# Lacombe (provincial electoral district)

Lacombe was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1993.

## History

Lacombe was one of the original 25 electoral districts contested in the 1905 Alberta general election upon Alberta joining Confederation in September 1905. The electoral district was a continuation of the Lacombe Northwest Territories electoral district which was formed in 1902. The electoral district was named for the City of Lacombe in central Alberta.
Lacombe was dissolved in the 1993 electoral district re-distribution. The more urbanized portion, including the city of Lacombe, was merged with neighbouring Stettler to form Lacombe-Stettler, while the more rural portion was transferred to Rocky Mountain House.

### Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Lacombe :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 1st | 1905–1909 | William F. Puffer | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1909–1913 | William F. Puffer | Liberal |
| 3rd | 1913–1917 | William F. Puffer | Liberal |
| 4th | 1917–1921 | Andrew Gilmour | Conservative |
| 5th | 1921–1926 | Irene Parlby | United Farmers |
| 6th | 1926–1930 | Irene Parlby | United Farmers |
| 7th | 1930–1935 | Irene Parlby | United Farmers |
| 8th | 1935–1940 | Duncan B. MacMillan | Social Credit |
| 9th | 1940–1944 | Duncan B. MacMillan | Social Credit |
| 10th | 1944–1948 | Duncan B. MacMillan | Social Credit |
| 11th | 1948–1952 | Duncan B. MacMillan | Social Credit |
| 12th | 1952–1955 | Allen Russell Patrick | Social Credit |
| 13th | 1955–1959 | Allen Russell Patrick | Social Credit |
| 14th | 1959–1963 | Allen Russell Patrick | Social Credit |
| 15th | 1963–1967 | Allen Russell Patrick | Social Credit |
| 16th | 1967–1971 | Allen Russell Patrick | Social Credit |
| 17th | 1971–1975 | Jack W. Cookson | Progressive Conservative |
| 18th | 1975–1979 | Jack W. Cookson | Progressive Conservative |
| 19th | 1979–1982 | Jack W. Cookson | Progressive Conservative |
| 20th | 1982–1986 | Ronald A. Moore | Progressive Conservative |
| 21st | 1986–1989 | Ronald A. Moore | Progressive Conservative |
| 22nd | 1989–1993 | Ronald A. Moore | Progressive Conservative |
| See Lacombe-Stettler electoral district from 1993-2004 and Rocky Mountain House electoral district from 1993-2012 |||||

## Election results
### 1905

vte1905 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William F. Puffer | 612 | 52.80% | – |
| | Conservative | Andrew Gilmour | 547 | 47.20% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,159 | – | – |
| 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 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: "Lacombe Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1909

vte1909 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William F. Puffer | Acclaimed | – | – |
| Total | Total | Total | N/A | – | – |
| 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 | N/A |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1913

vte1913 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William F. Puffer | 878 | 58.46% | – |
| | Conservative | Angus MacDonald | 624 | 41.54% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,502 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 2,029 | 74.03% | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | N/A |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1917

vte1917 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Gilmour | 1,423 | 51.63% | 10.09% |
| | Liberal | William F. Puffer | 1,333 | 48.37% | -10.09% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,756 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 3,530 | 78.07% | 4.05% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | -6.82% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1921

vte1921 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Irene Parlby | 2,113 | 57.86% | – |
| | Liberal | William F. Puffer | 1,539 | 42.14% | -6.23% |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,652 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 4,457 | 81.94% | 3.86% |
| | United Farmers gain from Conservative | United Farmers gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | 6.23% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1926

vte1926 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Irene Parlby | 1,891 | 53.58% | -4.27% |
| | Liberal | William F. Puffer | 1,162 | 32.93% | -9.21% |
| | Conservative | P. W. Pratt | 476 | 13.49% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,529 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 209 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,008 | 74.64% | -7.30% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | 2.47% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1930

vte1930 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Irene Parlby | 1,932 | 51.36% | -2.23% |
| | Independent | J. R. Mackie | 1,830 | 48.64% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,762 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 142 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,178 | 75.40% | 0.76% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | -8.97% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1935

vte1935 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Duncan B. MacMillan | 3,483 | 62.63% | – |
| | Liberal | F. J. S. Sissons | 838 | 15.07% | – |
| | United Farmers | C. M. Ironside | 721 | 12.97% | -38.39% |
| | Conservative | P. W. Pratt | 519 | 9.33% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,561 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 125 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,566 | 86.60% | 11.20% |
| | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Swing | Swing | 22.43% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1940

vte1940 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| First count ||||||
| | Social Credit | Duncan B. MacMillan | 2,321 | 46.35% | -16.91% |
| | Independent | R. E. Chowen | 2,061 | 41.15% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | C. M. Ironside | 626 | 12.50% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,008 | – | – |
| Ballot transfer results ||||||
| | Social Credit | Duncan B. MacMillan | 2,457 | 51.00% | – |
| | Independent | R. E. Chowen | 2,361 | 49.00% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,818 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 144 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,817 | 75.85% | -10.75% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | N/A |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe 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

vte1944 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Duncan B. MacMillan | 2,442 | 53.78% | 7.43% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Robert H. Carlyle | 1,324 | 29.16% | 16.76% |
| | Independent | R. E. Chowen | 775 | 17.07% | -24.08% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,541 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 84 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,286 | 73.58% | -2.27% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | N/A% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1948

vte1948 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Duncan B. MacMillan | 3,053 | 63.54% | 9.76% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Robert H. Carlyle | 1,109 | 23.08% | -6.08% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Wilkes | 643 | 13.38% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,805 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 266 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,164 | 70.78% | -2.79% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 7.92% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1952

vte1952 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Allen Russell Patrick | 2,446 | 58.54% | -4.99% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Ernest John Ingram | 975 | 23.34% | 0.26% |
| | Liberal | Arnold A. Bruns | 757 | 18.12% | 4.74% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,178 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 290 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,358 | 70.27% | -0.51% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -2.62% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1955

vte1955 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Allen Russell Patrick | 2,255 | 50.83% | -7.71% |
| | Conservative | Alfred B. Haarstad | 1,579 | 35.60% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Ernest John Ingram | 602 | 13.57% | -9.77% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,436 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 338 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,586 | 72.49% | 2.21% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -9.98% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1959

vte1959 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Allen Russell Patrick | 3,089 | 63.42% | 12.58% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Denis R. Stafford | 1,162 | 23.86% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Robert H. Carlyle | 620 | 12.73% | -0.84% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,871 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,824 | 71.38% | -1.11% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 12.16% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1963

vte1963 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Allen Russell Patrick | 3,405 | 69.31% | 5.89% |
| | Liberal | John Paul Fehrenbach | 776 | 15.79% | – |
| | New Democratic | John Liss | 732 | 14.90% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,913 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 6 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,998 | 61.50% | -9.88% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 6.98% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1967

vte1967 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Allen Russell Patrick | 2,690 | 49.21% | -20.09% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Jack W. Cookson | 1,999 | 36.57% | – |
| | New Democratic | Glen R. Nelson | 777 | 14.22% | -0.68% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,466 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 12 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,332 | 74.71% | 13.21% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -20.43% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1971

vte1971 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Jack W. Cookson | 3,094 | 50.49% | 13.92% |
| | Social Credit | Ivan Stonehocker | 2,582 | 42.13% | -7.08% |
| | New Democratic | Ragnar Johanson | 452 | 7.38% | -6.84% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,128 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 16 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 8,036 | 76.46% | 1.74% |
| | Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit | Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit | Swing | Swing | -2.14% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1975

vte1975 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Jack W. Cookson | 4,186 | 68.78% | 18.29% |
| | Social Credit | Ivan Stonehocker | 1,414 | 23.23% | -18.90% |
| | New Democratic | Ed Kamps | 486 | 7.99% | 0.61% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,086 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 32 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 8,505 | 71.93% | -4.52% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 18.60% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1979

vte1979 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Jack W. Cookson | 4,458 | 64.34% | -4.44% |
| | Social Credit | Elmer Suominen | 1,409 | 20.33% | -2.90% |
| | New Democratic | Art Wigmore | 717 | 10.35% | 2.36% |
| | Liberal | Roger C. Holteen | 260 | 3.75% | – |
| | Independent | Gordon Crofton | 85 | 1.23% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,929 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 10,367 | 66.84% | -5.10% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -0.77% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1982

vte1982 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ron A. Moore | 5,141 | 61.21% | -3.13% |
| | Western Canada Concept | Terry Long | 1,339 | 15.94% | – |
| | New Democratic | Glen R. Nelson | 1,108 | 13.19% | 2.84% |
| | Independent | Howard P. Thompson | 811 | 9.66% | 8.43% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,399 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 12 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 11,600 | 72.51% | 5.67% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 0.63% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1986

vte1986 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ron A. Moore | 4,079 | 77.99% | 16.78% |
| | New Democratic | Ken Ling | 1,151 | 22.01% | 8.82% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,230 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 19 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 11,699 | 44.87% | -27.64% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 5.36% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1989

vte1989 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ron A. Moore | 4,014 | 59.93% | -18.06% |
| | Liberal | Roger Young | 1,467 | 21.90% | – |
| | New Democratic | Cliff Reid | 1,217 | 18.17% | -3.84% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,698 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 24 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 12,214 | 55.04% | 10.17% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -8.98% |
| Source(s) Source: "Lacombe Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

## Plebiscite results
### 1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Lacombe :
| 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 | 2,011 | 62.53% |
| | Yes | 1,205 | 37.47% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 3,216 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 52 | 52 |
| 6,302 eligible electors, turnout 51.86% ||||
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 women 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. Lacombe voted against the proposal by a wide margin. The voter turnout in the district was well above the province wide average of 46% with well over half the electors turning out to vote.
Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957. The Social Credit government in power at the time did not consider 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 Lacombe 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.