# Vancouver City (provincial electoral district)

Vancouver City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was a multiple member riding based in the newly created city of Vancouver.
It did not appear on the hustings until the 1890 election – the city only having been chartered and named in the year of the previous election when the locality was a small polling area of the New Westminster (provincial electoral district) riding. It is a sign of Vancouver's rapid growth that by 1890 there were over 300 electors, by 1900 there were 15,000, by 1903 over 25,000 votes cast; prior to 1885 the population of the waterside village of Granville, B.I. (Burrard Inlet, a postal address shared by Moodyville, New Brighton and Barnet) had been in the range of 300. When the riding was created it was a two-member riding but because of population increase was made a three-member riding in 1890 and in 1903 a five-member seat. Under the Block Voting system in use, each voter had right to cast as many votes as there were seats to fill.
By 1920 Vancouver having grown to 200,000 inhabitants, the district became a six-member seat with about 40,000 voting, and over 200,000 votes cast.
When it was broken up after the 1928 election, it was redistributed into four ridings, three with two members (Vancouver-Burrard, Vancouver Centre and Vancouver East) and one with three members (Vancouver-Point Grey).

## Demographics

* Population, 1961
* Population change, 1871–1961
* Area (km$^2$)
* Population density (people per km$^2$)

## Political geography and history

Vancouver City was a multi seat district, electing from two to six MLAs, before being dismantled in 1928.
Each voter could cast as many votes as there were seats to fill in the district.
In most of the elections from 1903, when party labels were first used formally, to 1920, the Block Voting system in use meant that one party took all of the city's seats. But in most cases, that one party took less than half the votes.
From 1903 to 1912, the Conservative party took all of the Vancouver City seats each time, with the most popular Conservative candidate taking less than 11 percent of votes cast.
In 1916 and 1920, the Liberal party took five of Vancouver City's six seats, with a Conservatives taking one seat.
In 1924, the Liberal party took five of Vancouver City's six seats, with a "Provincial Party" candidate taking one seat.
In 1928, the Conservative party took all six of Vancouver City's seats.
Following the 1928 election, Vancouver City was converted into four new districts, electing a total of 9 MLAs.

## Notable MLAs

* Joseph Martin, 13th premier of British Columbia
* William John Bowser, 17th premier of British Columbia
* Charles A. Woodward, founder of Woodward's and father of W.C. "Billy" Woodward, later Lieutenant-Governor, and grandfather of Charles N. "Chunky" Woodward.

## Electoral history

Note: winners in each election in bold.
6th British Columbia election, 1890 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Opposition | Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton | 1,123 | 36.07% | – | unknown |
| | Government | James M. Fox | 33 | 1.06% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Samuel Greer | 649 | 20.85% | – | unknown |
| | Independent | James Welton Horne | 695 | 22.33% | | unknown |
| | Opposition | James Orr | 135 | 4.34% | – | unknown |
| | Independent | Robert Garnett Tatlow | 478 | 15.35% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3,113 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
7th British Columbia election, 1894 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | Robert Alexander Anderson | 920 | 11.32% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton | 1,736 | 21.36% | | unknown |
| | Independents | Samuel Greer | 208 | 2.56% | | unknown |
| | Opposition | Robert Macpherson | 1,766 | 21.73% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Edward Odlum | 607 | 7.47% | – | unknown |
| | Government | Robert Garnett Tatlow | 979 | 12.05% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Adolphus Williams | 1,911 | 23.51% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,127 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
8th British Columbia election, 1898 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Government | William John Bowser | 879 | 8.26% | – | unknown |
| | Government | John T. Carroll | 954 | 8.97% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton | 1,667 | 15.67% | – | unknown |
| | Government | James Ford Garden | 1,157 | 10.88% | – | unknown |
| | Government | William Seaman McDonald | 735 | 6.91% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Robert Macpherson | 1,795 | 16.88% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Joseph Martin | 1,651 | 15.52% | – | unknown |
| | Opposition | Charles Edward Tisdall | 1,798 | 16.91% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 10,636 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
vte1900 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected |
| | Conservative | James Ford Garden | 1,787 | 11.67 | Y |
| | Government | Joseph Martin | 1,737 | 11.34 | Y |
| | Opposition | Robert Garnett Tatlow | 1,645 | 10.74 | Y |
| | Conservative | Hugh Bowie Gilmour | 1,465 | 9.57 | Y |
| | Conservative | Charles Wilson | 1,457 | 9.51 |
| | Independent Government | Robert Macpherson | 1,435 | 9.37 |
| | Government | James McQueen | 1,391 | 9.08 |
| | Conservative | William Henry Wood | 1,344 | 8.78 |
| | Independent Labour | Joseph Dixon | 853 | 5.57 |
| | Progressive | Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton | 802 | 5.24 |
| | Labour | Francis Williams | 716 | 4.67 |
| | Independent Labour | William MacClain | 683 | 4.46 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,315 | 100.00 |
vte1903 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected |
| | Conservative | Robert Garnett Tatlow | 2,660 | 10.64 | Y |
| | Conservative | James Ford Garden | 2,464 | 9.86 | Y |
| | Conservative | Charles Wilson | 2,416 | 9.66 | Y |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 2,304 | 9.2 | Y |
| | Conservative | Alexander Henry Boswell MacGowan | 2,300 | 9.20 | Y |
| | Liberal | Joseph Martin | 1,546 | 6.18 |
| | Liberal | William Disbrow Brydone-Jack | 1,461 | 5.84 |
| | Liberal | Truman Smith Baxter | 1,411 | 5.64 |
| | Vancouver (Independent) Labour | Francis Williams | 1,357 | 5.43 |
| | Socialist | John Thomas Mortimer | 1,328 | 5.31 |
| | Vancouver (Independent) Labour | Albert George Perry | 1,248 | 4.99 |
| | Liberal | James Douglas Turnbull | 1,193 | 4.77 |
| | Vancouver (Independent) Labour | John McLaren | 1,164 | 4.66 |
| | Socialist | Albion Rovert Stebbings | 956 | 3.82 |
| | Liberal | Clarence Monck | 910 | 3.64 |
| | Socialist Labour | William Griffiths | 284 | 1.14 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 25,002 | 100.00 |
| Source: http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/1871-1986_ElectoralHistoryofBC.pdf |||||||
11th 1907 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 3,152 | 10.45% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | John Edward Dubberley | 599 | 1.99% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Wallace deBeque Farris | 2,096 | 6.95% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | James Ford Garden | 3,080 | 10.21% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Alexander Henderson | 2,248 | 7.45% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | Eugene Thornton Kingsley | 617 | 2.04% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Alexander Henry Boswell MacGowan | 3,141 | 10.41% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | George Albert McGuire | 2,994 | 9.92% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | William Wallace Burns McInnes | 2,233 | 7.40% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Robert Purvis McLennan | 2,316 | 7.68% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | James Hackett McVety | 616 | 2.04% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal] | Thomas Fletcher Neelands | 2,063 | 6.84% | | unknown |
| | Canadian Labour Party of BC | Albert George Perry | 281 | 0.93% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | Richard Parmater Pettipiece | 602 | 1.99% | – | unknown |
| | Socialist | Albion Robert Stebbings | 598 | 1.98% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Robert Garnet Tatlow | 3,136 | 10.39% | | unknown |
| | Canadian Labour Party of BC | Francis Williams | 401 | 1.33% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 30,173 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |

### 1909 election

12th 1909 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 5,441 | 10.60% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Bell Campbell | 3,227 | 6.29% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | Peter Garvie | 1,227 | 2.39% | – | unknown |
| | Socialist | Eugene Thornton Kingsley | 1,883 | 3.67% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | George Ernest MacDonald | 3,984 | 7.76% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Alexander Henry Boswell MacGowan | 3,141 | 10.41% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | Moses McGregor | 1,218 | 2.37% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | George Albert McGuire | 4,826 | 9.41% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | William Murray MacKenzie | 1,231 | 2.40% | – | unknown |
| | Socialist | Richard Parmater Pettipiece | 1,428 | 2.78% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Harold Senkler | 4,110 | 8.01% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | James Stables | 3,356 | 6.54% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Charles Edward Tisdall | 2,063 | 6.84% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Frederick Coate Wade | 3,942 | 7.68% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Henry Holgate Watson | 5,202 | 10.14% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 51,316 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
13th 1912 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Socialist | William Bennett | 1,134 | 2.45% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 5,101 | 11.02% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Cameron William Smith | 2,716 | 5.87% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Joseph Nealon Ellis | 2,619 | 5.66% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Charles William Enright | 2,947 | 6.37% | | unknown |
| | Independent | Samuel Greer | 897 | 1.94% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | Joseph Patrick Lord | 1,133 | 2.45% | – | unknown |
| | Socialist | John Amos MacDonald | 1,263 | 2.73% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Alexander Henry Boswell MacGowan | 5,061 | 10.93% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | George Albert McGuire | 5,114 | 11.05% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | WilliamArthur Pritchard | 1,081 | 2.34% | – | unknown |
| | Socialist | John Reid | 1,156 | 2.50% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Ralph Smith | 3,257 | 7.04% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | William Maxwell Smith | 2,744 | 5.93% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Charles Edward Tisdall | 5,085 | 10.97% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Henry Holgate Watson | 4,977 | 10.75% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 46,285 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
vte1916 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected |
| | Liberal | Malcolm Archibald Macdonald | 9,119 | 9.53 | Y |
| | Liberal | Ralph Smith | 8,106 | 8.47 | Y |
| | Liberal | John William MacIntosh | 8,096 | 8.46 | Y |
| | Liberal | John Wallace deBeque Farris | 7,881 | 8.23 | Y |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 7,421 | 7.75 | Y |
| | Liberal | John Sedgwick Cowper | 7,056 | 7.37 | Y |
| | Liberal | Patrick Donnelly | 7,005 | 7.32 |
| | Conservative | Charles Edward Tisdall | 6,922 | 7.23 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Duke | 6,395 | 6.68 |
| | Conservative | George Albert McGuire | 6,270 | 6.55 |
| | Conservative | Walter Leek | 6,136 | 6.41 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Henry Boswell MacGowan | 5,906 | 6.17 |
| | Independent Labour | Charles Edward Tisdall | 2,487 | 2.60 |
| | Independent Conservative | Robert Cassidy | 2,451 | 2.56 |
| | Independent | Harold George White | 1,416 | 1.48 |
| | Socialist | John David Harrington | 1,380 | 1.44 |
| | Independent | Edwin Clarke Appleby | 743 | 0.78 |
| | Independent | Arthur Freeman Fawcett | 665 | 0.69 |
| | Independent Conservative | Thomas Owen Townley | 250 | 0.26 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 95,705 | 100.00 |
vte1920 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Elected |
| | Liberal | Mary Ellen Smith | 17,510 | 8.66 | Y |
| | Liberal | Ian Alistair MacKenzie | 13,840 | 6.84 | Y |
| | Liberal | John Wallace deBeque Farris | 12,550 | 6.21 | Y |
| | Liberal | James Ramsay | 12,279 | 6.07 | Y |
| | Liberal | Malcolm Archibald Macdonald | 12,222 | 6.04 | Y |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 11,617 | 5.75 | Y |
| | Conservative | George Black | 10,379 | 5.13 |
| | Liberal | John Patrick Dougherty | 10,388 | 5.14 |
| | Conservative | John Weightman Warden | 10,278 | 5.08 |
| | Conservative | Samuel Lyness Howe | 9,913 | 4.90 |
| | Conservative | Edith Louise Paterson | 9,573 | 4.73 |
| | Independent | Joseph Martin | 9,123 | 4.51 |
| | Conservative | John Wesley Mahan | 8,810 | 4.36 |
| | Federated Labour | William Robert Trotter | 7,481 | 3.70 |
| | Federated Labour | James Shaver Woodsworth | 7,444 | 3.68 |
| | Federated Labour | Thomas Richardson | 7,192 | 3.56 |
| | Independent | Moses Brewins Cotworth | 5,511 | 2.73 |
| | Women's Freedom | Esther Margaret Crosfield | 4,166 | 2.06 |
| | Vancouver Rentpayers | George Johnson Ashworth | 3,291 | 1.63 |
| | Socialist | John David Harrington | 2,956 | 1.46 |
| | United Veterans | John Livingstone Millar | 2,808 | 1.39 |
| | United Veterans | Percival Horace North | 2,633 | 1.30 |
| | Socialist | James Ferguson Smith | 2,267 | 1.12 |
| | Socialist | Christopher Stephenson | 1,818 | 0.90 |
| | Socialist | Sidney Earp | 1,694 | 0.84 |
| | Socialist | William McQuoid | 1,524 | 0.75 |
| | Independent | Thomas Turberville | 1,487 | 0.74 |
| | Socialist | John Dennis | 1,451 | 0.72 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 202,205 | 100.00 |
16th British Columbia election, 1924 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | William John Bowser | 7,818 | 4.12% |
| | Independent Conservative | Robert Cassidy | 276 | 0.15% |
| | Canadian Labour Party | Wilfred Harry Cottrell | 6,314 | 3.33% |
| | Provincial | Andrew McCreight Creery | 9,071 | 4.78% |
| | Canadian Labour Party | William Dunn | 5,752 | 3.03% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Wallace deBeque Farris | 8,427 | 4.44% | | unknown |
| | Provincial | Jessie Columbia Hall | 8,749 | 4.61% | – | unknown |
| | Socialist | John David Harrington | 3,281 | 1.73% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Samuel Lyness Howe | 7,250 | 3.82% | | unknown |
| | Conservative | Thomas Henry Kirk | 7,686 | 4.05% | | unknown |
| | Socialist | Henry McEvoy | 750 | 0.40% | – | unknown |
| | Canadian Labour Party | Angus McInnis | 5,897 | 3.11% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Ian Alistair MacKenzie | 9,476 | 4.99% | | unknown |
| | Provincial | Alexander Duncan McRae | 9,008 | 4.75% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Christopher McRae | 9,778 | 5.15% | | unknown |
| | Provincial | Donald Edgar McTaggart | 8,924 | 4.70 | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Royal Lethington Maitland | 8,417 | 4.44% | | unknown |
| | Canadian Labour Party | Edmund Henry Morrison | 5,613 | 2.96% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Victor Wentworth Odlum | 10,011 | 5.28% | | unknown |
| | Independent Liberal | Guy Cathcart Pelton | 225 | 0.12% |
| | Conservative | Perry Douglas Roe | 7,222 | 3.81% | | unknown |
| | Provincial | Francis William Rounsefell | 8,407 | 4.43% | – | unknown |
| | Conservative | Emma Wood Scott | 7,292 | 3.84% | | unknown |
| | Provincial | George Gower Birt Showler | 7,437 | 3.92% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Mary Ellen Smith | 9,251 | 4.88% | | unknown |
| | Canadian Labour Party | Priscilla Janet Smith | 6,078 | 3.20% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Charles Woodward | 11,318 | 5.97% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 189,728 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
17th British Columbia election, 1928 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Henry Elston Almond | 11,818 | 6.56% | unknown |
| | Conservative | William Dick | 15,968 | 8.86% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Dugald Donaghy | 13,176 | 7.31% | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Pitcairn Hogg | 10,948 | 6.08% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Thomas Henry Kirk | 15,943 | 8.85% | unknown |
| | Independent Labour Party | Angus McInnis | 6,026 | 3.34% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Royal Lethington Maitland | 16,499 | 9.16% | unknown |
| | Independent Liberal | Guy Cathcart Pelton | 976 | 0.54% |
| | Conservative | William Curtis Shelly | 17,486 | 9.70% | unknown |
| | Independent Labour Party | Robert Skinner | 4,223 | 2.34% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Helen Douglas Smith | 12,514 | 6.94% | unknown |
| | Conservative | Nelson Spencer | 16,717 | 9.28% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Frederick William Sterling | 11,045 | 6.13% | unknown |
| | Liberal | Nicholas Thompson | 11,101 | 6.16% | unknown |
| | Conservative | George Alexander Walkem | 15,769 | 8.75% | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 180,209 | 100.00% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 425 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | |
Vancouver City last appeared in the 1928 election. For the 1933 general election, Vancouver City was redistributed into:
* Vancouver-Burrard
* Vancouver Centre
* Vancouver East
* Vancouver-Point Grey