# 1914 Calgary municipal election

The 1914 Calgary municipal election took place on December 14, 1914 to elect a Mayor to a one year term and six Aldermen on a two-year term, to sit on the thirtieth Calgary City Council. Additionally a Commissioner, members for the Public School Board, members for the Separate School Board, two borrowing bylaws and a plebiscite on church taxation were included on the ballot.
There were six Alderman positions contested for a two-year term for the election as Edward Henry Crandell, Harold William Hounsfield Riley, Stanley Gordon Freeze, Thomas Alfred Presswood Frost, and William Ross Sr. were elected for two-year terms in 1913.

## Background

The election was held under multiple non-transferable vote where each elector was able to cast a ballot for the mayor, commissioner and six ballots for Aldermen who were elected at-large with the city as one large district. Half of Calgary's twelve Aldermen were elected to two year terms each year.
Three votes on a question were present during the election, two borrowing bylaws to purchase the stockyards for $240,000 and contraction of a Fourth Street West subway below the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks for $195,147 both failed to garner the two-thirds support necessary. A Plebiscite on the taxation of church property failed to garner the required support of half of voters.
Voting franchise was open to all men or women listed on the city's assessment roll with real property valued over $400.
A single one-year alderman position was opened on council following Costello's resignation halfway through his two year term to run for mayor. The one-year alderman term was to be a separate ballot; however, on nomination day on December 7, 1914, Douglas Ralph Crichton was the only candidate to file a nomination for the position. Crichton was subsequently elected by acclamation for the one-year term.

## Results
### Mayor

| Candidate | Votes |
| Michael Copps Costello | 4,019 |
| William George Hunt | 2,219 |
| Alexander Allan | 820 |

### Commissioner

| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| James Hay Garden | 3,923 | |
| Adoniram Judson Samis | 3,057 | |

### Councillors

| Candidate | Votes |
| Isaac Gideon Ruttle | 4,536 |
| James Abel Hornby | 4,486 |
| John Leslie Jennison | 4,361 |
| John William Mitchell | 4,460 |
| Arthur Walter Ellson Fawkes | 3,977 |
| John Sidney Arnold | 3,820 |
| George J. Bryan | 3,676 |
| S.J. Blair | 2,635 |
| James Smalley | 2,899 |
| J. Rae | 2,772 |
| Robert John Tallon | 2,763 |

## School board trustee
### Public school board

| Candidate | Votes |
| John Thomas MacDonald | 4,578 |
| George William Kerby | 4,233 |
| William McCartney Davidson | 4,007 |
| J.H. Birch | 3,729 |
| Alex Ross | 3,504 |
| James A. Walker | 2,922 |
| Robert Eldon Campbell | 2,820 |
| James Short | 2,386 |
| J. Webster | 1,432 |

### Separate school board

| Candidate | Votes |
| J.B. Creagon | 330 |
| George Demetrio Venini | 235 |
| F.J. Conroy | 182 |
| G.J. Calhoun | |

## Plebiscite
### Stockyard purchase

Bylaw proposing to purchase the stockyards for $240,000, requiring two-thirds of eligible voters.
* For - 2,655
* Against - 2,165

### Fourth street subway

Construction of a subway below the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks at Fourth Street West for $195,147, requiring two-thirds of eligible voters.
* For - 2,769
* Against - 2,049

### Taxation of church property

Plebiscite on taxation of church property, requiring a majority of eligible electors.
* For - 2,867
* Against - 3,571