1937 Edmonton municipal election

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 Green tickY 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%
Independent John Sedgewick Cowper 2,730 11.36%
Independent Frederick Speed 62 0.26%

Aldermen

Party Candidate Votes Elected
Citizens' Committee Edward Brown 12,677 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Frederick Casselman 12,386 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Douglas Grout 12,252 SS Green tickY
Citizens' Committee George Campbell 11,709 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Dan Knott 11,655 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Blair Paterson 10,980 SS Green tickY
  Progressive Civic Association Harry Ainlay 10,103 SS
  Progressive Civic Association James Findlay 8,501
Independent Margaret Crang 7,608 SS
  Progressive Civic Association Charles Gould 7,190 SS
  Progressive Civic Association Elisha East 5,323
Independent Walter Clevely 4,884
  Progressive Civic Association William Miller 4,551
  Progressive Civic Association Charles Lee 4,447
Independent Raymond C. Ghostley 2,308
  New Deal John James Allen 2,036
Independent Peter Glassman 1,779
Independent Ernest Holub 1,072
Independent Charles Keily 734

Public school trustees

Party Candidate Votes Elected
Citizens' Committee Albert Ottewell 10,297 SS Green tickY
Citizens' Committee Walter Morrish 8,829 Green tickY
  Progressive Civic Association Sidney Bowcott 8,391 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee C. Bruce Smith 7,330 Green tickY
Citizens' Committee George Gleave 7,034 Green tickY
Independent Frank Crang 6,770 SS
  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