Alberta general election, 1917

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The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on June 7, 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Because of World War I, politics was largely on the back burner in the minds of Albertans this election. Eleven Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) were acclaimed under Section 38 of the Election Act, which stipulated that any member of the 3rd Alberta Legislative Assembly, would be guaranteed re-election, with no contest held, if members joined for war time service. In addition, soldiers from Alberta fighting overseas elected two members-at-large.

The large number of acclaimed candidates, and events overseas, made the 1917 election a low-key event compared to the previous three elections.

The Liberal Party, under its new leader, Charles Stewart, won a fourth term in office, defeating the Conservative Party of Edward Michener. This would be the last time, as of 2008, that the Liberals won an Alberta provincial election.

This was also the first election in Alberta that women had the right to vote and run. Two women were elected to the opposition benches in the legislature that year.

The 1917 election was also the tightest majority ever formed in Alberta history, with the combined opposition equaling to 70.59% of the MLA's on the government benches.

The vote in Athabasca district was conducted on June 27, 1917 due to the remoteness of the riding.

Contents

[edit] Results

Party Party Leader # of
candidates
Seats Popular Vote
1913 Elected % Change # % % Change
     Liberal
Charles Stewart
49 38/391 34 -12.8% 54,212 48.14% -1.09%
     Conservative
Edward Michener
48 17 19 +11.8% 47,055 41.79% -3.31%
     Independent 11 - 2   6,569 5.83% +2.08%
     Labour 2   1   3,576 3.17%  
     Socialist 3 - - - 784 0.70% -1.17%
     Non-Partisan League 1   -   416 0.37%  
Sub-total 114 55/561 56 - 96,985 100%
 
 
Soldiers' vote (Province at large) 21   2   25,601 21.00%  
Total 135 55/56 58 +3.6% 125,898 100%
 
Source: Elections Alberta

Note: 1 Charles Cross represented two ridings during the previous legislative assembly.

[edit] Members of the Legislative Assembly

[edit] Members elected

For complete electoral history, see individual districts

4th Alberta Legislative Assembly
  District Member Party Date
     Acadia John McColl Liberal
     Beaver River Wilfrid Gariépy Liberal
     Bow Valley Charles R. Mitchell Liberal
     Calgary Centre Alex Ross Labour
     Calgary North William McCartney Davidson Liberal
     Calgary South Thomas Blow Conservative
     Camrose George P. Smith Liberal
     Cardston Martin Woolf Liberal
     Claresholm Louise McKinney Independent
     Clearwater Joseph State Liberal
     Cochrane Charles W. Fisher Liberal
     Coronation William Wallace Wilson Conservative
     Didsbury Henry B. Atkins Liberal
     Edmonton East James Ramsey Conservative
     Edmonton West Albert Ewing Conservative
     Edmonton South Herbert Crawford Conservative
     Edson Charles Wilson Cross Liberal
     Gleichen Fred Davis Conservative
     Grouard Jean Côté Liberal
     High River George Douglas Stanley Conservative
     Innisfail Daniel Morkeberg Liberal
     Lac Ste. Anne George R. Barker Conservative June 7, 1917
     Lacombe Andrew Gilmour Conservative
     Leduc Stanley Tobin Liberal
     Little Bow James McNaughton Liberal
     Macleod George Skelding Liberal
     Nanton James Weir Independent
     Okotoks George Hoadley Conservative
     Olds Duncan Marshall Liberal
     Peace River William Archibald Rae Liberal
     Pincher Creek John Kemmis Conservative
     Ponoka Charles Cunningham Conservative
     Red Deer Edward Michener Conservative
     Sedgewick Charles Stewart Liberal
     St. Albert Lucien Boudreau Liberal
     Stettler Edward H. Prudden Liberal
     St. Paul Prosper-Edmond Lessard Liberal
     Stony Plain Frederick W. Lundy Conservative
     Sturgeon John R. Boyle Liberal
     Taber Archibald J. McLean Liberal
     Vegreville Joseph S. McCallum Liberal
     Vermillion Arthur Sifton Liberal
     Warner Frank Leffingwell Liberal
     Wetaskiwin Hugh John Montgomery Liberal

[edit] Members acclaimed under Section 38

  District Member Party
     Alexandria James R. Lowery Conservative
     Hand Hills Robert Eaton Liberal
     Lethbridge City John Smith Stewart Conservative
     Medicine Hat Nelson Spencer Conservative
     Pembina Gordon MacDonald Liberal
     Redcliff Charles Pingle Liberal
     Ribstone James Gray Turgeon Liberal
     Rocky Mountain Robert Campbell Conservative
     Victoria Francis A. Walker Liberal
     Wainwright George LeRoy Hudson Conservative
     Whitford Andrew Shandro Liberal

[edit] June 27 1917

  District Member Party
     Athabasca Alexander Grant MacKay Liberal

[edit] 1917 soldiers' and nurses vote

All eligible candidates were members of the Canadian Forces from Alberta, and non-partisan. Members elected sat on the opposition benches. The vote was held on September 18, 1917. Each soldier had two votes.

Military Rank Member Votes %
Captain Robert Pearson 4,286 %
Lieutenant Roberta MacAdams 4,023 %
Private G.E. Harper 3,328 %
Lieutenant Colonel James Cornwall 2,331 %
Lieutenant Colonel I.F. Page 1,782 %
Lieutenant Colonel W.H. Hewgill 1,744 %
Private T.A.P. Frost 1,145 %
Major James Walker 1,109 %
Lieutenant Colonel J.W.H. McKinnery 918 %
Lieutenant Colonel P.E. Bowen 882 %
Private Herbert Stow 716 %
Lieutenant Charles Taylor 519 %
Captain W.D. Ferris 474 %
Captain A.M. Calderon 438 %
Lieutenant Colonel A.M. Jarvis 425 %
Captain Lionel Asquith 423 %
Captain D.W. Grey 374 %
Company Sergent Major H.L. Bateson 221 %
Lieutenant Colonel A.E. Myatt 186 %
Order Room Sergeant A. Joyce 180 %
Acting Staff Sergeant C.M. Camroux 97 %
Total Votes 25,601 100%

[edit] See also


Preceded by
1913 Alberta election
Alberta elections Succeeded by
1921 Alberta election
Languages