Edmonton municipal election, 1968

The 1968 municipal election was held October 16, 1968 to elect a mayor and twelve aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and seven trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards. The electorate also decided three plebiscite questions.

On May 2, 1968 the Legislative Assembly of Alberta passed the Municipal Elections Act. this Act had three major effects: first, it standardized municipal terms as being three years in all Alberta municipalities. Second, it standardized the date on which municipal elections in Alberta would be held - the nomination deadline would be the third Monday of September and the election would be four weeks later. Third, it allowed for the election of aldermen by ward, rather than at large.

This election was conducted under the new Act, and included a plebiscite to move to a ward system. It was approved by the electorate, and the 1968 election was the last in which aldermen were elected at large (although a 1970 by-election also elected an alderman at large, before the ward system was introduced in the 1971 election).

Voter Turnout

There were 93129 ballots cast out of 238828 eligible voters, for a voter turnout of 39%.

Results

(bold indicates elected, "italics" indicate incumbent)

Mayor

*Ivor Dent - 34722
*Reginald Easton - 27365
*John Leslie Bodie - 26951

Aldermen

*"Morris Weinlos" - 49527
*"James Bateman" - 45685
*"Una Evans" - 44025
*"Ed Leger" - 42636
*"Cec Purves" - 40699
*"Neil Crawford" - 39190
*Kenneth Newman - 37607
*Ches Tanner - 36191
*"Julia Kiniski" - 35760
*Terry Nugent - 34451
*Kathleen McCallum - 34059
*David Ward - 29770
*Bev Booker - 29652
*Terry Cavanagh - 28981
*Norbert Berkowitz - 28394
*Pat Shewchuk - 26395
*Catherine Chichak - 24835
*G Dale Newcombe - 24403
*Bill McLean - 24185
*Don Ross - 21837
*Ron Hayter - 21511
*G A (Pat) O'Hara - 18310
*A Terry Laing - 16155
*Lila Fahlman - 15485
*John Matlock - 12543
*John Lakusta - 11965
*Douglas Tomlinson - 10189
*Charles Jenkins - 9543
*Walter Makowecki - 7962
*Wilson Arthur Stewart - 7951
*Bernard Mazurewicz - 6848
*Abner Abraham Rubin - 5339

Public School Trustees

eparate (Catholic) School Trustees

Plebiscites

Ward System

Are you in favour of the City being divided into areas known as wards, of not less than three (3) and not more than ten (10) in number for the holding of elections of Alderman to City Council at future elections?
*Yes - 45938
*No - 28594

Convention and Sports Complex

Do you favour the construction of a Trade Convention and Sports Complex containing facilities such as a covered Football stadium and Ice Arena, and a Trade & Convention Centre, at an estimated capital cost of Twenty-three Million Dollars ($23,000,000.00) and to be operated at an estimated annual deficit of not more than two million?
*Yes - 57568
*No - 21458

Council Control of Store Hours

Do you want shop hours in the City of Edmonton to be controlled by City Council?
*Yes - 24672
*No - 55489

If shop hours are controlled, which do you favour:(a.) six days and two evenings - 58533(b.) five days and two evenings - 8539(c.) five and one-half days and one evening - 11776

References

[http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_265_210_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/city+government/municipal+elections/past+results/1945+-+2001.htm Edmonton election results (City of Edmonton webpage)]