Edmonton municipal election, February 1912

On September 27, 1911, the voters of Edmonton approved by plebiscite the amalgamation of Edmonton with Strathcona. This amalgamation was effected February 1, 1912, and, in anticipation of this, no election was held December 11, 1911 as would normally have been required (municipal elections in Edmonton at the time being held the second Monday of December). Instead, elections were fixed for February 16, 1912.

A cartoon appearing in the Edmonton Bulletin on the morning of the election, depicting George S. Armstrong and B.J. Saunders vying for the mayoralty.

Positions to be elected

With the amalgamation, Council's size was increased by two members, bringing the total number of aldermen to ten. Two of these were required to come from the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. In order to keep the staggered electoral system of aldermen in place, five of the aldermen (Henry Douglas, Charles Gowan, John Tipton, John Lundy, and Thomas J. Walsh) were elected to two-year terms, and the other five to one-year terms.

In addition to electing city council, the February, 1912 elections also elected the entirety of the seven member board of trustees for the public school division (four members - Walter Ramsey, B H Nichols, Samuel Barnes, and Frank Crang - to two-year terms, three to one-year terms) and three of five members of the board of trustees for the separate school division (Wilfrid Gariépy and Milton Martin having been elected to two-year terms in 1910).

Voter turnout

There were 2870 ballots cast. Information about the number of eligible voters is no longer available.

Results

(bold indicates elected, italics indicate incumbent)

Mayor

Aldermen

Public School Trustees

Separate (Catholic) School Trustees

John Cashman, James Collisson, and Joseph Henri Picard were elected. Detailed results are no longer available.

References

City of Edmonton: Edmonton Elections