Gleichen (electoral district)

Gleichen was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada.

The district was created in 1905 when Alberta first became a province. The riding merged with Drumheller in 1963 to form Drumheller-Gleichen.

The district was named after the town of Gleichen Alberta, that is situated north of Siksika Nation.

Election results

1905 general election

1905 Alberta general election results[1] Turnout Unknown
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
     Liberal Charles Stuart 667 51.03%
     Conservative John W. Hayes 640 48.97%
Total 1,307 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined Unknown

1955 - 1959

1959 Results 1955 Results
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes %
     Social Credit George Bell 2,061 57.78%      Social Credit George Bell 1,912 51.73%
     Progressive Conservative A. John Van Wezel 754 21.14% Liberal Carman Ellis 1,784 48.27%
     Liberal Carman Ellis 752 21.08%

1944 - 1952

1952 Results 1948 Results 1944 Results
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes %
     Social Credit George Bell 2,061 68.49%      Social Credit George Bell 2,354 64.37%      Social Credit George Bell 2,032 50.22%
     Liberal Charles County 675 22.43% Independent Jonathan Wheatley 1,303 35.63% Independent Donald McKinnon 1,072 26.50%
     C.C.F. Aubrey Gibson 273 9.08% C.C.F. B.C. Henricks 942 23.28%

1930 - 1940

1940 Results 1935 Results 1930 Results
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes %
     Independent Donald McKinnon 2,255 51.46%      Social Credit Isaac McCune 2,093 53.90%      United Farmers John Buckley 1,565 59.42%
     Social Credit Isaac McCune 1,457 33.25% United Farmers John Buckley 895 22.64% Independent H.S.B. Chamberlain 1,069 40.58%
     C.C.F. J.H. Coldwell 670 15.29% Liberal Frank Lount 478 12.24%
Conservatives T.S. Hughes 439 11.22%

1917 - 1926

1926 Results 1921 Results 1917 Results
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes %
United Farmers John Buckley 1,585 56.91%      United Farmers John Buckley 1,565 67.25%      Conservative Fred Davis 762 42.76%
     Conservative Hugh Miller 722 25.92% Liberal H. Scott 762 32.75% Liberal John Peter McArthur 712 40.52%
     Liberal Frank Lount 478 17.17% Independent John Leedy 308 16.72%

1910 - 1913

1913 Results 1911 By-Election Results 1910 By-Election Results
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes %
     Liberal John Peter McArthur 641 52.67%      Conservative Harold Riley 1,370 56.06%      Liberal Archibald J. McArthur 1,119 54.91%
     Conservative George McElroy 576 47.33% Liberal John Peter McArthur 1,064 43.71% Independent Ezra Riley 919 45.09%

1905 - 1909

1909 Results 1906 By-Election Results
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Affiliation Candidate Votes %
     Liberal Ezra Riley 770 59.46%      Liberal Ezra Riley 560 56.28%
     Conservative James Shouldice 525 40.54% Conservative W.L. Walsh 435 43.72%

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?
2,007     56.04% 1,574     43.96%
Province wide result: Option A passed.

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Gleichen[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 %
Yes 1,440 61.02%
No 920 38.98%
Total Votes 2,360 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 13
4,885 Eligible Electors, Turnout 48.58%
Question B1: Should mixed drinking be allowed
in beer parlours in Calgary and the surrounding areas?
Ballot Choice Votes %
Yes 5 100.00%
No 0 0.00%
Total Votes 5 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 0
19 Eligible Electors, Turnout 26.32%

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 woman were allowed to drink together in establishments.[2] Question B was slightly modified depending on which city the voters were in.[2]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Gleichen voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plebiscite. The district recorded about average voter turnout, being a couple points above the province wide 46% average.[2]

Gleichen also voted on question B1 with just 19 residents lying inside the electoral district within the corporate limits of Calgary. Only 5 residents showed up to vote, they unanimously voted to allow mixed drinking.[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 considered 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 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.[6]

By-Election reasons

References

  1. "Gleichen Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alberta Gazette. 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.

External links

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