1937 Edmonton municipal election explained

The 1937 municipal election was held November 10, 1937, to elect a mayor and six aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and five trustees to sit on the public school board, while four trustees were acclaimed to the separate school board. Voters also decided three plebiscite questions.

There were ten aldermen on city council, but four of the positions were already filled: Hugh MacDonald, James Ogilvie, John McCreath, and Athelstan Bissett (representing the South Side) had been elected to two-year terms in 1936 and were still in office. John Wesley Fry had also been elected to a two-year term in 1936, but he resigned to run for mayor; accordingly, Blair Paterson (SS), who polled sixth in this election, was elected to a one-year term to finish off his term.

There were seven trustees on the public school board, but two of the positions were already filled: Izena Ross and Armour Ford had been elected to two-year terms in 1936 and were still in office. Frederick Casselman had also been elected to a two-year term in 1936, but had resigned; accordingly, George Gleave was elected to a one-year term. On the separate school board there were four vacancies, as A J Crowe (SS), J O Pilon, and J O'Hara were continuing.

Voter turnout

There were 24,279 ballots cast out of 51,599 eligible voters, for a voter turnout of 47%.

Results

• bold or indicates elected
• italics indicate incumbent
• "SS", where data is available, indicates representative for Edmonton's South Side, with a minimum South Side representation instituted after the city of Strathcona, south of the North Saskatchewan River, amalgamated into Edmonton on February 1, 1912.

Mayor

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	Citizens' Committee	John Wesley Fry	10,487	43.63%	Edmonton First	Joseph Clarke	7,340	30.53%	Progressive Civic Association	Guy Patterson	3,419	14.22%

Aldermen

Party		Candidate	Votes		Elected	Progressive Civic Association	Harry Ainlay	10,103	SS	Progressive Civic Association	James Findlay	8,501	Progressive Civic Association	Charles Gould	7,190	SS	Progressive Civic Association	Elisha East	5,323	Progressive Civic Association	William Miller	4,551	Progressive Civic Association	Charles Lee	4,447	New Deal	John James Allen	2,036

Public school trustees

Party		Candidate	Votes		Elected	Progressive Civic Association	Sidney Bowcott	8,391			Progressive Civic Association	Mary Ann Gilchrist	5,950	Progressive Civic Association	Adam Bruce	5,384	Progressive Civic Association	Thomas Housley	3,959

Separate (Catholic) school trustees

Hugh Currie, Charles Gariepy, John Whelihan and William Wilde (SS) were acclaimed.

Plebiscites

Mayoral Elections

Are you in favour of the Mayor being elected annually by the members of the City Council from their number?

• Yes - 4,444
• No - 18,383

Airport Hangar

$35,000 for an Airport Hangar

• Yes - 5,308
• No - 1,578

Police Signals

$25,000 for Police Signals

• Yes - 3,075
• No - 3,159

References

• Election History, City of Edmonton: Elections and Census Office