# Wetaskiwin (provincial electoral district)

Wetaskiwin was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1971.

## History

The Wetaskiwin electoral district was one of the original 25 electoral districts contested in the 1905 Alberta general election upon Alberta joining Confederation in September 1905. The district was carried over from the old Wetaskiwin electoral district which returned a single member to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1898 to 1905.
Liberal candidate Anthony Rosenroll who was the incumbent in the previous Northwest Territories' Legislature since 1891 was the first member elected for the Wetaskiwin electoral district.

### Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Wetaskiwin :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 1st | 1905–1909 | Anthony Rosenroll | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1909–1913 | Charles H. Olin | Liberal |
| 3rd | 1913–1914 | Charles H. Olin | Liberal |
| 3rd | 1914–1917 | Hugh John Montgomery | Liberal |
| 4th | 1917–1921 | Hugh John Montgomery | Liberal |
| 5th | 1921–1926 | Evert E. Sparks | United Farmers |
| 6th | 1926–1930 | Evert E. Sparks | United Farmers |
| 7th | 1930–1935 | Hugh John Montgomery | Liberal |
| 8th | 1935–1940 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 9th | 1940–1944 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 10th | 1944–1948 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 11th | 1948–1952 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 12th | 1952–1955 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 13th | 1955–1959 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 14th | 1959–1963 | John A. Wingblade | Social Credit |
| 15th | 1963–1967 | Albert W. Strohschein | Social Credit |
| 16th | 1967–1971 | Albert W. Strohschein | Social Credit |

## Legislative election results
### 1905

vte1905 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | A.L. Rosenroll [sic] | 552 | 66.51% |
| | Conservative | R.W. Angus | 278 | 33.49% |
| Total | Total | Total | 830 |
| | Liberal pickup new district. | Liberal pickup new district. | Liberal pickup new district. | Liberal pickup new district. | Liberal pickup new district. | Liberal pickup new district. | Liberal pickup new district. |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||
The Returning Officer for the 1905 election was James Kennedy Burgess

### 1909

Liberal Charles H. Olin defeated Conservative James George Anderson in the 1909 election. Anderson previously contested the 1908 Canadian federal election in the Strathcona district as an Independent.
1909 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles H. Olin | 713 | 59.82% | -6.69% |
| | Conservative | James George Anderson | 479 | 40.18% | 6.69% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,192 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | N/A | N/A | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -6.69% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1913

1913 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles H. Olin | 780 | 57.35% | -2.46% |
| | Conservative | George B. Campbell | 580 | 42.65% | 2.46% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,360 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | N/A | N/A | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -2.46% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1914 by-election

vteAlberta provincial by-election, November 17, 1914 Upon the death of Charles H. Olin on October 4, 1914 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Hugh John Montgomery | 990 | 66.94% | 9.59% |
| | Conservative | F. B. Watson | 489 | 33.06% | -9.59% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,479 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | N/A | N/A | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | 9.59% |
| Source(s) "Historical Results: By-elections". elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 24, 2020. |||||||

### 1917

1917 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Hugh John Montgomery | 1,500 | 68.71% | 11.36% |
| | Conservative | Robert MacLachlan Angus | 683 | 31.29% | -11.36% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,183 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | N/A | N/A | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | 11.36% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1921

1921 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Evert E. Sparks | 1,508 | 55.36% | – |
| | Liberal | Hugh John Montgomery | 1,216 | 44.64% | -24.07% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,724 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 3,345 | 81.43% | – |
| | United Farmers gain from Liberal | United Farmers gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | -13.35% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1926

1926 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Evert E. Sparks | 1,274 | 46.16% | 1,418 | -9.20% |
| | Liberal | Hugh John Montgomery | 1,198 | 43.41% | 1,266 | -1.23% |
| | Conservative | J.F. Inglis | 288 | 10.43% | – | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,760 | – | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 139 | – | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 3,617 | 80.15% | -1.29% | – |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | -3.98% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes. As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality. |||||||

### 1930

1930 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Hugh John Montgomery | 1,713 | 54.73% | 11.32% |
| | United Farmers | Evert E. Sparks | 1,417 | 45.27% | -0.89% |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,130 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 1 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 4,040 | 77.50% | -2.65% |
| | Liberal gain from United Farmers | Liberal gain from United Farmers | Swing | Swing | 3.35% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1935

1935 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 2,762 | 58.21% | – |
| | Liberal | Hugh John Montgomery | 1,149 | 24.21% | -30.51% |
| | United Farmers | W. Stevens | 506 | 10.66% | -34.61% |
| | Conservative | R. H. Inglis | 187 | 3.94% | – |
| | Communist | A. E. Bolton | 141 | 2.97% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,745 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 117 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 5,671 | 85.73% | 8.23% |
| | Social Credit gain from Liberal | Social Credit gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | 12.27% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1940

1940 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 2,480 | 47.19% | 2,761 | -11.02% |
| | Independent | T. S. Steedman | 1,874 | 35.66% | 2,179 | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | H. G. Young | 901 | 17.15% | – | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,255 | – | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 77 | – | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 7,412 | 71.94% | -13.80% | – |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -11.23% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes. As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality. |||||||

### 1944

1944 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 2,700 | 52.63% | 5.44% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | J. G. Baker | 1,259 | 24.54% | 7.40% |
| | Independent | Hugh John Montgomery | 1,007 | 19.63% | -16.03% |
| | Labor–Progressive | David Graham | 164 | 3.20% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,130 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 115 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 6,827 | 76.83% | 4.89% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 8.28% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1948

1948 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 2,827 | 51.65% | -0.98% |
| | Liberal | Morley Merner | 1,414 | 25.84% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Henry Young | 1,232 | 22.51% | -2.03% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,473 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 215 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 7,507 | 75.77% | -1.06% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -1.14% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1952

1952 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 2,664 | 54.12% | 2.47% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Harry Van Dyke | 1,029 | 20.91% | – |
| | Liberal | William W. Draayer | 1,029 | 20.91% | – |
| | Independent Social Credit | Arnold D. Olsen | 200 | 4.06% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,922 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 354 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 7,914 | 66.67% | -9.10% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | N/A |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1955

1955 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 2,695 | 49.17% | 2,756 | -4.95% |
| | Liberal | Ernest Oscar Larson | 1,636 | 29.85% | 1,731 | 8.94% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | M. Jevne | 892 | 16.27% | 942 | -4.63% |
| | Conservative | W. C. Kimmel | 258 | 4.71% | – | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,481 | – | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 399 | – | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 8,135 | 72.28% | 5.61% | – |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -6.95% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020.Instant-runoff voting requires a candidate to receive a plurality (greater than 50%) of the votes. As no candidate received a plurality of votes, the bottom candidate was eliminated and their 2nd place votes were applied to both other candidates until one received a plurality. |||||||

### 1959

1959 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John A. Wingblade | 3,352 | 58.27% | 9.10% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Robert D. Angus | 1,010 | 17.56% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | David Pat. Garland | 749 | 13.02% | -3.26% |
| | Liberal | Fred R. MacNaughton | 642 | 11.16% | -18.69% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,753 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 14 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 8,231 | 70.06% | -2.22% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 10.69% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1963

1963 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Albert W. Strohschein | 3333 | 61.11% | 2.85% |
| | Liberal | Albert Dyberg | 1298 | 23.80% | 12.64% |
| | New Democratic | Leslie Pritchard | 823 | 15.09% | 2.07% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,454 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 9 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 8,601 | 63.52% | -6.55% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -1.70% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1967

1967 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Albert W. Strohschein | 2,879 | 45.79% | -15.32% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Dallas Schmidt | 2,408 | 38.30% | – |
| | New Democratic | Robert P. Christensen | 1,000 | 15.91% | 0.82% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,287 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 17 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 9,129 | 68.87% | – |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -14.91% |
| Source(s) Source: "Wetaskiwin Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

## Plebiscite results
### 1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Wetaskiwin :
| Question A: Do you approve additional types of outlets for the sale of beer, wine and spirituous liquor subject to a local vote? ||||
| Ballot choice | Ballot choice | Votes | % |
| | No | 1,892 | 51.62% |
| | Yes | 1,773 | 48.78% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 3,665 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 9 | 9 |
| 7,650 eligible electors, turnout 48.03% ||||
On October 30, 1957 a stand alone plebiscite was held province wide in all 50 of the then current provincial electoral districts in Alberta. The government decided to consult Alberta voters to decide on liquor sales and mixed drinking after a divisive debate in the Legislature. The plebiscite was intended to deal with the growing demand for reforming antiquated liquor control laws.
The plebiscite was conducted in two parts. Question A asked in all districts, asked the voters if the sale of liquor should be expanded in Alberta, while Question B asked in a handful of districts within the corporate limits of Calgary and Edmonton asked if men and woman were allowed to drink together in establishments.
Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Wetaskiwin was the only other city in Alberta aside from Lethbridge to vote against the proposal. The vote was nearly even with the No side winning by a slim margin. The voter turnout in the district was slightly above the province wide average of 46%.
Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957. The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered the results binding. However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.
Municipal districts lying inside electoral districts that voted against the Plebiscite such as Wetaskiwin were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones, business owners that wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.