Jump to content

Camrose (provincial electoral district)

Add links
Coordinates: 53°05′N 112°46′W / 53.09°N 112.77°W / 53.09; -112.77
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Rodw (talk | contribs) at 21:14, 3 October 2018 (Disambiguating links to George P. Smith (link changed to George P. Smith (politician); link changed to George P. Smith (politician); link changed to George P. Smith (politician); link changed to George P. Smith (politician); link changed to George P. Smith (politician); link changed to George P. Smith (politician)) using DisamAssist.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the provincial electoral district. For the defunct federal electoral district, see Camrose (electoral district).
Camrose
Alberta electoral district
Camrose within Alberta (2017 boundaries).
Provincial electoral district
LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Alberta
MLA
 
 		 
TBD
District created1909
District abolished1993
District re-created2017
First contested1909
Last contested1989
Demographics
Population (2016)[1]44,082
Area (km²)10,636
Pop. density (per km²)4.1

Camrose is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada.

Geography

The district is named for its main population centre, Camrose. Its boundaries have been adjusted many times since its creation in 1909, when it was carved from the eastern parts of Wetaskiwin and Ponoka. Between 1993 and 2019, the city of Camrose was transferred to the new district of Wetaskiwin-Camrose, and the surrounding areas were transferred to several neighbouring districts.

The new incarnation of the district, re-created in the 2017 redistribution, includes most of Camrose County, all of Flagstaff County, and all of Beaver County. Over two-fifths of the district's population lives in the City of Camrose.

Representation history

1909–1993

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Camrose
Assembly Years Member Party
See Wetaskiwin and Ponoka 1905-1909
2nd 1909-1913 George P. Smith Liberal
3rd 1913-1917
4th 1917-1921
5th 1921-1926 Vernor Smith United Farmers
6th 1926-1930
7th 1930-1932
1932 Vacant
1932-1935 Chester Ronning United Farmers
8th 1935-1937 William Chant Social Credit
1937-1940 Independent
9th 1940 David B. Mullen Social Credit
1940-1941 Vacant
1941-1944 Chester Sayers Social Credit
10th 1944-1948
11th 1948-1952
12th 1952-1955
13th 1955-1959
14th 1959-1963
15th 1963-1967
16th 1967-1971
17th 1971-1975 Gordon Stromberg Progressive
Conservative
18th 1975-1979
19th 1979-1982
20th 1982-1986
21st 1986-1989 Ken Rostad
22nd 1989-1993
See Wetaskiwin-Camrose 1993-2019
30th 2019- TBD

The new district was picked up by the governing Liberals in 1909, with George P. Smith serving as MLA for three terms. In his final term, he was appointed Minister of Education.

In 1921, the United Farmers of Alberta swept most of rural Alberta from the Liberals, and Smith was soundly defeated by Vernor Smith (of no relation). He was appointed Minister of Railways and Telephones in the new government. Easily re-elected for two more terms, Smith stayed on as Minister until his sudden death in 1932. The resulting by-election delivered future Co-operative Commonwealth Federation leader Chester Ronning to the Legislature, although at the time he was still a member of the United Farmers.

The 1935 election again saw the government swept from power, and Ronning was defeated by Social Credit candidate William Chant. In the tumultuous early years of William Aberhart's government, Chant was appointed Minister of Agriculture but resigned as Minister and left the party in 1937. He did not run for re-election in 1940.

Social Credit MLA for Edmonton (and Chant's replacement as Agriculture Minister) David B. Mullen decided to run in Camrose in 1940, recapturing the district in a razor-thin contest against Chester Ronning, now running as a CCF candidate. Mullen died suddenly the same year.

Ronning ran again in the resulting by-election, but the district was held by Social Credit once again with Chester Sayers becoming MLA. He would become the district's longest-serving representative, winning re-election seven times (although remaining a backbencher throughout his career). He retired from politics at the Legislature's dissolution after his eighth term.

Camrose would again vote with a change in government in 1971, sending Progressive Conservative candidate Gordon Stromberg to the Legislature. He served four terms as MLA, also remaining a backbencher.

The district's final representative was PC Ken Rostad. He soundly defeated Western Canada Concept leader Jack Ramsay to enter the Legislature in 1986, and was appointed Solicitor General by premier Don Getty. He was re-elected in 1989 but was shuffled out of cabinet by new premier Ralph Klein in 1992. Camrose was abolished in 1993, and Rostad went on to become MLA for Wetaskiwin-Camrose.

Current district

The district was re-created by the Electoral Boundaries Commission in 2017 and will be contested in the next general election.

Election results

1909

1909 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal George P. Smith 1,010 55.16%
Conservative I.W.T. McEachern 821 44.84%
Total valid votes 1,831 100.00%
Eligible voters / Turnout 2,363 77.48%
Liberal pickup new district.
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2017-12-11.

1910s

1913 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George P. Smith 1,651 86.89% +31.73%
Conservative R.L. Rushton 249 13.11% -31.73%
Total valid votes 1,900 100.00%
Eligible voters / Turnout 2,852 66.62% -10.86%
Liberal hold Swing +31.73%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
1917 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George P. Smith 2,258 65.22% -21.67%
Conservative Frank P. Layton 1,204 34.78% +21.67%
Total valid votes 3,462 100.00%
Eligible voters / Turnout 4,781 72.41% +5.79%
Liberal hold Swing -21.67%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
Alberta provincial by-election, November 9, 1917
Upon the appointment of G. P. Smith as Provincial Secretary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George P. Smith 2,089 63.81% -1.41%
Nonpartisan League J. Miner 1,185 36.19%
Total valid votes 3,274 100.00%
Liberal hold Swing -18.80%
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "By-elections". Retrieved 2017-12-11.

1920s

1921 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Vernor Smith 3,040 55.97% +19.78%[a]
Liberal George P. Smith 2,391 44.03% -19.78%
Total valid votes 5,431 100.00%
Eligible voters / turnout 6,282 86.45% +14.04%[b]
United Farmers gain from Liberal Swing +19.78%
Source(s)
"Election results for Camrose, 1921". Alberta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  1. ^ United Farmers swing is compared to the Nonpartisan League result in the 1917 by-election.
  2. ^ Turnout is compared to the 1917 general election.
Alberta provincial by-election, December 9, 1921
Party Candidate Votes
United Farmers Vernor Smith Acclaimed
Source(s)
Source: "Past By-Elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved 2015-06-30.
1926 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Vernor Smith 2,872 71.96% +15.99%
Liberal W. A. Cunningham 567 14.21% -29.82
Conservative J. A. Code 300 7.52%
Liberal–Progressive A. D. Campbell 252 6.31%
Total valid votes 3,991 100.00%
Eligible voters / turnout 6,847 58.29% -28.16%
United Farmers hold Swing +22.91%
Source(s)
"Election results for Camrose, 1926". Alberta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2009-09-23.

1930s

1930 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Vernor Smith 3,137 58.07% -13.89%
Liberal S. M. Westvick 2,086 41.93% +27.72%
Total valid votes 5,223 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 179
Eligible voters / turnout 6,914 78.13% +19.84%
United Farmers hold Swing -20.81%
Source(s)
"Election results for Camrose, 1930". Alberta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
Alberta provincial by-election, October 25, 1932
Upon the death of V. Smith
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Farmers Chester Ronning 2,526 45.06% -13.01%
Liberal S. M. Westvick 1,979 35.30% -6.63%
Conservative F. P. Layton 1,101 19.64%
Total valid votes 5,606 100.00%
United Farmers hold Swing -3.19%
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "By-elections". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
1935 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit William Chant 4,335 64.04%
Liberal J. T. Johnson 1,395 20.61% -14.69%
United Farmers Chester Ronning 1,039 15.35% -29.71%
Total valid votes 6,769 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 142
Eligible voters / Turnout 7,966 86.76% +8.63[a]
Social Credit gain from United Farmers Swing +39.37%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  1. ^ Turnout is compared to 1930 general election.

1940s

1940 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit David B. Mullen 2,472 44.90% -19.14%
Co-operative Commonwealth Chester Ronning[a] 1,550 28.15% +12.80%
Independent J. D. Neville 1,484 26.95%
Second count[b]
Social Credit David B. Mullen 2,582 50.73% +5.83%
Co-operative Commonwealth Chester Ronning 2,508 49.27% +21.12%
Exhausted ballots 416
Total valid votes 5,506 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled, and declined 167
Eligible voters / Turnout 7,343 77.26% -9.50%
Social Credit hold Swing -15.97%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  1. ^ Personal swing (calculated from Ronning's 1935 result as a United Farmers candidate).
  2. ^ Second-round swing reflects vote share gained from the first count. Overall swing is calculated from the first count only.
Alberta provincial by-election, February 6, 1941
Upon the death of D. B. Mullen
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 2,419 56.47% +11.57%
Co-operative Commonwealth Chester Ronning 1,865 43.53% +15.38%
Total valid votes 4,284 100.00%
Social Credit hold Swing -1.91%
Source(s)
Elections Alberta. "By-elections". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
1944 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 2,763 55.53% -0.94%
Co-operative Commonwealth C.E. Boulter 1,590 31.95% -11.58%
Independent Progressive William Chant 623 12.52%
Total valid votes 4,976 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 26
Eligible voters / Turnout 6,941 72.06% -5.20%
Social Credit hold Swing +5.32%
Source(s)
"Camrose results 1944". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
1948 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 3,041 56.75% +1.22%
Co-operative Commonwealth Charles E. Boulter 1,315 24.54% -7.42%
Liberal Alexander E. Burgess 1,003 18.72%
Total valid votes 5,359 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 237
Eligible voters / Turnout 7,858 71.21% -0.85%
Social Credit hold Swing +4.32%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1950s

1952 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 2,919 57.62% +0.87%
Co-operative Commonwealth Archie Olstad 1,132 22.35% -2.19%
Liberal George Bauer 1,015 20.04% +1.32%
Total valid votes 5,066 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 294
Eligible voters / Turnout 8,229 65.14% -6.08%
Social Credit hold Swing +1.53%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1955 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 2,899 47.81% -9.81%
Liberal Ed Schnell 2,214 36.51% +16.48%
Co-operative Commonwealth Archie Olstad 734 12.10% -10.24%
Conservative Charles McCleary 217 3.58%
Final count
Social Credit Chester Sayers 3,081 52.77% +4.96%
Liberal Ed Schnell 2,758 47.23% +35.13%
Exhausted ballots 225
Total valid votes 6,064 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 285
Eligible voters / Turnout 8,786 72.26% 7.13%
Social Credit hold Swing -13.14%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1959 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 3,229 53.22% +5.42%
Progressive Conservative John E. Stuart 1,638 27.00% +23.42%
Liberal Stanley Ross Gould 732 12.07% -24.45%
Co-operative Commonwealth Archie Olstad 468 7.71% -4.39%
Total valid votes 6,067 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 12
Eligible voters / Turnout 8,479 71.69% -0.57%
Social Credit hold Swing -9.00%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1960s

1963 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 3,427 56.66% +3.44%
Progressive Conservative Ernest Moore 1,519 25.12% -1.88%
Liberal James P. Richardson 746 12.33% +0.27%
New Democratic Kenneth Nelson 356 5.89% -1.83%
Total valid votes 6,048 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 10
Eligible voters / Turnout 9,259 65.43% -6.27%
Social Credit hold Swing +2.66%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1967 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Social Credit Chester Sayers 3,083 44.49% -12.18%
Progressive Conservative Emmett G. Mohler 1,736 25.05% -0.07%
New Democratic Rudy P. Swanson 1,412 20.38% +14.49%
Liberal G. Rod Knaut 699 10.09% -2.25%
Total valid votes 6,930 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 38
Eligible voters / Turnout 9,537 73.06% +7.63%
Social Credit hold Swing -6.06%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1970s

1971 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Stromberg 4,552 47.89% +22.84%
Social Credit Laurence Rhierson 3,965 41.71% -2.77%
New Democratic Keith Boulter 988 10.39% -9.98%
Total valid votes 9,505 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 44
Eligible voters / Turnout 12,631 75.60% +2.54%
Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit Swing +12.81%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1975 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Stromberg 6,483 72.54% +24.65%
Social Credit Ray Reid 1,313 14.69% -27.02%
New Democratic David Moore 1,141 12.77% +2.37%
Total valid votes 8,937 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 17
Eligible voters / Turnout 12,782 70.05% -5.55%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +25.84%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1979 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Stromberg 7,998 60.20% -12.34%
Social Credit R.A. Sorenson 3,121 23.49% +8.80%
New Democratic Art Bunney 1,888 14.21% +1.44%
Liberal John R. Shores 278 2.09%
Total valid votes 13,285 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 31
Eligible voters / Turnout 19,905 66.90% -3.15%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -10.57%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.

1980s

1982 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Gordon Stromberg 10,547 63.86% +3.65%
New Democratic Garry Oberg 3,070 18.59% +4.38%
Western Canada Concept Keith Schmidt 2,900 17.56%
Total valid votes 16,517 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 84
Eligible voters / Turnout 22,166 74.89% +8.00%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -0.36%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1986 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ken Rostad 5,312 54.93% -8.92%
New Democratic Gordon Ekelund 2,269 23.46% +4.88%
Liberal Ralph Tate 758 7.84%
Representative J.A. (Jim) Watson 697 7.21%
Western Canada Concept Jack Ramsay 634 6.56% -11.00%
Total valid votes 9,670 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 4
Eligible voters / Turnout 17,886 54.09% -20.81%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -6.90%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1989 Alberta general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ken Rostad 6,494 63.42% +8.49%
New Democratic Bill Scotten 2,141 20.91% -2.56%
Liberal Carol Ayers 1,605 15.67% +7.84%
Total valid votes 10,240 100.00%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 42
Eligible voters / Turnout 17,632 58.31% +4.23%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +5.52%
Source(s)
Alberta Heritage Foundation. "Election results for Camrose". Retrieved 2018-01-19.

2010s

Redistributed results, Alberta general election, 2015
Party Votes %
Progressive Conservative 6,888 34.78
New Democratic 6,688 33.77
Wildrose 5,901 29.80
Others 326 1.65

Plebiscite results

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Camrose[2]
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 2,818 67.16%
Yes 1,378 32.84%
Total votes 4,196 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined 12
7,721 eligible electors, turnout 54.50%

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.[3]

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 were allowed to drink together in establishments.[2]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Camrose voted heavily against it. The district recorded the second best turnout in the province. It was well above the province wide average of 46%.[2]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[2] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not consider the results binding.[4] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[5]

Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the plebiscite such as Camrose 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.[6]

References

  1. ^ Statistics Canada: 2016
  2. ^ a b c d Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
  3. ^ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  4. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  5. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1968. p. 1.
  6. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

53°05′N 112°46′W / 53.09°N 112.77°W / 53.09; -112.77

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Camrose_(provincial_electoral_district)&oldid=862354695"