This article provides a list of Mayors and Councillors elected to Calgary City Council, the governing body for the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The first municipal election in Calgary took place in 1884 where Mayor George Murdoch and four councillors were elected to serve as Calgary's first council. Mayor and Councillors were elected for one year terms annually from 1884 until 1912, after which Councillors were elected to serve staggered two year terms. In 1923, the length of term for a Mayor was extended to two years to match the period for councillors. In 1971 the term for Mayor and Councillors was extended from two years, to three years and provisions related to staggered election of Councillors were removed.[1] In 2013, amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act extended the term for the Mayor and Councillors to four years.
The Mayor of Calgary has always been elected at-large by the electors of the city.
Calgary became a town in 1884. In the early history of Calgary from 1884 to 1888, three Councillors were elected at-large by all electors, then from 1888 to 1893, six Councillors were elected.
Following the passage of the Calgary Charter (Ordinance 33 of 1893), which provided "City" status to Calgary, the Councillors were elected to represent wards of the City.[2]
From 1894 to 1904, the City was divided into three wards, each represented by three Councillors, for a total of nine Councillors.
Council expanded in 1905 with the introduction of a fourth ward, which also received three Councillors, for a total of 12 Councillors. with the structure remaining in place until 1912.
The ward system was eliminated in 1913, and a City Council consisting of twelve Councillors were elected at-large from 1914 to 1960, half of them up for election each time (with exceptions).[3]
In 1961, the City was divided into six wards with two Councillors elected for each ward. In 1977 the City was divided into fourteen wards with one Councillor elected to represent each ward, which has remained the structure of Calgary City Council to the present date.
During the 1910s, and 1920s the residents elected City Commissioners, which were in charge of the Administration of the municipality. School board elections are also held in line with city council elections. Hospital boards were also elected in various city elections in Calgary.
From 1906 to 1914, the 12 councillors were elected in four wards, three to each ward. Aldermanic elections were held yearly, using block voting (each voter had as many votes as there were seats to fill.
In 1914, Calgary moved to at-large elections with the city as one large district. Block voting was used, with each voter allowed to cast as many votes as the number of open seats.
In 1917 Calgary brought in a system of Proportional Representation, under which city councillors were elected at-large using Single Transferable Voting (STV) and one multiple-member district covering the whole city. (The mayor was elected through Instant-runoff voting.) This survived until 1961. This system is said to have produced the emergence and increased representation of neighbourhood or community-based political groups.[4]
In 1961, Calgary switched to a ward system in which multiple city councillors were elected in each ward using STV, in 1961 and 1971.
For other elections held from 1962 to 1970,councillors sat in staggered terms, with usually only one in each ward up for election each time. The elections in between were held according to Alternative Voting in which one councillor was elected in each ward.[5]
After 1961, in the subsequent elections, staggered terms meant only one councillor was elected each election in each ward each year. That plus the retention of single transferable voting meant Alternative Voting, instead of Single Transferable Vote (STV). (Two times there were two vacancies in a ward due to resignation or other cause and multi-winner STV was used)
Previous to 1971 election, terms of aldermanic service were extended to three years, and all ward seats were elected simultaneously in 1971, through Single Transferable Vote. This was Calgary's last election held using Single Transferable Vote, and would be the last one in Canada up to the present.
From 1884 to 2010 the title for elected officials on Calgary City Council excluding the Mayor, was Alderman, although Councillor was used interchangeably during that period. On December 14, 2010, council voted to change the title to councillor, which took effect in the October 2013 election.[6]
| Election | Date | Term | Aldermen/ Councillors | Ballots | Notes | |||
| Calgary uses at-large voting, with councillors elected through Plurality block voting | ||||||||
| 1 | December 3 | January 18, 1886 | 218 | |||||
| 2 | January 4 | October 21, 1886 | 208 | |||||
| 3 | November 3 | January 16, 1888 | 367 | |||||
| 4 | January 3 | January 21, 1889 | ||||||
| 5 | January 7 | January 20, 1890 | - | All Acclaimed | ||||
| 6 | January 6 | January 19, 1891 | 240 | |||||
| 7 | January 5 | January 18, 1892 | 381 | |||||
| 8 | January 4 | January 16, 1893 | ||||||
| 9 | January 2 | January 2, 1894 | 332 | |||||
| Calgary introduces a Ward system for Aldermen. | ||||||||
| 10 | January 15 | January 7, 1895 | 464 | |||||
| 11 | December 10 | January 6, 1896 | ||||||
| 12 | December 9 | January 4, 1897 | ||||||
| 13 | December 14 | January 3, 1898 | All Acclaimed | |||||
| 14 | December 13 | January 3, 1899 | - | |||||
| 15 | December 12 | January 2, 1900 | 352 | |||||
| 16 | December 11 | January 7, 1901 | 375 | |||||
| 17 | December 10 | January 6, 1902 | ||||||
| 18 | December 9 | January 5, 1903 | ||||||
| 19 | December 8 | January 5, 1904 | ||||||
| 20 | December 14 | January 2, 1905 | ||||||
| 21 | December 12 | January 2, 1906 | ||||||
| 22 | December 11 | January 14, 1907 | ||||||
| 23 | December 10 | January 2, 1908 | ||||||
| 24 | December 9 | January 2, 1909 | ||||||
| 25 | December 14 | January 3, 1910 | ||||||
| 26 | December 13 | January 2, 1911 | ||||||
| 27 | December 12 | January 2, 1912 | ||||||
| 28 | December 11 | January 2, 1913 | ||||||
| 29 | December 9 | January 2, 1914 | ||||||
| The Mayor is elected to a one-year term. Wards are dropped. Aldermen are elected at-large to one- or two-year terms. | ||||||||
| 30 | December 8 | January 2, 1915 January 3, 1916 | ||||||
| The Mayor is elected to a one-year term. Aldermen are elected to alternating two-year terms. | ||||||||
| 31 | December 14 | January 2, 1917 | ||||||
| 32 | December 13 | January 2, 1918 | ||||||
| 33 | December 11 | January 2, 1919 | ||||||
| Calgary changed to STV/PR system for councillors. Mayor to be elected through Instant-runoff voting. | ||||||||
| 34 | December 10 | January 2, 1920 | ||||||
| 35 | December 9 | January 3, 1921 | ||||||
| 36 | December 10 | January 3, 1922 | ||||||
| 37 | December 15 | January 2, 1923 | ||||||
| 38 | December 14 | January 2, 1924 | ||||||
| 39 | December 13 | January 2, 1925 | ||||||
| The Mayor is elected to a two-year term. Aldermen are elected to alternating two year terms. | ||||||||
| 40 | December 12 | January 2, 1926 | ||||||
| 41 | December 10 | January 2, 1927 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 42 | December 16 | January 3, 1928 | ||||||
| 43 | December 15 | January 2, 1929 | ||||||
| 44 | December 14 | January 1, 1930 | ||||||
| 45 | December 12 | December 31, 1930 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 46 | November 20 | December 31, 1931 | ||||||
| 47 | November 19 | December 31, 1932 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 48 | November 18 | December 31, 1933 | ||||||
| 49 | November 23 | December 31, 1934 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 50 | November 22 | December 31, 1935 | ||||||
| 51 | November 21 | December 31, 1936 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 52 | November 20 | December 31, 1937 | ||||||
| 53 | November 18 | December 31, 1938 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 54 | November 17 | December 31, 1939 | ||||||
| 55 | November 23 | December 31, 1940 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 56 | November 22 | December 31, 1941 | ||||||
| 57 | November 20 | December 31, 1942 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 58 | November 24 | December 31, 1943 | All Council Acclaimed | |||||
| 59 | November 18 | December 31, 1944 | Continuing in Office | All Council Acclaimed | ||||
| 60 | November 17 | December 31, 1945 | All Council Acclaimed | |||||
| 61 | November 22 | December 31, 1946 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 62 | November 21 | December 31, 1947 | ||||||
| 63 | November 20 | December 31, 1948 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 64 | November 19 | December 31, 1949 | ||||||
| 65 | November 17 | December 31, 1950 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 66 | November 23 | December 31, 1951 | ||||||
| 67 | November 22 | October 20, 1952 | Continuing in Office | |||||
| 68 | November 21 | October 19, 1953 | ||||||
| 69 | October 15 | October 18, 1954 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 70 | October 14 | October 24, 1955 | ||||||
| 71 | October 13 | October 22, 1956 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 72 | October 19 | October 21, 1957 | ||||||
| 73 | October 17 | October 20, 1958 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 74 | October 16 | October 19, 1959 | ||||||
| 75 | October 15 | October 24, 1960 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 76 | October 14 | October 23, 1961 | ||||||
| 77 | October 19 | October 23, 1961 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| All council seats become vacant as city switched to ward systems (while continuing the use of STV). In each ward the candidate for alderman with the most votes was elected for two years, candidates with the second most votes were elected for one. Elections held through the STV/PR system if multi-members elected, otherwise instant-runoff voting . | ||||||||
| 78 | October 18 | October 21, 1963 | ||||||
| Half the council seats become vacant each year as aldermen began to serve staggered terms. One seat in each ward elected through Alternative Voting each election. Only use of STV until 1970 was when a ward had two open seats through resignation or other cause. | ||||||||
| 79 | October 17 | October 19, 1964 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 80 | October 16 | October 18, 1965 | ||||||
| 81 | October 14 | October 24, 1966 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 82 | October 13 | October 23, 1967 | ||||||
| 83 | October 19 | October 23, 1968 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 84 | October 18 | October 22, 1969 | ||||||
| 85 | October 16 | October 25, 1971 | 2nd year of two year term | |||||
| 86 | October 15 | October 25, 1971 | ||||||
| All Council terms are extended to three years and elected simultaneously, through the STV/PR system and wards. | ||||||||
| 87 | October 13 | October 28, 1974 | ||||||
| Calgary ended its use of STV/PR and went to first past the post Block Voting system. | ||||||||
| 88 | October 16 | October 31, 1977 | ||||||
| Council moves to a 14-ward system, with one Alderman being elected in each ward. | ||||||||
| 89 | October 19 | October 27, 1980 | ||||||
| 90 | October 15 | October 24, 1983 | ||||||
| 91 | October 17 | October 27, 1986 | ||||||
| 92 | October 20 | October 23, 1989 | ||||||
| 93 | October 16 | October 26, 1992 | ||||||
| 94 | October 19 | October 23, 1995 | ||||||
| 95 | September 18 | October 26, 1998 | ||||||
| 96 | October 19 | October 22, 2001 | ||||||
| 97 | October 15 | October 25, 2004 | Ward 1: Dale Hodges Ward 2: Gord Lowe Ward 3: John Schmal Ward 4: Bob Hawkesworth Ward 5: Ray Jones Ward 6: Craig Burrows Ward 7: Druh Farrell | Ward 8: Madeleine King Ward 9: Joe Ceci Ward 10: Diane Danielson Ward 11: Barry Erskine Ward 12: Ric McIver Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14: Linda Fox-Mellway | 221,513 | |||
| 98 | October 18 | October 22, 2007 | Ward 1: Dale Hodges Ward 2: Gord Lowe Ward 3: Helen Larocque Ward 4: Bob Hawkesworth Ward 5: Ray Jones Ward 6: Craig Burrows Ward 7: Druh Farrell | Ward 8: Madeleine King Ward 9: Joe Ceci Ward 10: Margot Aftergood Ward 11: Barry Erskine Ward 12: Ric McIver Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14: Linda Fox-Mellway | 115,549 | |||
| 99 | October 15 | October 25, 2010 | Ward 1: Dale Hodges Ward 2: Gord Lowe Ward 3: Jim Stevenson Ward 4: Bob Hawkesworth Ward 5: Ray Jones Ward 6: Joe Connelly Ward 7: Druh Farrell | Ward 8: Jon Mar Ward 9: Joe Ceci Ward 10: Andre Chabot Ward 11: Brian Pincott Ward 12: Ric McIver Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14: Linda Fox-Mellway | 209,748 | |||
| 100 | October 18 | October 28, 2013 | Ward 1: Dale Hodges Ward 2: Gord Lowe Ward 3: Jim Stevenson Ward 4: Gael Macleod Ward 5: Ray Jones Ward 6: Richard Pootmans Ward 7: Druh Farrell | Ward 8: Jon Mar Ward 9: Gian-Carlo Carra Ward 10: Andre Chabot Ward 11: Brian Pincott Ward 12: Shane Keating Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14: Peter Demong | 354,090 | |||
| 101 | October 21 | October 23, 2017 | Ward 1: Ward Sutherland Ward 2: Joe Magliocca Ward 3: Jim Stevenson Ward 4: Sean Chu Ward 5: Ray Jones Ward 6: Richard Pootmans Ward 7: Druh Farrell | Ward 8: Evan Woolley Ward 9: Gian-Carlo Carra Ward 10: Andre Chabot Ward 11: Brian Pincott Ward 12: Shane Keating Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14: Peter Demong | 262,577[7] | |||
| The Mayor and Councillors are elected 4 year terms. | ||||||||
| 102 | October 16 | Ward 1: Ward Sutherland Ward 2: Joe Magliocca Ward 3: Jyoti Gondek Ward 4: Sean Chu Ward 5: George Chahal Ward 6: Jeff Davison Ward 7: Druh Farrell | Ward 8: Evan Woolley Ward 9: Gian-Carlo Carra Ward 10: Ray Jones Ward 11: Jeromy Farkas Ward 12: Shane Keating Ward 13: Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14: Peter Demong | 387,306[8] | ||||
| 103 | October 18 | Present | Ward 1: Sonya Sharp Ward 2: Jennifer Wyness Ward 3: Jasmine Mian Ward 4: Sean Chu Ward 5: Raj Dhaliwal Ward 6: Richard Pootmans Ward 7: Terry Wong | Ward 8: Courtney Walcott Ward 9: Gian-Carlo Carra Ward 10: Andre Chabot Ward 11: Kourtney Branagan Ward 12: Evan Spencer Ward 13: Dan McLean Ward 14: Peter Demong | ||||