# 1909 Toronto municipal election

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 1, 1909. Joseph Oliver was easily re-elected to his second term as Mayor of Toronto. One of the central issues of the campaign was whether the city should construct a bridge over the Don River connecting Bloor Street to Danforth Avenue. A referendum was held as part of the vote, and the bridge was approved. It would be built as the Prince Edward Viaduct.

## Toronto mayor

Oliver had been elected in the 1908 election, and was easily reelected while facing no serious opposition.

### Results

    Joseph Oliver (incumbent) - 27,128
    Thomas Davies - 8,127
    James Lindala - 1,735
    Joel Marvin Briggs - 327

## Board of Control

The election was accompanied by a referendum on reducing the number of licensed bars in the city by 40. The measure passed, but in a surprise upset Controller Frank S. Spence, who was the strongest advocate for the measure, was defeated. His place on the Toronto Board of Control was taken by former Alderman George Reginald Geary who had been defeated by Oliver for Mayor the year previously. Alderman James Hales also tried to gain a seat on the board.
    George Reginald Geary - 20,136
    Horatio Clarence Hocken (incumbent) - 17,630
    J.J. Ward (incumbent) - 15,782
    William Spence Harrison (incumbent) - 14,037
    Frank S. Spence (incumbent) - 13,296
    William Peyton Hubbard - 11,391
    James Hales - 8,462
    Robert Buist Noble - 1,393
    James O'Hara - 808

## City council

Three aldermen were elected to Toronto City Council per ward.

### Ward 1 (Riverdale)

    Daniel Chisholm (incumbent) - 2,104
    Zephaniah Hilton - 1,836
    Andrew McMillan - 1,824
    Thomas N. Phelan - 1,748
    William Temple Stewart (incumbent) - 1,392
    William J. Saunderson (incumbent) - 1,246
    Robert Fleming - 1,039
    John Macpherson Ross - 912
    William Totten - 488
    William Worrell - 472
    John Linden - 213

### Ward 2 (Cabbagetown and Rosedale)

    Tommy Church (incumbent) - 2,776
    John O'Neill - 2,496
    Thomas Foster (incumbent) - 1,981
    John Noble - 1,421
    Robert Yeomans - 1,241
    William Norton Eastwood - 916
    Ewart Farquahar - 517
    William Alexander Douglas - 502
    Frederick Hogg - 359
    Richard Wallace - 328

### Ward 3 (Central Business District and The Ward)

    Mark Bredin (incumbent) - 2,989
    John Wilson Bengough (incumbent) - 2,630
    Charles A. Maguire - 2,488
    Sam McBride (incumbent) - 2,391
    Oliver B. Sheppard - 2,309
    Stewart Nassau Hughes - 1,323
    Louis Gurofsky - 660
    John Kirk - 519
    Thomas Egan - 509
    Paul Levi - 298

### Ward 4 (Kensington Market and Garment District)

    George McMurrich (incumbent) - 3,599
    R.C. Vaughan (incumbent) - 2,173
    Albert Welch - 2,974
    James Brandon - 2,735
    Thomas Alexander Lytle (incumbent) - 2,248

### Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods)

    Robert Henry Graham (incumbent) - 3,191
    John Dunn - 2,933
    Albert James Keeler (incumbent) - 2,946
    Peter Whytock (incumbent) - 2,626
    Joseph May - 2,213
    John L. Richardson - 1,357
    Robert William Dockeray - 1,792
    Thomas Gillies - 519
    Frederick Jenkins - 509

### Ward 6 (Brockton and Parkdale)

    James Henry McGhie (incumbent) - 3,453
    John James Graham (incumbent) - 3,043
    J.H. Adams (incumbent) - 2,456
    Fred McBrien - 2,444
    James Arthur McCausland - 2,273
    William Hodgson - 754
    Thomas Mathison - 578

## Creation of Ward 7

The City of West Toronto was annexed on May 1, 1909 and became Ward 7. Due to its smaller size it had only two aldermen. A by-election was held on May 29, 1909.

### Ward 7

    A.J. Anderson - 777
    William Alexander Baird - 603
    Samuel Ryding - 363
    Jesse C. Smith - 337
    Joseph S. Bull - 282