# Didsbury (provincial electoral district)

Didsbury was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1963.

## History

The Didsbury electoral district was formed from the Rosebud electoral district prior to the 1909 Alberta general election. The Didsbury electoral district would be abolished and the Olds-Didsbury and Three Hills electoral districts would be formed in its place prior to the 1963 Alberta general election.

### Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Didsbury :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| See Rosebud electoral district from 1905-1909 |||||
| 2nd | 1909–1913 | Joseph E. Stauffer | Liberal |
| 3rd | 1913–1917 | Joseph E. Stauffer | Liberal |
| 4th | 1917–1921 | Henry B. Atkins | Liberal |
| 5th | 1921–1926 | Austin Claypool | United Farmers |
| 6th | 1926–1930 | Austin Claypool | United Farmers |
| 7th | 1930–1935 | Austin Claypool | United Farmers |
| 8th | 1935–1940 | Edward P. Foster | Social Credit |
| 9th | 1940–1944 | Ernest M. Brown | Independent |
| 10th | 1944–1948 | Howard G. Hammell | Social Credit |
| 11th | 1948–1952 | Howard G. Hammell | Social Credit |
| 12th | 1952–1955 | Howard G. Hammell | Social Credit |
| 13th | 1955–1959 | James Lawrence Owens | Social Credit |
| 14th | 1959–1960 | James Lawrence Owens | Social Credit |
| 14th | 1960–1963 | Robert Curtis Clark | Social Credit |
| See Olds-Didsbury electoral district from 1963-1997 and Three Hills electoral district from 1963-1993 |||||

## Election results
### 1909

vte1909 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph E. Stauffer | 993 | 73.18% | – |
| | Conservative | S. T. Scarlett | 208 | 15.33% | – |
| | Independent | Cornelius Hiebert | 156 | 11.50% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,357 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 2,054 | 66.07% | – |
| | 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: "Didsbury Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1913

vte1913 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph E. Stauffer | 948 | 59.32% | -13.85% |
| | Conservative | G. B. Sexsmith | 650 | 40.68% | 25.35% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,598 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 2,222 | 71.92% | 5.85 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -19.60% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1917

vte1917 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry B. Atkins | 1,394 | 52.80% | -6.52% |
| | Conservative | W. L. Tolton | 1,246 | 47.20% | 6.52% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,640 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 4,376 | 60.33% | -11.59% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -6.52% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1921

vte1921 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Austin Claypool | 2,528 | 59.31% | – |
| | Liberal | Geo. H. Webber | 1,734 | 40.69% | -12.12% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,262 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,621 | 64.37% | 4.04% |
| | United Farmers gain from Liberal | United Farmers gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | 6.51% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1926

vte1926 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Austin B. Claypool | 2,292 | 57.21% | -2.10% |
| | Liberal | D. MacDonald | 895 | 22.34% | -18.34% |
| | Conservative | S. P. Williams | 819 | 20.44% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,262 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,621 | 64.37% | 4.04% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | 1.90% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1930

vte1930 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | Austin Claypool | 1,756 | 54.43% | -2.78% |
| | Independent | W. A. Austin | 1,470 | 45.57% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,226 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 144 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 4,290 | 78.55% | 17.28% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | -13.00% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1935

vte1935 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Edward P. Foster | 2,731 | 64.24% | – |
| | United Farmers | Austin Claypool | 610 | 14.35% | -40.08% |
| | Liberal | A. Sheline | 607 | 14.28% | – |
| | Conservative | A. S. Gough | 303 | 7.13% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,251 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 114 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,136 | 84.99% | 6.43% |
| | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Swing | Swing | 20.51% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1940

vte1940 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ernest M. Brown | 2,379 | 50.71% | – |
| | Social Credit | Edward P. Foster | 2,312 | 49.29% | -14.96% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,691 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 181 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,538 | 74.52% | -10.47% |
| | Independent gain from Social Credit | Independent gain from Social Credit | Swing | Swing | -24.23% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1944

vte1944 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Howard G. Hammell | 2,485 | 59.46% | 10.18% |
| | Independent | C. C. Gillespie | 966 | 23.12% | -27.60% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Raymond C. Bell | 728 | 17.42% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,179 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,056 | 69.01% | -5.51% |
| | Social Credit gain from Independent | Social Credit gain from Independent | Swing | Swing | 17.46% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1948

vte1948 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Howard G. Hammell | 2,647 | 66.19% | 6.73% |
| | Independent | Matthew Schmaltz | 935 | 23.38% | 0.27% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Raymond C. Bell | 417 | 10.43% | -6.99% |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,999 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 306 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,678 | 64.47% | -4.54% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 3.23% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1952

vte1952 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Howard G. Hammell | 2,870 | 69.61% | 3.42% |
| | Liberal | Ludwig L. Schmaltz | 1,253 | 30.39% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,123 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 192 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,964 | 61.96% | -2.50% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -1.80% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1955

vte1955 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Lawrence Owens | 2601 | 53.74% | -14.87% |
| | Coalition | Ben Brown | 2,239 | 46.26% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,840 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 275 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,024 | 72.31% | 10.35% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 10.35% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1959

vte1959 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Lawrence Owens | 3,042 | 72.15% | 18.41% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Douglas N. Anderson | 849 | 20.14% | – |
| | Liberal | Walter P. Hourihan | 325 | 7.71% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,216 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 740 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,894 | 71.89% | -0.42% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -13.59% |
| Source(s) Source: "Didsbury Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1960 by-election

vteAlberta provincial by-election, November 30, 1960 Upon the death of James Lawrence Owens on September 27, 1960 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Robert Curtis Clark | 2,217 | 53.51% | -18.64% |
| | Liberal | James A. Lore | 1,162 | 28.05% | 20.34% |
| | Progressive Conservative | W. H. Metz | 764 | 18.44% | -1.70% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,143 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | – | – | – |
| Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | – | – | – |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | N/A |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

## Plebiscite results
### 1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Didsbury :
| 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 | 1,961 | 59.12% |
| | Yes | 1,356 | 40.88% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,429 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 34 | 34 |
| 6,535 eligible electors, turnout 51.28% ||||
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 should be 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. Didsbury 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 Didsbury were designated Local Option Zones by the Alberta Liquor Control Board and considered effective dry zones. Business owners who wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.