Willingdon | |
Province: | Alberta |
Prov-Status: | defunct |
Prov-Created: | 1940 |
Prov-Abolished: | 1967 |
Prov-Election-First: | 1940 |
Prov-Election-Last: | 1963 |
Willingdon 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]
Willingdon was created in 1940 when Victoria and Whitford were split between this district and Redwater and Vegreville
The riding expanded south in 1963 when Vegreville merged with Bruce, to form Vegreville-Bruce. Due to the expanded boundaries the riding name was changed to Willingdon-Two Hills.
District results from the first province wide plebiscite on electricity regulation.
1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Willingdon[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 | % | ||
bgcolor=green | Yes | 1,400 | 76.63% | |
bgcolor=red | No | 427 | 23.37% | |
align=right colspan=2 | Total votes | 1,827 | 100% | |
align=right colspan=2 | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 19 | ||
5,979 eligible electors, turnout 30.88% |
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. Willingdon voted in favour of the proposal with one of the largest percentages in the province. Voter turnout in the district was one of the worst in the province, barely topping 30%, significantly below 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 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]