# Alberni (electoral district)

Alberni was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It originally appeared in the 1890 election and then, after being merged into Cowichan-Alberni for the 1894 election, was renamed Alberni riding in the election of 1898. The riding lasted by that name until 1933 and 1937, when the name Alberni-Nanaimo was used. In 1941 the Alberni riding name was restored. After a redistribution, the area became part of the riding of Alberni-Qualicum.

## Electoral history

Note: Winners in each election are in bold.
6th 1890 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Thomas Fletcher | 29 | 70.73% | – | unknown |
| | Government | John C. Mollett | 12 | 29.27% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 41 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
In the seventh general election of 1894, the Alberni riding was merged with the Cowichan riding to form Cowichan-Alberni. The separate riding names were restored for the 1898 election.
8th 1898 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | George Albert Huff | 70 | 39.33% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Alan Webster Neill | 108 | 60.67% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 178 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
9th 1900 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive | Alan Webster Neill | 108 | 54.55% |
| | Government | James Redford | 57 | 28.79% |
| | Conservative-Opposition | James Bain Thomson | 33 | 16.67% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 198 | 100.00% |
10th 1903 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Robert Hume F. Hickey | 102 | 24.17% | unknown |
| | Liberal | William Wallace Burns McInnes | 320 | 75.83% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 422 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
11th British Columbia election, 1907 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Harlan Carey Brewster | 236 | 48.86% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | James Cartwright | 43 | 8.90% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | William Manson | 204 | 42.24% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 483 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
12th British Columbia election, 1909 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Harlan Carey Brewster | 293 | 53.37% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Arthur David Morgan | 256 | 46.63% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 549 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
13th British Columbia election, 1912 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | John George Corry Wood | Accl. | - % | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | n/a | - % |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
14th British Columbia election, 1916 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Harlan Carey Brewster | 393 | 39.26% | unknown |
| | Independent | Alan Webster Neill | 253 | 25.27% | unknown |
| | Conservative | John George Corry Wood | 355 | 35.46% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,001 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
vte1920 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Richard John Burde | 841 | 43.94 |
| | Soldier–Farmer | Noel Ernest Money | 675 | 35.27 |
| | Liberal | Henri Evariste Langis | 398 | 20.79 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,914 | 100.00 |
16th British Columbia election, 1924 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Independent Liberal | Richard John Burde | 828 | 42.48% |
| | Conservative | James Cameron Johnstone | 339 | 17.39% | unknown |
| | Provincial | Charles Arthur McNaughton | 782 | 40.13% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,949 | 100.00% |
vte1928 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Laurence Arnold Hanna | 1,208 | 48.71 |
| | Conservative | Percy Rushton | 1,022 | 41.21 |
| | Independent Labour | Thomas Albert Bernard | 250 | 10.08 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,480 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 34 |
Alberni riding disappeared with redistribution following the 1928 election. Its successor in the 1933 and 1937 elections was Alberni-Nanaimo. For the 1941 election the Alberni riding was restored:
vte1941 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | James Mowat | 2,067 | 49.17 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Thomas Albert Bernard | 1,903 | 45.27 |
| | Independent Labour | Alex Harvey Rowan | 234 | 5.57 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,204 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 56 |
21st British Columbia election, 1945 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Thomas Speakman Barnett | 1,258 | 31.83% | | unknown |
| | Labor-Progressive | Alfred Dewhurst | 559 | 14.14% | | unknown |
| | Coalition | James Mowat | 2,135 | 54.02% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3,952 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 74 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
22nd British Columbia election, 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Coalition | Thomas Wellington Christie | 1,638 | 21.33% | – | unknown |
| | Labor-Progressive | Nigel Morgan | 622 | 8.10% | | unknown |
| | Independent | James Mowat | 3,290 | 42.84 % | | unknown |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Jack Whittall | 2,129 | 27.72% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,679 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 200 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
23rd British Columbia election, 1952 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pitt Clayton | 1,204 | 15.03% | - | - % | unknown |
| | Labor-Progressive | Alfred Dewhurst | 196 | 2.45% | - | -.- % |
| | Liberal | James Mowat | 2,176 | 27.17 % | 3,030 | 42.77% | unknown |
| | Social Credit League | Jack Shulz | 1,366 | 17.06% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Stanley John Squire | 3,067 | 38.29% | 4,054 | 57.23% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,009 | 100.00% | 7,084 | | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 246 | | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | % | | | | |
| $^1$ Preferential ballot. First and final of four counts shown only. |||||||
24thd British Columbia election, 1953 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | % | ±% |
| | Labor-Progressive | Frank Wendell Bottner | 139 | 1.92% | - | -.- % |
| | Liberal | Loran Kendall Jordon | 2,022 | 27.95% | 2,811 | 43.07% | unknown |
| | Social Credit | Thorwald Melanchton Peterson | 1,637 | 22.63% |
| | Conservative | Oliver James Ruttan | 320 | 4.42% | - | - % |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Stanley John Squire | 3,116 | 43.07% | 3,715 | 56.93% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,234 | 100.00% | 6,526 | | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 336 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^1$ Preferential ballot. First and final of four counts shown only. |||||||
25th British Columbia election, 1956 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | William James Carr | 1,894 | 28.51% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Norman Leslie McKinnon | 1,388 | 20.89% | | unknown |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Stanley John Squire | 3,362 | 50.60% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,644 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 80 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
26th British Columbia election, 1960 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Eric Frederick Duncan | 2,966 | 32.65% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Ronald George Lyon | 514 | 5.66% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Alexander McKenzie | 1,305 | 14.36% | | unknown |
| | Communist | Mark Fullmore Mosher | 207 | 2.28% | | unknown |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Stanley John Squire | 4,093 | 45.05% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,085 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 315 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
27th British Columbia election, 1963 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Eric Frederick Duncan | 3,506 | 39.72% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Edward John (Jack) Luckhurst | 1,071 | 12.13% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Stanley John Squire | 4,249 | 48.14% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,826 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 68 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
28th British Columbia election, 1966 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Howard Richmond McDiarmid | 6,039 | 55.55% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | George McLean | 511 | 4.70% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Stanley John Squire | 4,321 | 39.75% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 10,871 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 95 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
29th British Columbia election, 1969 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Howard Richmond McDiarmid | 7,209 | 47.08% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Eugene Edward Romaniuk | 1,424 | 9.30% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Stanley John Squire | 6,680 | 43.62% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,313 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 131 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
30th British Columbia election, 1972 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Wayne Albert Ramsey Cathers | 2,272 | 12.92% | | unknown |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Johnstone | 4,985 | 28.36% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Robert Evans Skelly | 9,439 | 53.69% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Edna Delthene Souther | 883 | 5.02% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 17,579 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 251 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
31st British Columbia election, 1975 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Charles Ormond Haggard | 7,988 | 40.01% | – | unknown |
| | Communist | Charles Ormond Haggard | 84 | 0.42% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Cecile Marie T. McKinnon | 1,018 | 5.10% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Allan Arthur Schroeder | 1,278 | 6.40% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Robert Evans Skelly | 9,599 | 48.07% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 19,967 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 226 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
32nd British Columbia election, 1979 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Robert Evans Skelly | 7,935 | 57.63% | | unknown |
| | Communist | Gary William Swann | 97 | 0.71% | | unknown |
| | Social Credit | Joseph Van Bergen | 5,736 | 41.66% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 13,768 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 201 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
33rd British Columbia election, 1983 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Alice Chiko | 5,496 | 37.34% | – | unknown |
| | Western Canada Concept | Michael Thomas Gaughan | 291 | 1.98% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Susan Patricia Hutchinson | 183 | 1.24% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Robert Evans Skelly | 8,656 | 58.81% | | unknown |
| | Communist | Gary William Swann | 92 | 0.63% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 14,718 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 244 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
1986 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Green | Ronald Daniel Craigie Aspinall | 87 | 0.56% |
| | Liberal | William F. Mosdell | 377 | 2.43% |
| | New Democratic | Robert Evans Skelly | 8,597 | 55.29% |
| | Social Credit | Gillian Trumper | 6,487 | 41.72% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,548 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 304 |
vteBritish Columbia provincial by-election, November 19, 1988 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Gerard A. Janssen | 6,401 | 57.47 | +2.18 |
| | Social Credit | George S. Dryden | 3,096 | 27.80 | −13.92 |
| | Liberal | Shirley M. Bonfield | 1,640 | 14.73 | +12.3 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 11,137 | 100.0 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 136 | 0.38 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,273 | | |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | +8.05 |
| By-election due to the Resignation of Robert Skelly to run for the Canadian House of Commons. |||||||
| Source(s) "November 19, 1988 By-election" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. November 19, 1988. Retrieved January 19, 2017. |||||||
vte1991 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Gerard A. Janssen | 7,136 | 53.39 | -4.08 |
| | Social Credit | Gillian Trumper | 3,665 | 27.43 | -0.37 |
| | Liberal | Peter J. Tanner | 2,358 | 17.64 | +2.91 |
| | Western Canada Concept | Alan W. Banford | 206 | 1.54 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 13,365 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 372 | 0.27 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,737 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | -2.23 |
vte1996 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Gerard A. Janssen | 7,398 | 52.01 | -1.38 |
| | Liberal | Gillian Trumper | 5,099 | 35.85 | +18.21 |
| | Reform | V. Hansen | 823 | 5.79 | – |
| | Progressive Democrat | Ingrid Helen Rebar | 578 | 4.06 | – |
| | Green | Andre Sperling | 195 | 1.37 | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Karl Angus | 72 | 0.51 | – |
| | Natural Law | Kathleen Lapreyrouse | 58 | 0.41 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 14,223 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 86 | 0.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,309 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | +9.80 |
The riding was redistributed after the 1996 election. The main successor riding is Alberni-Qualicum.

## Sources

Elections BC historical returns
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia :
| Preceded byVancouver City | Constituency represented by the Premier of British Columbia 1916–1918 | Succeeded byDewdney |