# 1961 Edmonton municipal election

In Alberta, Canada, the 1961 municipal election was held October 18, 1961 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards. The electorate also decided six plebiscite questions.
There were ten aldermen on city council, but five of the positions were already filled: Frederick John Mitchell, George Prudham, Morris Weinlos, Ethel Wilson, and Milton Lazerte were all elected to two-year terms in 1960 and were still in office.
There were seven trustees on the public school board, but three of the positions were already filled: Warren Edward (Ted) Smith, John Andrews, and Shirley Forbes were elected to two-year terms in 1960 and were still in office. The same was true on the separate board, where Leo Lemieux, Edward Stack, and John Barbeau were continuing.

## Voter turnout

There were 59343 ballots cast out of 169940 eligible voters, for a voter turnout of 37.2%.

## Results

(bold indicates elected, italics indicate incumbent)

### Mayor

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Civic Government Association | Elmer Roper | 37,600 | 63.90% |
| Civic Reform Association | Ed Leger | 13,106 | 22.27% |
| Independent | Ronald Simmons | 8,134 | 13.82% |

### Aldermen

| Party | Candidate | Votes | | Elected |
| Civic Government Association | McKim Ross | 33,853 | SS | Y |
| Civic Government Association | Angus McGugan | 31,123 | SS | Y |
| Civic Government Association | Stanley Milner | 27,126 | SS | Y |
| Civic Government Association | Gordon McClary | 27,208 | | Y |
| Civic Government Association | John Leslie Bodie | 23,222 | | Y |
| Civic Reform Association | Bjarne Larson | 15,006 | SS |
| Civic Reform Association | Charles Simmonds | 13,584 | SS |
| Independent | Julia Kiniski | 12,451 |
| League of Edmonton Electors | Donald Scott | 11,337 | SS |
| Independent | David Graham | 11,253 |
| Civic Reform Association | Harper McCrae | 10,588 |
| Civic Reform Association | Alfred Forsythe | 8,809 | SS |
| Civic Reform Association | Robert Boutillier | 7,540 |
| League of Edmonton Electors | Norbert Berkowitz | 6,624 |
| League of Edmonton Electors | Ernest Stokes | 6,343 |
| Independent | John Lakusta | 4,852 |
| League of Edmonton Electors | James Willford | 4,134 |
| Independent | Paul Stepa | 3,630 |

### Public school trustees

| Party | Candidate | Votes | | Elected |
| Civic Government Association | Eric Duggan | 22,419 | SS | Y |
| Civic Government Association | Vernon Johnson | 18,061 | SS | Y |
| Civic Reform Association | Edith Rogers | 17,219 | | Y |
| Civic Government Association | P. William Jones | 16,118 | SS | Y |
| Better Education Association | Helen Sinclair | 15,802 |
| Civic Government Association | A. E. Shelmerdine | 15,072 |
| Better Education Association | D. Rae Sutherland | 13,377 | SS |
| Better Education Association | William Harper | 13,088 | SS |
| Better Education Association | Floyd Albin Johnson | 11,678 | SS |
| Civic Reform Association | Paul Lloyd | 6,775 | SS |
| Civic Reform Association | Anna Pollock | 6,670 | SS |
| Civic Reform Association | Walter Kuhn | 5,179 | SS |

### Separate (Catholic) school trustees

| Party | Candidate | Votes | | Elected |
| Independent | Joseph Moreau | 6,878 | | Y |
| Separate Schools Voters Association | A. A. Gorman | 6,446 | SS | Y |
| Independent | Orest Demco | 6,518 | | Y |
| Independent | Catherine McGrath | 6,098 |
| Separate Schools Voters Association | J. J. Fitzgerald | 5,734 |
| Independent | Harry Carrigan | 5,251 | SS | Y |
| Separate Schools Voters Association | J. W. Ensch | 4,292 | SS |
| Independent | George Lynch-Staunton | 4,022 | SS |

### Plebiscites
#### Fluoridation of Water

Shall fluorides, for the prevention of tooth decay, be added to the City water supply sufficient to bring the fluorine content of City water up to a level of one part fluorine to one million parts of water?
* Yes - 35508
* No - 22107

#### Paving

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2216 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $500,000.00 for the estimated City share of standard paving of main arterial roads in the City?
* Yes - 25317
* No - 9476

#### Asphalt on Gravel Streets

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2217 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $500,000.00 for the estimated City share of the cost of constructing asphalt surface roads on a gravel base on residential and arterial streets within the City?
* Yes - 25219
* No - 9130

#### Traffic Lights and Fire Alarm Equipment

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2218 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $217,000.00 in order to purchase and locate additional traffic lights, and school and crosswalk lights, and additional fire alarm equipment?
* Yes - 26752
* No - 7988

#### Library

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2219 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $125,000.00 to construct and equip a branch library in Edmonton capable of serving 30,000 people and 15 schools?
* Yes - 21434
* No - 12983

#### Fire Station

Shall Council pass bylaw No. 2224 creating a debenture debt in the sum of $72,000.00 in order to purchase fire equipment for a District Fire Station?
* Yes - 23761
* No - 9947