Bruce (Alberta provincial electoral district)

Defunct provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada

Bruce Alberta electoral district

Defunct provincial electoral district
Legislature| Legislative Assembly of Alberta
District created| 1940
District abolished| 1963
First contested| 1940
Last contested| 1959

Bruce was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1963.[1]

## History

[edit]

The Bruce electoral district was formed from the Vegreville, Sedgewick, Camrose electoral districts prior to the 1940 Alberta general election. The Acadia electoral district would be abolished and the Vermilion and Vegreville-Bruce electoral districts would be formed in its place prior to the 1963 Alberta general election.

### Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

[edit]

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Bruce

Assembly | Years | Member | Party
See Vegreville electoral district from 1909-1940
Sedgewickelectoral district from 1909-1940
and Camrose electoral district from 1909-1940
9th |  1940–1944 |  | James L. McPherson | Social Credit
10th |  1944–1948
11th |  1948–1952 |  | Earl M. Hardy | Social Credit
12th |  1952–1955
13th |  1955–1959
14th |  1959–1963
See Vermilion electoral district from 1963-1971
and Vegreville-Bruce electoral district from 1963-1971

## Election results

[edit]

### 1940

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1940 Alberta general election

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
First count
| Social Credit | James L. McPherson | 2,018 | 48.01% | -
| Independent | B. C. Gilpin | 1,433 | 34.09% | -
| Co-operative Commonwealth | E. A. Moen | 752 | 9.19% | -
Total  | 4,203 | - | -
Ballot transfer results
| Social Credit | James L. McPherson | 2,203 | 55.30% | -
| Independent | B. C. Gilpin | 1,781 | 44.70% | -
Total  | 3,984 | - | -
Rejected, spoiled and declined  | 122 | - | -
Eligible electors / turnout  | 6,027 | 71.76% | -
| Social Credit pickup new district.

Source(s)

Source: "Bruce Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

* * *

Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes.
As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality

### 1944

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1944 Alberta general election

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
| Social Credit | James L. McPherson | 2,024 | 53.76% | -5.75%
| Co-operative Commonwealth | S. Lefsrud | 1,274 | 33.84% | 24.65%
| Independent | B. C. Gilpin | 467 | 12.40% | -21.69%
Total  | 3,765 | - | -
Rejected, spoiled and declined  | 97 | - | -
Eligible electors / turnout  | 5,745 | 67.22% | -4.54%
| Social Credit hold | Swing | 9.96%

Source(s)

Source: "Bruce Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

### 1948

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1948 Alberta general election

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
| Social Credit | Earl M. Hardy | 2,248 | 57.01% | 3.25%
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Beauchamp B. Starky | 1,080 | 27.39% | -6.45%
| Liberal | Alfred Lefsrud | 615 | 15.60% | -
Total  | 3,943 | - | -
Rejected, spoiled and declined  | 191 | - | -
Eligible electors / turnout  | 6,456 | 64.03% | -3.19%
| Social Credit hold | Swing | 4.85%

Source(s)

Source: "Bruce Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

### 1952

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1952 Alberta general election

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
| Social Credit | Earl M. Hardy | 2,157 | 52.32% | -4.70%
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Sigurd Lefsrud | 1,210 | 29.35% | 1.96%
| Liberal | Edwin F. Watson | 756 | 18.34% | 2.74%
Total  | 4,123 | - | -
Rejected, spoiled and declined  | 278 | - | -
Eligible electors / turnout  | 6,478 | 67.94% | 3.90%
| Social Credit hold | Swing | -3.33%

Source(s)

Source: "Bruce Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

### 1955

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1955 Alberta general election

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
First count
| Social Credit | Earl M. Hardy | 1,978 | 43.27% | -8.95%
| Liberal | Clare M. Liden | 1,525 | 33.36% | 15.04%
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Nancy Zaseybida | 998 | 16.85% | -12.50%
| Conservative | Oliver H. Gunderson | 70 | 1.18% | -
Total  | 4,571 | - | -
Ballot transfer results
| Social Credit | Earl M. Hardy | 2,105 | 50.87% | -
| Liberal | Clare M. Liden | 2,033 | 49.13% | -
Total  | 4,138 | - | -
Rejected, spoiled and declined  | 261 | - | -
Eligible electors / turnout  | 6,507 | 74.26% | 6.32%
| Social Credit hold | Swing | -5.00%

Source(s)

Source: "Bruce Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

### 1959

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1959 Alberta general election

Party  | Candidate  | Votes | % | ±%
| Social Credit | Earl M. Hardy | 2,324 | 55.22% | -39.72%
| Progressive Conservative | Clifford G. Patterson | 833 | 19.79% | -
| Liberal | Clare L. Liden | 534 | 12.69% | -56.31%
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Edward I. Thompson | 518 | 12.31% | -4.55%
Total  | 4,209 | - | -
Rejected, spoiled and declined  | 8 | - | -
Eligible electors / turnout  | 6,441 | 65.47% | -8.79%
| Social Credit hold | Swing | 11.23%

Source(s)

Source: "Bruce Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

## Plebiscite results

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### 1957 liquor plebiscite

[edit]

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Bruce[2]

Question A: Do you approve additional types of outlets for the
sale of beer, wine and spirituous liquor subject to a local vote?
Ballot choice  | Votes  | %
| No  | 1,691  | 63.31%
| Yes  | 980  | 36.69%
Total votes | 2,671 | 100%
Rejected, spoiled and declined | 21
6,108 eligible electors, turnout 44.07%

On October 30, 1957 a stand-alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive debate in the legislature. The plebiscite was intended to deal with the growing demand for reforming antiquated liquor control laws.[3]

The plebiscite was conducted in two parts. Question A, asked in all districts, asked the voters if the sale of liquor should be expanded in Alberta, while Question B, asked in a handful of districts within the corporate limits of Calgary and Edmonton, asked if men and women should be allowed to drink together in establishments.[2]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Bruce voted against the proposal by an overwhelming margin. The voter turnout in the district was almost equal to the province wide average of 46%.[2]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[2] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not consider the results binding.[4] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[5]

Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the plebiscite such as Bruce were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones. Business owners who wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.[6]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Alberta provincial electoral districts

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Election results for Bruce". abheritage.ca. Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2020.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
2. ^ a b c d Alberta Gazette. Vol. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2, 247–2, 249.
3. ^ "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
4. ^ "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
5. ^ "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1968. p. 1.
6. ^ "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Office of the Chief Electoral Officer; Legislative Assembly Office (2006). A Century of Democracy: Elections of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, 1905-2005. The Centennial Series. Edmonton, AB: Legislative Assembly of Alberta. ISBN 0-9689217-8-7. Retrieved May 25, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Elections Alberta
* The Legislative Assembly of Alberta

* v
* t
* e

Former Alberta provincial electoral districts

North|

* Athabasca
* Athabasca-Lac La Biche
* Athabasca-Redwater
* Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater
* Athabasca-Wabasca
* Barrhead
* Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock
* Barrhead-Westlock
* Beaver River
* Bonnyville
* Bonnyville-Cold Lake
* Clearwater
* Dunvegan
* Dunvegan-Central Peace
* Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley
* Edson
* Fort McMurray
* Fort McMurray-Conklin
* Grande Prairie-Smoky
* Grouard
* Lac La Biche
* Lac La Biche-McMurray
* Lac La Biche-St. Paul
* Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills
* Pakan
* Pembina
* Redwater
* Redwater-Andrew
* Smoky River
* Spirit River
* Spirit River-Fairview
* Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert
* St. Paul
* Sturgeon
* Victoria
* Westlock-Sturgeon
* Whitecourt
* Whitecourt-Ste. Anne
* Whitford

Edmonton|

* Edmonton
* Edmonton-Avonmore
* Edmonton-Belmont
* Edmonton-Beverly
* Edmonton-Beverly-Belmont
* Edmonton-Calder
* Edmonton-Centre
* Edmonton East
* Edmonton-Glengarry
* Edmonton-Highlands
* Edmonton-Highlands-Beverly
* Edmonton-Jasper Place
* Edmonton-Kingsway
* Edmonton-Mayfield
* Edmonton-Meadowlark
* Edmonton-Mill Creek
* Edmonton North
* Edmonton North East
* Edmonton-Norwood
* Edmonton-Ottewell
* Edmonton-Parkallen
* Edmonton-Roper
* Edmonton-Sherwood Park
* Edmonton West
* Jasper West
* Strathcona
* Strathcona Centre
* Strathcona East
* Strathcona South
* Strathcona West

Central|

* Acadia
* Acadia-Coronation
* Alexandra
* Battle River-Wainwright
* Bruce
* Chinook
* Clover Bar
* Clover Bar-Fort Saskatchewan
* Didsbury
* Drayton Valley
* Drayton Valley-Calmar
* Drumheller
* Drumheller-Chinook
* Drumheller-Gleichen
* Gleichen
* Hand Hills
* Hand Hills-Acadia
* Hanna-Oyen
* Innisfail
* Lac Ste. Anne
* Lacombe
* Lacombe-Stettler
* Leduc
* Leduc-Beaumont-Devon
* Lloydminster
* Olds
* Olds-Didsbury
* Ponoka
* Ponoka-Rimbey
* Red Deer
* Ribstone
* Rocky Mountain House
* Sedgewick
* Sedgewick-Coronation
* Spruce Grove-St. Albert
* Stettler
* Stony Plain
* Three Hills
* Three Hills-Airdrie
* Vegreville
* Vegreville-Bruce
* Vegreville-Viking
* Vermilion
* Vermilion-Lloydminster
* Vermilion-Viking
* Wainwright
* Wetaskiwin
* Wetaskiwin-Camrose
* Wetaskiwin-Leduc
* Willingdon
* Willingdon-Two Hills

Calgary|

* Calgary
* Calgary Bowness
* Calgary Centre
* Calgary-Egmont
* Calgary-Forest Lawn
* Calgary-Fort
* Calgary-Hawkwood
* Calgary-Mackay
* Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill
* Calgary-McKnight
* Calgary-Millican
* Calgary-Montrose
* Calgary-North Hill
* Calgary-Nose Creek
* Calgary-Nose Hill
* Calgary Queens Park
* Calgary South
* Calgary Victoria Park
* Centre Calgary
* North Calgary
* South Calgary

South|

* Airdrie
* Airdrie-Chestermere
* Airdrie-Rocky View
* Banff
* Banff-Cochrane
* Bow Valley
* Bow Valley-Empress
* Cardston
* Cardston-Chief Mountain
* Cardston-Taber-Warner
* Chestermere-Rocky View
* Claresholm
* Cochrane
* Coronation
* Cypress
* Cypress-Redcliff
* Empress
* Foothills-Rocky View
* High River
* Lethbridge
* Lethbridge City
* Lethbridge District
* Little Bow
* Macleod
* Medicine Hat
* Medicine Hat-Redcliff
* Nanton
* Nanton-Claresholm
* Okotoks
* Okotoks-High River
* Pincher Creek
* Pincher Creek-Crowsnest
* Pincher Creek-Macleod
* Redcliff
* Rocky Mountain
* Rosebud
* Strathmore-Brooks
* Taber
* Warner

* v
* t
* e

Elections and referendums in Alberta

General elections|

* 1905
* 1909
* 1913
* 1917
* 1921
* 1926
* 1930
* 1935
* 1940
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1955
* 1959
* 1963
* 1967
* 1971
* 1975
* 1979
* 1982
* 1986
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023
* Next

By-elections|

* 26th Alberta Legislature (2004–2008)
* 27th Alberta Legislature (2008–2012)
* 28th Legislature (2012–2015)
* 29th Legislature (2015–2019)

Senate nominee elections|

* 1989
* 1998
* 2004
* 2012
* 2021

Municipal elections|

* 1968
* 1971
* 1974
* 1977
* 1980
* 1983
* 1986
* 1989
* 1992
* 1995
* 1998
* 2001
* 2004
* 2007
* 2010
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021

Referendums|

* 1915
* 1920
* 1923
* 1948
* 1957
* 1967
* 1971
* 2021

* See also: Elections in Canada

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