# 1903 Toronto municipal election

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 5, 1903. In the mayoral election, Alderman Thomas Urquhart defeated incumbent Mayor Oliver Aiken Howland, who was attempting to win a third term in office. Urquhart's platform included operating the telephone and gas systems under city management. Urquhart had the support of the Toronto Trades and Labour Council. Alderman Lamb came in third.
(In 1903 the Ontario legislature passed a law requiring municipal boards of control to be chosen through direct election by the municipality's voters. But this law did not take effect on the Toronto city administration until 1904.)

## Toronto mayor
### Results

    Alderman Thomas Urquhart - 8,634
    Oliver Aiken Howland (incumbent) - 7,887
    Alderman Daniel Lamb - 6,473
    Christopher C. Robinson - 914
    Charles Christopher Woodley - 428
Source: and

## Board of Control

1903 was the last year in which the Toronto Board of Control, the executive body of Toronto City Council was not directly elected. At the first council meeting following the general election, council chose Aldermen Loudon, Oliver, Burns and Richardson to sit on the body, which was chaired by the Mayor.

## Plebiscites

A plebiscite was held on a by-law to authorize expenditure on a modern pumping engine for the city's waterworks

### Waterworks by-law

    For - 5,615
    Against - 2,730
Source:

## City council

Four aldermen were elected to Toronto City Council in each of six wards. Former mayor John Shaw attempted to win an aldermanic seat in the Third Ward, but was defeated.

### First Ward (Riverdale)

    William Temple Stewart (incumbent) - 1,518
    Daniel Chisholm - 1,515
    Robert Fleming (incumbent) - 1,407
    Fred H. Richardson (incumbent) - 1,255
    John Preston - 1,100

### Second Ward (Cabbagetown and Rosedale)

    Frank S. Spence (incumbent) - 1,932
    Joseph Oliver (incumbent) - 1,883
    Dr. John Noble - 1,781
    Thomas Foster (incumbent) - 1,583
    Edward Strachan Cox - 1,426
    David Carlyle - 1,136
    Thomas Davies - 624
    W.A. Douglass - 594
    Frederick Hogg - 585

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

    John F. Loudon (incumbent) - 2,814
    Oliver Barton Sheppard (incumbent) - 2,788
    Joseph George Ramsden- 2,356
    Samuel George Curry (incumbent) - 2,154
    George McMurrich (incumbent) - 2,035
    John Shaw - 1,968
    John Patterson - 196

### Fourth Ward (Spadina)

    William Burns (incumbent) -2,770
    William Peyton Hubbard (incumbent) - 2,585
    Dr. William S. Harrison - 2,582
    Stephen Wellesley Burns - 2,469
    Alex R. Williamson - 1,731
    Lieut-Col. Norman F. Paterson - 1,535
    Edmund Schilling - 258

### Fifth Ward (Trinity-Bellwoods)

    James Russell Lovett Starr - 2,508
    John Dunn (incumbent) - 2,435
    William Bell (incumbent) - 1,958
    Frank Woods (incumbent) - 1,864
    Peter Whytock - 1,594
    Alexander Stewart (incumbent) - 1,353
    M.J. Mallaney - 391

### Sixth Ward (Brockton and Parkdale)

    James Henry McGhie - 1,999
    Jonn Joseph Ward (incumbent) - 1,736
    John James Graham (incumbent) - 1,696
    Dr. Adam Lynd (incumbent) - 1,359
    J.H. Hall (incumbent) - 1,238
Source: and