Edmonton municipal election, 1961

In Alberta, Canada, the 1961 municipal election was held October 18, 1961 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards. The electorate also decided six plebiscite questions.

There were ten aldermen on city council, but five of the positions were already filled: Frederick John Mitchell, George Prudham, Morris Weinlos, Ethel Wilson, and Milton Lazerte were all elected to two-year terms in 1960 and were still in office.

There were seven trustees on the public school board, but three of the positions were already filled: Warren Edward (Ted) Smith, John Andrews, and Shirley Forbes were elected to two-year terms in 1960 and were still in office. The same was true on the separate board, where Leo Lemieux, Edward Stack, and John Barbeau were continuing.

Voter turnout

There were 59343 ballots cast out of 169940 eligible voters, for a voter turnout of 37.2%.

Results

(bold indicates elected, italics indicate incumbent)

Mayor

Party Candidate Votes %
Civic Government AssociationElmer Roper 37,600 63.90%
Civic Reform AssociationEd Leger 13,106 22.27%
IndependentRonald Simmons 8,134 13.82%

Aldermen

Party Candidate Votes Elected
Civic Government AssociationMcKim Ross 33,853 SS Green tick
Civic Government AssociationAngus McGugan 31,123 SS Green tick
Civic Government AssociationStanley Milner 27,126 SS Green tick
Civic Government AssociationGordon McClary 27,208   Green tick
Civic Government AssociationJohn Leslie Bodie 23,222   Green tick
Civic Reform AssociationBjarne Larson 15,006 SS
Civic Reform AssociationCharles Simmonds 13,584 SS
IndependentJulia Kiniski 12,451
League of Edmonton ElectorsDonald Scott 11,337 SS
IndependentDavid Graham 11,253
Civic Reform AssociationHarper McCrae 10,588
Civic Reform AssociationAlfred Forsythe 8,809 SS
Civic Reform AssociationRobert Boutillier 7,540
League of Edmonton ElectorsNorbert Berkowitz 6,624
League of Edmonton ElectorsErnest Stokes 6,343
IndependentJohn Lakusta 4,852
League of Edmonton ElectorsJames Willford 4,134
IndependentPaul Stepa 3,630

Public school trustees

Party Candidate Votes Elected
Civic Government AssociationEric Duggan 22,419 SS Green tick
Civic Government AssociationVernon Johnson 18,061 SS Green tick
Civic Reform AssociationEdith Rogers 17,219   Green tick
Civic Government AssociationP. William Jones 16,118 SS Green tick
Better Education AssociationHelen Sinclair 15,802
Civic Government AssociationA. E. Shelmerdine 15,072
Better Education AssociationD. Rae Sutherland 13,377 SS
Better Education AssociationWilliam Harper 13,088 SS
Better Education AssociationFloyd Johnson 11,678 SS
Civic Reform AssociationPaul Lloyd 6,775 SS
Civic Reform AssociationAnna Pollock 6,670 SS
Civic Reform AssociationWalter Kuhn 5,179 SS

Separate (Catholic) school trustees

Party Candidate Votes Elected
IndependentJoseph Moreau 6,878   Green tick
Separate Schools Voters AssociationA. A. Gorman 6,446 SS Green tick
IndependentOrest Demco 6,518   Green tick
IndependentCatherine McGrath 6,098
Separate Schools Voters AssociationJ. J. Fitzgerald 5,734
IndependentHarry Carrigan 5,251 SS Green tick
Separate Schools Voters AssociationJ. W. Ensch 4,292 SS
IndependentGeorge Lynch-Staunton 4,022 SS

Plebiscites

Fluoridation of Water

Shall fluorides, for the prevention of tooth decay, be added to the City water supply sufficient to bring the fluorine content of City water up to a level of one part fluorine to one million parts of water?

Paving

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2216 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $500,000.00 for the estimated City share of standard paving of main arterial roads in the City?

Asphalt on Gravel Streets

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2217 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $500,000.00 for the estimated City share of the cost of constructing asphalt surface roads on a gravel base on residential and arterial streets within the City?

Traffic Lights and Fire Alarm Equipment

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2218 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $217,000.00 in order to purchase and locate additional traffic lights, and school and crosswalk lights, and additional fire alarm equipment?

Library

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2219 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $125,000.00 to construct and equip a branch library in Edmonton capable of serving 30,000 people and 15 schools?

Fire Station

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2224 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $72,000.00 in order to purchase fire equipment for a District Fire Station?

References

City of Edmonton: Edmonton Elections