# Cowichan (electoral district)

Cowichan was one of the first twelve electoral districts created when British Columbia became a Canadian province in 1871. It was located on southern Vancouver Island. Its last appearance on the husting was in 1920. It was then superseded by Cowichan-Newcastle, which appeared in provincial elections from 1924 to 1963, after which a revised riding is named Cowichan-Malahat.

## Demographics

| Population, 2001 | |
| Population change 1996-2001 | % |
| Area (km²) | |
| Population density (people per km²) | |

## Notable MLAs

* William Smithe—served as seventh Premier of BC from 1883 to 1887.

## Election results

1st British Columbia election, 1871 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Independent | John Paton Booth | 47 | 23.98% | unknown |
| | Independent | Archibald Dods | 38 | 19.39% | unknown |
| | Independent | Henry Fry | 10 | 5.10% | unknown |
| | Independent | Edwin Pimbury | 24 | 12.24% | unknown |
| | Independent | Thomas J. Skinner | 10 | 9.69% | unknown |
| | Independent | William Smithe | 58 | 29.59% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 195 | 100.00% |
vte1875 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected |
| | Reform caucus | William Smithe | 78 | 31.71 | Y |
| | Reform caucus | Edwin Pimbury | 72 | 29.27 | Y |
| | Independent Government | William Henry Lomas | 54 | 21.95 |
| | Government | John Paton Booth | 42 | 17.07 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 246 | 100.00 |
3rd British Columbia election, 1878 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Opposition | William Beaumont | 45 | 15.41% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | John Paton Booth | 66 | 22.60% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Edwin Pimbury | 84 | 28.77% | – | unknown |
| | Government | William Smithe | 97 | 33.22% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 292 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
4th British Columbia election, 1882 $^1$ :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Frederick Foord | 41 | 28.67% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | William Smithe | 102 | 71.33% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 143 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^1$ Reduced to one member from two |||||||
British Columbia Byelection: Cowichan March 31, 1883 $^2$ :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | William Smithe | Acclaimed | -.- % | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | n/a | -.- % | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^2$ Reason for byelection was the resignation of William Smithe upon his appointment to the Executive Council (cabinet) January 29, 1883. Date of election is date of return of writs, as no polling day was required. |||||||
5th British Columbia election, 1886 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Henry Croft | Accl. | --% | – | unknown |
| | Government | William Smithe | Accl. | --% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 309 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77.25% | | |
6th British Columbia election, 1890 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Henry Croft | 146 | 34.27% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Theodore Davie | 178 | 41.78% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Joseph Macdonald | 102 | 23.94% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 426 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
7th General Election, 1894
For the 1894 election, the Cowichan area was part of the Cowichan-Alberni electoral district. It resumed by the name Cowichan the next election after that, in 1898:
8th British Columbia election, 1898 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Opposition | William Herd | 112 | 38.49% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Theodore Davie | 179 | 61.51% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 291 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
9th British Columbia election, 1900 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Opposition | Charles Herbert Dickie | 224 | 67.67% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Walter Ford | 107 | 32.33% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 331 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
10th British Columbia election, 1903 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Opposition | John Newell Evans | 225 | 51.14% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Ernest Meeson Skinner | 215 | 48.84% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 440 | 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 | John Newell Evans | 105 | 46.05% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | William Henry Hayward | 123 | 53.95% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 228 | 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 | John Newell Evans | 175 | 32.41% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | William Henry Hayward | 365 | 67.59% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 540 | 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 | William Henry Hayward | 441 | 80.04% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Alexander Agnew Belford Herd | 110 | 19.96% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 551 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
14th British Columbia election, 1916 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Kenneth Forrest Duncan | 408 | 43.08% | – | unknown |
| | Independent | William Henry Hayward | 539 | 56.92% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 947 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
15th British Columbia election, 1920 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | George Alfred Mosley Cheeke | 1,032 | 47.40% | unknown |
| | Independent | Kenneth Forrest Duncan | 1,145 | 52.60% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,177 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
16th General Election, 1924
In the 1924 election, the Cowichan area became part of the new Cowichan-Newcastle riding.

## Sources

Elections BC website - historical election data