Edmonton_Town_Council

Edmonton City Council

Edmonton City Council

Governing body in Alberta, Canada

The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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Council chambers at the Edmonton City Hall

Edmonton currently has one mayor and twelve city councillors. Elections are held every four years. The most recent was held in 2021, and the next is in 2025. The mayor is elected across the whole city, through the First Past the Post plurality voting system. Councillors are elected one per ward, a division of the city, through the First Past the Post plurality voting system.

On July 22, 2009, City Council voted to change the electoral system of six 2-seat wards to a system of 12 single-member wards. Each ward is represented by a single councillor. The changes took effect in the 2010 election. In the 2010 election, Edmonton was divided into 12 wards each electing one councillor. Before 2010, the city at different times used a variety of electoral systems for the election of its councillors: at-large elections with Block Voting; two different systems of wards, using Block Voting system (when mayor was elected through First past the post); and at-large elections using Single Transferable Voting (when the mayor was elected through Alternative Voting).[1]

In May 2019, Edmonton's Ward Boundary Commission began reviewing the geographical boundaries of the city's wards.[2][3] The final report was delivered on May 25, 2020.[4] On December 7, 2020, Bylaw 19366[5] was passed which included the new geographical boundaries and new Indigenous ward names.[6] The Indigenous ward names were determined by the Committee of Indigenous Matriarchs[7][8] and came into effect on October 18, 2021, the date of the 2021 municipal election. The Committee of Indigenous Matriarchs, also referred to as the naming committee, was composed of 17 women representing communities from treaty territories 6, 7 and 8, along with Métis and Inuit representation.[9][7]

Councils

Since 2021

In 2021, the twelve ward boundaries were modified and given indigenous names in place of numbers.

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From 2010 until 2021

In 2010, Edmonton adopted a ward system in which one councillor was elected from each of twelve wards through first past the post. (This was the first time in the history of Edmonton that councillors were elected one by one through first past the post.)

The mayor was elected from the city at-large through first past the post.

In 2010, council was elected to serve three years. In 2013 and 2017 they were elected to serve for four years.

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From 1980 until 2010

In 1980, Edmonton adopted a ward system in which two councillors (aldermen until 1995) were elected from each of six wards through Plurality block voting. These wards were more organic (based on natural boundaries and divisions within the city) than the previous four-ward system.

The mayor was elected at-large through first past the post. Those elected served for three years.

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From 1971 until 1980

In 1971, Edmonton adopted a ward system in which three aldermen were elected from each of four wards through Plurality block voting. Each ward was a north–south slice of the city so each contained territories on both sides of the river.

Mayor was elected through first past the post.

Still the mayor and the councillors were to serve for three years.

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1968

The 1968 Edmonton city election was different from the one before and the one after. Like the 1966 election the mayor and all the city councillors were up for election, councillors elected at large through Block Voting. Mayor elected through first past the post.

Unlike 1968 they were to serve for three years.

In 1968 Alberta's legislation had been changed to require elections every three years in all of the province's municipalities.

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From 1964 until 1966

In 1964 two new aldermanic positions were added, bringing the total to twelve. As well Edmonton unstaggered its terms for city officials, meaning that all the council seats would be up for election each election, held every two years. In preparation for this, in 1964 the mayor and all aldermanic positions up for re-election were elected to one-year terms. All aldermen continued to be elected at-large through block voting, mayor through first past the post.

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From 1948 until 1963

In 1948, the mayor began to be elected for a two-year term. the mayor was elected through first past the post.

Annual elections were still used to elect half the council each year through Plurality block voting at-large (no wards). The council continued to be elected at-large to staggered two-year terms until 1963, when the council seats up for election were filled just for one year (to prepare for the change in 1964 to all seats being up for election each election.

From 1912 to 1960, seats were guaranteed to southsiders. The guaranteed representation for the southside was cancelled after a 1960 referendum. (But in 1971 with the introduction of wards altogether south of the river, southside representation was re-established.)

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From 1928 until 1947

In this period, following a referendum in 1927, the city returned to using block voting to elect councillors at-large (in one city-wide district). Aldermen continued to be elected on staggered two-year terms.

The mayor was elected every year to a one-year term through first past the post.

There was still guaranteed minimum representation for the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. This number increased over time. It was two until 1936, and three thereafter.

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From 1923 until 1927

In this period, following a successful referendum in 1922, the city used Single Transferable Voting, a form of proportional representation, to elect councillors. The effect was that no one party took all the seats up for election. Alternative Voting was used to elect mayors to ensure that the successful candidate had to have a majority of the votes to win (but no transfer took place if only two candidates ran for the post or if one candidate took a majority on the first count).

The southside still had guaranteed representation, of at least two councillors. The mayor continued to be elected annually, and aldermen continued to be elected to staggered two-year terms, with half up for election each year.

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From 1912 until 1922

As part of the amalgamation agreement between the cities of Edmonton and Strathcona south of the river in 1912, council was expanded to ten members and adopted guaranteed representation, of at least two seats, for the south side. (Wards were not established, but at least two southsiders had to be elected.)

The mayor continued to be elected annually through first past the post, and aldermen continued to be elected to staggered two-year terms, through Plurality block voting.

Izena Ross, elected in 1921, was the first woman to serve on council.

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From 1904 until 1911

Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904. The size of council was set at eight alderman plus the mayor, with the mayor being elected annually through first past the post and the aldermen being elected at-large (no wards) on staggered two-year terms, with half the seats filled each year through Plurality block voting.

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Edmonton Town Council

From 1898 until 1904

The Edmonton Town Council was the governing body of Edmonton, Northwest Territories, from 1892 until 1904, when Edmonton was incorporated as a city and the council became Edmonton City Council. Throughout its history it included a mayor and six aldermen.

The mayor was elected annually throughout the town's history, but beginning in 1898 they were elected to staggered two-year terms, with half of them elected each year.

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From 1892 until 1898

The mayor and aldermen were elected annually from 1892 to 1898.

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Notes

  1. [1]
    Rek, Municipal elections in Edmonton
  2. [2]
    "Ward Boundary Review". Engaged Edmonton. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  3. [3]
    Edmonton, City of (2020-04-15). "Ward Boundary Review". www.edmonton.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  4. [4]
    Ward Boundaries Commission (May 25, 2020). "Toward More Effective Representation: The Final Report of the Ward Boundary Commission" (PDF). City of Edmonton. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-09-28.
  5. [5]
    "The City of Edmonton Bylaw 19366" (PDF). December 7, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-10-10.
  6. [6]
    Edmonton, City of (2021-01-20). "Ward Boundary Review". www.edmonton.ca. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  7. [7]
    Edmonton, City of (2021-01-20). "Indigenous Ward Naming Knowledge Committee". www.edmonton.ca. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  8. [8]
    Thompson, Jeremy (2020-09-21). "Council approves Indigenous names for Edmonton's wards". CTV News Edmonton. Archived from the original on 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  9. [9]
    Cook, Dustin (2020-09-18). "'A return to the history': Indigenous names recommended for Edmonton's 12 new wards effective 2021 election". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  10. [10]
    "2017 Election - Official Results". www.edmonton.ca. City of Edmonton. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  11. [11]
    Brian Mason resigned June 30, 2000 owing to his election to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. His seat was left vacant until the next election.
  12. [12]
    Dick Mather died August 13, 1997. His seat was left vacant until the next election.
  13. [13]
    Bethel was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1993 federal election, and was replaced on Council by Sherry McKibben in a 1994 by-election.
  14. [14]
    In 1988, Laurence Decore resigned as mayor to become leader of the Alberta Liberal Party. Terry Cavanagh was selected by council to finish his term. Cavanagh's ward 6 seat was left vacant until the next election.
  15. [15]
    In 1984, Bettie Hewes was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. A 1984 by-election selected Ken Kozak to replace her.
  16. [16]
    William Hawrelak died November 7, 1975, and council selected Terry Cavanagh to complete his term. Cavanagh's ward 4 seat was left vacant until the next election.
  17. [17]
    Julia Kiniski died October 11, 1969. Her son, Julian Kinisky, was elected in a 1970 by-election to replace her.
  18. [18]
    Though officials elected in 1967 were elected to two-year terms, these terms were truncated by provincial legislation.
  19. [19]
    Frank Edwards died September 18, 1967. His seat was left vacant until the next election.
  20. [20]
    William Hawrelak was ousted from office March 11, 1965, and Vincent M. Dantzer was selected to serve out his term. Dantzer's aldermanic seat was left vacant until the next election
  21. [21]
    William Henning was elected for a one-year term to fill the seat vacated by J F Falconer
  22. [22]
    J F Falconer was elected to the Alberta Liquor Board and resigned his seat September 23, 1958. It was left vacant until the next election.
  23. [23]
    William Hawrelak resigned September 9, 1959. Frederick John Mitchell was appointed mayor by council. His aldermanic seat was left vacant until the next election.
  24. [24]
    Hu Harries was elected for a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Richmond Francis Hanna's resignation.
  25. [25]
    Richmond Francis Hanna was elected to the House of Commons of Canada and resigned from council. His seat was left vacant until the next election.
  26. [26]
    Edwin Clarke was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Sidney Parsons' election as mayor.
  27. [27]
    Harold Tanner was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat left vacant by Ethel Browne's resignation.
  28. [28]
    Ethel Browne resigned September 23, 1946 owing to ill health. Her seat was left vacant until the next election.
  29. [29]
    Charles Gariepy was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat left by Frederick Casselman's resignation.
  30. [30]
    Blair Paterson was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat left by Douglas Grout's resignation.
  31. [31]
    Frederick Casselman resigned October 23, 1940. His seat was left vacant until the next election.
  32. [32]
    Douglas Grout resigned October 30, 1940. His seat was left vacant until the next election.
  33. [33]
    Blair Paterson was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat resulting from John Wesley Fry's election as mayor.
  34. [34]
    Athelstand Bissett was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat vacated by Rice Sheppard when he resigned to run for mayor.
  35. [35]
    Charles Gibbs died in September 1934. His seat was left vacant until the next election two months later.
  36. [36]
    Rice Sheppard was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat left vacant by John Bowen's resignation to run for mayor.
  37. [37]
    L S C Dineen was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by James McCrie Douglas's resignation.
  38. [38]
    Alfred Farmilo and Charles Robson were elected to one-year terms to fill the vacancies left by Joseph Clarke and James Collisson's resignations.
  39. [39]
    William Rea was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Ambrose Bury's election to mayor.
  40. [40]
    Valentine Richards was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Bickerton Pratt's resignation.
  41. [41]
    Kenneth Alexander Blatchford and Izena Ross were elected to one-year terms to fill the vacancies left by the resignations of W C McArthur and Andrew McLennan
  42. [42]
    Samuel McCoppen was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of J. A. Kinney
  43. [43]
    The 1920 council, elected partly in 1918 and partly in 1919, was the first Edmonton council dominated by Labour. Mayor was Joe Clarke who had pro-labour leanings.
  44. [44]
    Charles Grant was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Charles Wilson
  45. [45]
    Henri Martin was elected to fill the vacancy left by James Macfie MacDonald's resignation.
  46. [46]
    Samuel McCoppen was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Thomas Bellamy's resignation.
  47. [47]
    J. A. Kinney was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of James Macfie MacDonald
  48. [48]
    W C McArthur was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Alexander Campbell
  49. [49]
    William McNamara and James East were expelled from office by the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench for voting on a matter in which they had a pecuniary interest. James Macfie MacDonald was appointed to fulfill East's term, while the office of mayor was left vacant until the next election.
  50. [50]
    Hugh Calder, Joseph Clarke, James East, Gustave May, and Herman McInnes were elected to one-year terms in order to set up the staggered council terms.
  51. [51]
    Charles Gowan resigned May 14, 1912 and was replaced by Alexander Livingstone, who was elected in a by-election June 7 of that year to serve the remainder of Gowan's two-year term.
  52. [52]
    Herman McInnes resigned May 7, 1912 and was replaced by James Macfie MacDonald, who was elected in a 1912 by-election to serve the remainder of McInnes's one-year term.
  53. [53]
    James McKinley was elected to a one-year term to replace George S. Armstrong (who had been elected mayor), but resigned in 1911 to protest the firing of two city commissioners, and was himself replaced in a 1911 by-election by Thomas Bellamy.
  54. [54]
    Andrew Agar and Daniel Fraser were elected to fill the vacancies left by the resignations of Robert Lee and Thomas Bellamy, who had both resigned to run for mayor.
  55. [55]
    Herman McInnes was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by Thomas Fraser, who resigned.
  56. [56]
    Morton MacAuley was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by William Antrobus Griesbach when he ran for mayor, but Macauley himself resigned August 6, 1907 and was replaced by George Manuel who was elected in a 1907 by-election.
  57. [57]
    James Walker resigned and the ensuing vacancy was filled by Daniel Fraser who was appointed by council to fill the remainder of Walker's two-year term.
  58. [58]
    John Boyle resigned May 7, 1906 and was replaced in a by-election by John Calhoun.
  59. [59]
    Charles May and Kenneth McLeod resigned and were replaced by David Latta and Robert Mays, who fulfilled the remainder of their two-year terms.
  60. [60]
    In order to set up the staggered elections, William Clark, Daniel Fraser, William Antrobus Griesbach, and Joseph Henri Picard were elected to one-year terms.
  61. [61]
    Henry Goodridge was elected to a one-year term to fill the seat vacated by James Blowey.
  62. [62]
    Henry Goodridge was elected to a one-year term to fill the same seat as he had previously been acclaimed to fill, but resigned February 20, 1901. It remained vacant until the next election.
  63. [63]
    Henry Goodridge was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy resulting from Kenneth W. MacKenzie's election to mayor.
  64. [64]
    Colin Strang's seat was declared vacant October 9, 1900 and James Blowey was elected by acclamation to fill it until the next election (though not for Strang's full two-year term).
  65. [65]
    In order to achieve the staggered terms, Alfred Brown, Joseph Henri Picard, and Richard Secord were elected to one-year terms.
  66. [66]
    Thomas Bellamy and Herbert Charles Wilson resigned October 9, 1896 over a dispute over town funds. Cornelius Gallagher was elected in an October 27 by-election to serve the rest of Wilson's term, while Alfred Brown was appointed by council to fulfill Bellamy's.
  67. [67]
    Isaac Cowie resigned July 7, 1896. Council appointed George Sanderson to serve the remainder of his term.
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