1961 Edmonton municipal election

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

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

Results

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(bold indicates elected, italics indicate incumbent)

Mayor

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Party Candidate Votes %
Civic Government Association Elmer Roper 37,600 63.90%
Civic Reform Association Ed Leger 13,106 22.27%
Independent Ronald Simmons 8,134 13.82%

Aldermen

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Party Candidate Votes Elected
Civic Government Association McKim Ross 33,853 SS  Y
Civic Government Association Angus McGugan 31,123 SS  Y
Civic Government Association Stanley Milner 27,126 SS  Y
Civic Government Association Gordon McClary 27,208    Y
Civic Government Association John Leslie Bodie 23,222    Y
Civic Reform Association Bjarne Larson 15,006 SS
Civic Reform Association Charles Simmonds 13,584 SS
Independent Julia Kiniski 12,451
League of Edmonton Electors Donald Scott 11,337 SS
Independent David Graham 11,253
Civic Reform Association Harper McCrae 10,588
Civic Reform Association Alfred Forsythe 8,809 SS
Civic Reform Association Robert Boutillier 7,540
League of Edmonton Electors Norbert Berkowitz 6,624
League of Edmonton Electors Ernest Stokes 6,343
Independent John Lakusta 4,852
League of Edmonton Electors James Willford 4,134
Independent Paul Stepa 3,630

Public school trustees

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Party Candidate Votes Elected
Civic Government Association Eric Duggan 22,419 SS  Y
Civic Government Association Vernon Johnson 18,061 SS  Y
Civic Reform Association Edith Rogers 17,219    Y
Civic Government Association P. William Jones 16,118 SS  Y
Better Education Association Helen Sinclair 15,802
Civic Government Association A. E. Shelmerdine 15,072
Better Education Association D. Rae Sutherland 13,377 SS
Better Education Association William Harper 13,088 SS
Better Education Association Floyd Albin Johnson 11,678 SS
Civic Reform Association Paul Lloyd 6,775 SS
Civic Reform Association Anna Pollock 6,670 SS
Civic Reform Association Walter Kuhn 5,179 SS

Separate (Catholic) school trustees

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Party Candidate Votes Elected
Independent Joseph Moreau 6,878    Y
Separate Schools Voters Association A. A. Gorman 6,446 SS  Y
Independent Orest Demco 6,518    Y
Independent Catherine McGrath 6,098
Separate Schools Voters Association J. J. Fitzgerald 5,734
Independent Harry Carrigan 5,251 SS  Y
Separate Schools Voters Association J. W. Ensch 4,292 SS
Independent George Lynch-Staunton 4,022 SS

Plebiscites

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Fluoridation of Water

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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?

  • Yes - 35508
  • No - 22107

Paving

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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?

  • Yes - 25317
  • No - 9476

Asphalt on Gravel Streets

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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?

  • Yes - 25219
  • No - 9130

Traffic Lights and Fire Alarm Equipment

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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?

  • Yes - 26752
  • No - 7988

Library

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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?

  • Yes - 21434
  • No - 12983

Fire Station

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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?

  • Yes - 23761
  • No - 9947

References

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City of Edmonton: Edmonton Elections