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing
Source(s)
"By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020.

1909 general election

1909 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Archibald Campbell 919 66.55% -6.53%
Conservative Rev. Albert Richard Aldridge 462 33.45% 6.53%
Total 1,381
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing -6.53%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1910 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, June 29, 1910
Upon Archibald Campbell's resignation to provide a seat for the new Premier on June 8, 1910
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur Lewis Sifton 1,018 58.91%
Conservative J. George Clark 710 41.09%
Total 1,728
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
"Past By-Election results". Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
Mardon, p. 129

1913 general election

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur Lewis Sifton 772 47.68% -18.86%
Conservative J. George Clark 571 35.27% 1.81%
Independent Gregory Krikevsky 276 17.05%
Total 1,619
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing -10.34%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1917 general election

1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur Lewis Sifton 2,063 63.03% 15.35%
Conservative John B. Burch 1,210 36.97% 1.70%
Total 3,273
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing 6.82%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1917 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, November 19, 1917
Upon the resignation of Arthur Lewis Sifton on October 12, 1917
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Arthur W. Ebbett Acclaimed
Total N/A
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
Source(s)
"Past By-Election results". Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 12, 2020.

1921 general election

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Richard Gavin Reid 2,955 75.89%
Liberal Arthur W. Ebbett 939 24.11% -38.92%
Total 3,894
Rejected, spoiled and declined N/A
Eligible electors / turnout N/A N/A
United Farmers gain from Liberal Swing 12.86%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1921 by-election

Alberta provincial by-election, December 9, 1921
Ministerial by-election upon Richard Gavin Reid being appointed to Cabinet
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Richard Gavin Reid 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)
"Past By-Election results". Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 12, 2020.

1926 general election

1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Richard Gavin Reid 1,981 64.63% -11.25%
Conservative W. J. MacNab 592 19.31%
Liberal Arthur W. Ebbett 492 16.05% -8.06%
Total 3,065
Rejected, spoiled and declined 232
Eligible electors / turnout 4,886 67.48%
United Farmers hold Swing -3.23%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1930 general election

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Richard Gavin Reid 2,551 75.79% 11.15%
Liberal Robert B. Hall 815 24.21% 8.16%
Total 3,366
Rejected, spoiled and declined 139
Eligible electors / turnout 5,624 62.32% -5.16%
United Farmers hold Swing 3.13%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1935 general election

1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
% Votes
final count
±%
Social Credit William A. Fallow 2,452 44.81% 2,664
Liberal Arthur P. Hunter 1,062 19.41% 1,437 -4.80%
United Farmers Richard Gavin Reid 876 16.01% -59.78%
Communist William Halina 838 15.31%
Conservative Albert E. Williams 244 4.46%
Total 5,472
Rejected, spoiled and declined 172
Eligible electors / turnout 6,816 82.81% 20.48%
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing -13.09%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Mardon 130
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1940 general election

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
% Votes
final count
±%
Social Credit William A. Fallow 2,203 44.47% 2,506 -0.34%
Independent S. C. Heckbert 1,815 36.64% 2,148
Co-operative Commonwealth J. T. McDuffe 936 18.89%
Total 4,954
Rejected, spoiled and declined 179
Eligible electors / turnout 6,721 76.37% -6.43%
Social Credit hold Swing -8.78%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1944 general election

1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William R. Cornish 2,239 52.94% 8.47%
Labor–Progressive William M. Teresio 999 23.62%
Co-operative Commonwealth L. E. Larcombe 991 23.43% 4.54%
Total 4,229
Rejected, spoiled and declined 40
Eligible electors / turnout 6,260 68.19% -8.18%
Social Credit hold Swing 10.74%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1948 general election

1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
% Votes
final count
±%
Social Credit William R. Cornish 1,999 46.10% 2,196 -6.84%
Liberal William H. Chorney 1,179 27.19% 1,323
Co-operative Commonwealth Roy William Hay 1,158 26.71% 3.27%
Total 4,336
Rejected, spoiled and declined 245
Eligible electors / turnout 6,372 71.89% 3.70%
Social Credit hold Swing -5.20%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1952 general election

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
% Votes
final count
±%
Social Credit William R. Cornish 1,955 48.70% 2,058 2.60%
Liberal George Kravetz 835 20.80% 983 -6.39%
Farmer John P. Hocaluk 655 16.32% 713
Co-operative Commonwealth Edwin Barber 569 14.18% -12.53%
Total 4,014
Rejected, spoiled and declined 249
Eligible electors / turnout 6,432 66.28% -5.61%
Social Credit hold Swing 4.50%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1955 general election

1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes
1st count
% Votes
final count
±%
Liberal Russell J. Whitson 1,728 36.48% 2,131 15.68%
Social Credit Ashley Cooper 2,018 42.60% 2,111 -6.10%
Co-operative Commonwealth M. Meronyk 684 14.44% 0.26%
Labor–Progressive John P. Hocaluk 307 6.48%
Total 4,737
Rejected, spoiled and declined 310
Eligible electors / turnout 6,692 75.42% 9.14%
Liberal gain from Social Credit Swing -10.89%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality.

1959 general election

1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ashley Cooper 2,204 49.48% 6.88%
Liberal Russell J. Whitson 1,224 27.48% -9.00%
Progressive Conservative D. J. Frunchak 799 17.94%
Labor–Progressive John P. Hocaluk 227 5.10% -1.38%
Total 4,454
Rejected, spoiled and declined 12
Eligible electors / turnout 6,162 72.48% -2.94%
Social Credit gain from Liberal Swing 7.94%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1963 general election

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ashley Cooper 2,964 68.20% 18.72%
Liberal Arthur W. Roland 837 19.26% -8.22%
New Democratic Edward Thompson 545 12.54%
Total 4,346
Rejected, spoiled and declined 8
Eligible electors / turnout 6,605 65.92% -6.56%
Social Credit hold Swing 13.47%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

1967 general election

1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Ashley Cooper 2,545 58.03% -10.18%
Progressive Conservative Hilda Wilson 1,199 27.34%
New Democratic Harry E. Yaremchuk 642 14.64% 2.10%
Total 4,386
Rejected, spoiled and declined 17
Eligible electors / turnout 6,398 68.82% 2.90%
Social Credit hold Swing -9.13%
Source(s)
Source: "Vermilion Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

Plebiscite results

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Vermilion[3]
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 1,258 53.92%
No 1,075 46.08%
Total Votes 2,333 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 15
5,758 Eligible Electors, Turnout 40.79%

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.[4]

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.[3]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Vermilion voted in favour of the proposal with a slight majority. Voter turnout in the district was very low, falling well under the province-wide average of 46%.[3]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[3] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered the results binding.[5] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[6]

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.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Election results for Vermilion". abheritage.ca. Wayback Machine: Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Territories Elections Ordinance; Province of Alberta". Vol VI No. 12. The Rocky Mountain Echo. October 30, 1905. p. 4.
  3. ^ a b c d 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, 1958. p. 1.
  7. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

Further reading

53°24′N 110°48′W / 53.4°N 110.8°W / 53.4; -110.8