1917 Alberta general election

none January 2024 1917 Alberta general election Alberta 1905 legislative no no 1913 Alberta general election 1913 3rd Alberta Legislative Assembly 1917 06 07 yes members 1921 Alberta general election 1921 58 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta 30 seats were needed for a majority x160px AB Liberal nohash Arthur Sifton AB Liberal name 1910 Vermilion 39 seats, 49.2% 39 34 5 54,212 48.14% 1.1% x160px AB Conservative nohash Edward Michener AB Conservative name 1910 Red Deer 17 seats, 45.1% 17 19 2 47,055 41.79% 3.3% ANPL CA Nonpartisan League nohash Alberta Non-Partisan League None n/a n/a pre-creation n/a 2 2 2,700 3% n/a AB Dominion Labor nohash x160px William Irvine Labor Representation 1917 ran in South Calgary pre-creation 0 1 1 3,576 3.17% 3.2 Premier Premier after election Arthur Sifton AB Liberal name Arthur Sifton AB Liberal name No The 1917 Alberta general election was held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The Liberals won a fourth term in office, defeating most of the candidates of the Conservative Party, led by Edward Michener, Socialist, Non-Partisan League and Labour slates. The Liberals also secured several seats due to their members being on active service in World War I. The Legislature elected in this election was the last one, as of 2025, where the Liberal Party held power in Alberta. Besides the 34 Liberal MLAs, Conservatives elected 19, the farmer-based Non-Partisan League elected two, and the Labour Party elected one (Alex Ross in Calgary). Together they composed one of the largest oppositions in the history of the province. Because of World War I, eleven Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) were re-elected by acclamation, 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 that member was engaged in war time service.An Act amending The Election Act respecting Members of the Legislative Assembly on Active Service. SA 1917 38 http://canlii.ca/t/5423q Eleven MLAs (six Liberals and five Conservatives) were automatically re-elected through this clause. (None were re-elected in the next election.) In addition, soldiers and nurses from Alberta serving in the First World War elected two MLAs in a separate election held in September. The Army MLAs were non-partisan officially. But both of the members - Robert Pearson and Roberta MacAdams - allied themselves to Labour and Non-Partisan League MLAs by showing social consciousness in regards the conditions available for returned soldiers and working families. The two Army members were elected in one contest using block voting, while each other MLA was elected through first past the post in a single-member district. In 1917, the main issue facing the nation was conscription. In Alberta, where support for conscription was high, the incumbent Liberal government of Arthur Sifton decided to break with federal Liberal leader Wilfrid Laurier and support Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden's efforts to form a coalition government (Union government). Thus in Alberta, both major parties supported conscription, but growing labour and farmer activism, and the entry of women into politics, both as voters and candidates, made the election exciting enough that 30,000 more votes were cast than in the previous election (although they were nothing like the high numbers that would be cast in the 1921 election). This was the last time Liberals won an Alberta provincial election. The 1917 election stood for 106 years as the smallest seat majority held by a party in Alberta, with the combined opposition MLAs equaling 41% of the total MLAs, a mark not exceeded until 2023. Premier Sifton resigned in October 1917 in order to serve in the federal Unionist government of Prime Minister Borden and was replaced by Charles Stewart. This was the first election in Alberta that women (those who were British subjects or Canadian citizens more than 20 years of age who were not Treaty Indian) had the right to vote and run. Two women were elected in the legislature that year. One of these was Roberta MacAdams, elected as one of two representatives of soldiers and nurses serving in the war. The other, Louise McKinney, was elected as a candidate of the Non-Partisan League. Her election and the election of fellow NPL candidate James Weir were harbingers of the rise of farmer politics that would see the election of the UFA government in 1921. The Alberta Labor Representation League, which opposed conscription, elected one member in Calgary, Alex Ross. The vote in the Athabasca district was conducted on 27 June 1917 due to the remoteness of the riding. Electoral system All but two of the MLAs elected in this election were elected through first past the post. Alberta elections had used multiple-member districts in Edmonton and Calgary previously, but for this election they had been split into single-member districts. The two overseas army members were elected through plurality block voting.A Report on Alberta Elections Results PartyParty Leader# ofcandidatesSeatsPopular Vote1913Elected% Change#%Percentage based on votes cast in Alberta districts, excluding the overseas army vote. No vote was held in 11 districts where the sitting member was re-elected without contest.% Change AB Liberal row-name Arthur Sifton 49 38/39CharlesCross Charles Cross represented two ridings during the previous legislative assembly. 34 −12.8% 54,212 48.14% −1.09% AB Conservative row Conservative Edward Michener48 17 19 +11.8% 47,055 41.79% −3.31% CA Nonpartisan League row Non-Partisan League None5   2   2700 2%   AB Labour rowLabor Representation William Irvine 2   1   3,576 3.17%   AB Socialist row-name Charles M. O'Brien3 - - - 784 0.70% −1.17% AB Independent rowIndependent 9 - 0   4000 4% +2.08%Sub-total 11455/56CharlesCross56- 96,985100%   Soldiers' vote (Province at large)2  2   8,000 30% Soldiers' vote (Province at large)19  0   17,000 70%  Total13555/5658+3.6% 125,898  Source: Elections Alberta Notes Popular vote #ddd 600px 410px Liberal AB Liberal 48.14 Conservative AB Conservative 41.79 Labor Rep. AB Labour 3.17 NPL BC Provincial 2.00 Others AB Inde 4.90Popular vote #ddd 600px 410px Liberal AB Liberal 58.62 Conservative AB Conservative 32.76 NPL BC Provincial 3.45 Labor Rep. AB Labour 1.72 Others AB Inde 3.45 Members of the Legislative Assembly For complete electoral history, see individual districts AB Liberal Conservative Other |- |Acadia |AB Liberal background| |John A. McColl1,84248.22% | |E. Gordon Jonah1,22932.17% | |Lorne Proudfoot74919.61% |AB Liberal background| |John A. McColl |- |Alexandra | | |AB Conservative background| |James R. LoweryRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | |AB Conservative background| |James R. Lowery |- |Athabasca |AB Liberal background| |Alexander Grant MacKay75265.79% | |Alfred F. Fugl39134.21% | | |AB Liberal background| |Alexander Grant MacKay |- |Beaver River |AB Liberal background| |Wilfrid Gariepy1,13464.07% | |Ambrose E. Gray63635.93% | | |AB Liberal background| |Wilfrid Gariepy |- |Bow Valley |AB Liberal background| |Charles Richmond Mitchell60458.13% | |Edmund F. Purcell43541.87% | | |AB Liberal background| |George Lane |- |Centre Calgary | | | |Thomas M.M. Tweedie1,27348.94% |AB Labour background| |Alex Ross1,32851.06% |AB Conservative background| |Thomas M.M. Tweedie |- |North Calgary |AB Liberal background| |William McCartney Davidson2,70154.72% | |Samuel Bacon Hillocks2,23545.28% | | |AB Conservative background| |Samuel Bacon Hillocks |- |South Calgary | | |AB Conservative background| |Thomas H. Blow3,27348.01% | |William Irvine (Labour-Rep.)2,24832.98%John McNeill1,29619.01% |AB Conservative background| |Thomas H. Blow |- |Camrose |AB Liberal background| |George P. Smith2,25865.22% | |Frank P. Layton1,20434.78% | | |AB Liberal background| |George P. Smith |- |Cardston |AB Liberal background| |Martin Woolf97256.38% | |W.G. Smith75243.62% | | |AB Liberal background| |Martin Woolf |- |Claresholm | |William Moffat67044.40% | | |AB Independent background| |Louise McKinney83955.60% |AB Liberal background| |William Moffat |- |Clearwater |AB Liberal background| |Joseph E. State18864.38% | |Robert Neville Frith10435.62% | | |AB Liberal background| |Henry William McKenney |- |Cochrane |AB Liberal background| |Charles Wellington Fisher63057.32% | |H.E.G.H. Scholefield46942.68% | | |AB Liberal background| |Charles Wellington Fisher |- |Coronation | |Harry S. Northwood1,57546.92% |AB Conservative background| |William Wallace Wilson1,78253.08% | | |AB Liberal background| |Frank H. Whiteside |- |Didsbury |AB Liberal background| |Henry B. Atkins1,39452.80% | |Wilbur Leslie Tolton1,24647.20% | | |AB Liberal background| |Joseph E. Stauffer |- |Edmonton East | |Fredrick Duncan2,55337.86% |AB Conservative background| |James Ramsey3,03545.00% | |Joseph A. Clarke81112.03%Sydney R. Keeling (Socialist)3455.12% | |New District from Edmonton |- |Edmonton-South | |Robert Blyth Douglas2,17844.10% |AB Conservative background| |Herbert Howard Crawford2,76155.90% | | |AB Conservative background| |Herbert Howard Crawford |- |Edmonton West | |William Thomas Henry2,88443.30% |AB Conservative background| |Albert Freeman Ewing3,77656.70% | | | |New District from Edmonton |- |Edson |AB Liberal background| |Charles Wilson Cross1,11662.91% | |J.R. McIntosh45525.65% | |John Reid (Socialist)20311.44% |AB Liberal background| |Charles Wilson Cross |- |Gleichen | |John P. McArthur71239.96% |AB Conservative background| |Fred Davis76242.76% | |John W. Leedy30817.28% |AB Liberal background| |John P. McArthur |- |Grouard |AB Liberal background| |Jean Léon Côté68870.71% | |Eugene Gravel28529.29% | | |AB Liberal background| |Jean Léon Côté |- |Hand Hills |AB Liberal background| |Robert Berry EatonRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | | | |AB Liberal background| |Robert Berry Eaton |- |High River | |Dan F. Riley88548.95% |AB Conservative background| |George Douglas Stanley92351.05% | | |AB Conservative background| |George Douglas Stanley |- |Innisfail |AB Liberal background| |Daniel J. Morkeberg90551.33% | |Frederick William Archer76643.45% | |James K. Wilson925.22% |AB Conservative background| |Frederick William Archer |- |Lac Ste. Anne | |Ralph E. Barker76648.91% |AB Conservative background| |George R. Barker80051.09% | | |AB Liberal background| |Peter Gunn |- |Lacombe | |William Franklin Puffer1,33348.37% |AB Conservative background| |Andrew Gilmour1,42351.63% | | |AB Liberal background| |William Franklin Puffer |- |Leduc |AB Liberal background| |Stanley G. Tobin1,70773.67% | |George Currie61026.33% | | |AB Liberal background| |Stanley G. Tobin |- |Lethbridge City | | |AB Conservative background| |John S. StewartRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | |AB Conservative background| |John S. Stewart |- |Little Bow |AB Liberal background| |James McNaughton80877.39% | | | | |AB Liberal background| |James McNaughton |- |Macleod |AB Liberal background| |George Skelding72851.78% | |Robert Patterson67848.22% | | |AB Conservative background| |Robert Patterson |- |Medicine Hat | | |AB Conservative background| |Nelson C. SpencerRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | |AB Conservative background| |Nelson C. Spencer |- |Nanton | |John M. Glendenning41532.88% | |J.T. Cooper40832.33% |AB Independent background| |James Weir43934.79% |AB Liberal background| |John M. Glendenning |- |Okotoks | |Angus McIntosh53540.50% |AB Conservative background| |George Hoadley78659.50% | | |AB Conservative background| |George Hoadley |- |Olds |AB Liberal background| |Duncan Marshall1,28356.35% | |George H. Cloakey99443.65% | | |AB Liberal background| |Duncan Marshall |- |Peace River |AB Liberal background| |William A. Rae1,99462.92% | |D.H. Minchin71222.47% | |L. Harry Adair46314.61% |AB Conservative background| |Alphaeus Patterson |- |Pembina |AB Liberal background| |Gordon MacDonaldRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | | | |AB Liberal background| |Gordon MacDonald |- |Pincher Creek | |Thomas Hammond44832.94% |AB Conservative background| |John H.W.S. Kemmis49636.47% | |J. E. Hillier (Non-partisan)41630.59% |AB Conservative background| |John H.W.S. Kemmis |- |Ponoka | |William A. Campbell85749.11% |AB Conservative background| |Charles Orin Cunningham88850.89% | | |AB Liberal background| |William A. Campbell |- |Red Deer | |Robert B. Welliver1,27244.87% |AB Conservative background| |Edward Michener1,29545.68% | |George Paton2689.45% |AB Conservative background| |Edward Michener |- |Redcliff |AB Liberal background| |Charles S. PingleRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | | | |AB Liberal background| |Charles S. Pingle |- |Ribstone |AB Liberal background| |James Gray TurgeonRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | | | |AB Liberal background| |James Gray Turgeon |- |Rocky Mountain | | |AB Conservative background| |Robert E. CampbellRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | |AB Conservative background| |Robert E. Campbell |- |Sedgewick |AB Liberal background| |Charles Stewart1,65763.05% | |John Reeve Lavell97136.95% | | |AB Liberal background| |Charles Stewart |- |St. Albert |AB Liberal background| |Lucien Boudreau1,09559.61% | |Hector L. Landry74240.39% | | |AB Liberal background| |Lucien Boudreau |- |St. Paul |AB Liberal background| |Prosper-Edmond Lessard1,07766.65% | |James Brady53933.35% | | |AB Liberal background| |Prosper-Edmond Lessard |- |Stettler |AB Liberal background| |Edward H. Prudden1,40839.45% | |George McMorris1,37538.53% | |J.R. Knight78622.02% |AB Liberal background| |Robert L. Shaw |- |Stony Plain | |Frank A. Smith70548.65% |AB Conservative background| |Frederick W. Lundy74451.35% | | |AB Conservative background| |Conrad Weidenhammer |- |Sturgeon |AB Liberal background| |John Robert Boyle1,54647.19% | |James Sutherland1,21237.00% | |H. Mickleson51815.81% |AB Liberal background| |John Robert Boyle |- |Taber |AB Liberal background| |Archibald J. McLean1,80463.75% | |Thomas O. King1,02636.25% | | |AB Liberal background| |Archibald J. McLean |- |Vegreville |AB Liberal background| |Joseph S. McCallum1,86459.12% | |Malcolm R. Gordon1,28940.88% | | |AB Liberal background| |Joseph S. McCallum |- |Vermilion |AB Liberal background| |Arthur L. Sifton2,06363.03% | |John B. Burch1,21036.97% | | |AB Liberal background| |Arthur L. Sifton |- |Victoria |AB Liberal background| |Francis A. WalkerRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | | | |AB Liberal background| |Francis A. Walker |- |Wainwright | | |AB Conservative background| |George LeRoy HudsonRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | |AB Conservative background| |George LeRoy Hudson |- |Warner |AB Liberal background| |Frank S. Leffingwell70664.89% | |Hy. James Tennant38235.11% | | |AB Liberal background| |Frank S. Leffingwell |- |Wetaskiwin |AB Liberal background| |Hugh John Montgomery1,50068.71% | |Robert MacLachlan Angus68331.29% | | |AB Liberal background| |Charles H. Olin |- |Whitford |AB Liberal background| |Andrew S. ShandroRe-elected under the Election Act due to military service | | | | |AB Liberal background| |Andrew S. Shandro |- |} Members re-elected under Section 38 of the Election Act Eleven Liberal and Conservative MLAs serving in the army were allowed to retain their seats without election.  DistrictMemberParty AB Conservative rowAlexandraJames LoweryConservative AB Liberal rowHand HillsRobert EatonLiberal AB Conservative rowLethbridge CityJohn Smith StewartConservative AB Conservative rowMedicine HatNelson SpencerConservative AB Liberal rowPembinaGordon MacDonaldLiberal AB Liberal rowRedcliffCharles PingleLiberal AB Liberal rowRibstoneJames Gray TurgeonLiberal AB Conservative rowRocky MountainRobert CampbellConservative AB Liberal rowVictoriaFrancis A. WalkerLiberal AB Conservative rowWainwrightGeorge LeRoy HudsonConservative AB Liberal rowWhitfordAndrew ShandroLiberal 1917 soldiers' and nurses' vote Two extra seats were added for this election. Two MLAs were elected to represent the soldiers and nurses serving overseas. They were elected through plurality block voting, with each soldier and nurse having two votes. Roberta MacAdams, the sole woman in the race, capitalized on the two-vote system by instructing the soldiers to "give one vote to the man of your choice and the other vote to the Sister" (herself). She was successful, becoming the second woman elected in Alberta and in the whole of the British Empire. Candidates and voters were Albertans who were enlisted for overseas military, naval or nursing service. Records show that 13,286 soldiers and nurses voted, casting almost 26,000 votes.A Report on Alberta Elections, 1905-1982, p. 11 After the election, the MLAs sat on the opposition benches. They were non-partisan officially, although both Robert Pearson and Roberta MacAdams allied themselves to Labour and NPL MLAs by showing social consciousness in regards the conditions available for returned soldiers and working families. The vote was held on 18 September 1917. Military RankMemberVotes%CaptainRobert Pearson4,286%LieutenantRoberta MacAdams4,023%PrivateG.E. Harper3,328%Lieutenant ColonelJames Cornwall2,331%Lieutenant ColonelI.F. Page1,782%Lieutenant ColonelW.H. Hewgill1,744%PrivateT.A.P. Frost1,145%MajorJames Walker1,109%Lieutenant ColonelJ.W.H. McKinnery918%Lieutenant ColonelP.E. Bowen882%PrivateHerbert Stow716%LieutenantCharles Taylor519%CaptainW.D. Ferris474%CaptainA.M. Calderon438%Lieutenant ColonelA.M. Jarvis425%CaptainLionel Asquith423%CaptainD.W. Grey374%Company Sergeant MajorH.L. Bateson221%Lieutenant ColonelA.E. Myatt186%Order Room SergeantA. Joyce180%Acting Staff SergeantC.M. Camroux97%Total Votes25,601100% See also List of Alberta political parties Women in Canadian politics References Further reading Hopkins J. Castell The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1917 1918 The Annual Review Toronto https://archive.org/details/canadianannualre0000unse_a4b9 Category:1917 elections in Canada 1917 Category:1917 in Alberta Category:July 1917 in Canada