# Macleod (provincial electoral district)

Macleod 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

The Macleod 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 territorial Macleod electoral district which returned a single member to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1885 to 1905. Frederick W. A. G. Haultain the former Premier of the Northwest Territories until 1905 and incumbent in the Northwest Territories Macleod district chose contest the South Qu'Appelle electoral district for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Malcolm McKenzie a lawyer who had lived in Fort Macleod and previously worked with Haultain was elected the first representative of the Macleod district.
The Macleod electoral district was abolished in the 1993 electoral district re-distribution when it was merged with Pincher Creek-Crowsnest to form the Pincher Creek-Macleod electoral district.

### Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Macleod :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 1st | 1905–1909 | Malcolm McKenzie | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1909–1910 | Colin Genge | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1910–1913 | Robert Patterson | Conservative |
| 3rd | 1913–1917 | Robert Patterson | Conservative |
| 4th | 1917–1921 | George Skelding | Liberal |
| 5th | 1921–1926 | William H. Shield | United Farmers |
| 6th | 1926–1930 | William H. Shield | United Farmers |
| 7th | 1930–1935 | William H. Shield | United Farmers |
| 8th | 1935–1940 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 9th | 1940–1944 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 10th | 1944–1948 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 11th | 1948–1952 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 12th | 1952–1955 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 13th | 1955–1959 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 14th | 1959–1963 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 15th | 1963–1967 | James Hartley | Social Credit |
| 16th | 1967–1971 | Leighton E. Buckwell | Social Credit |
| 17th | 1971–1975 | Leighton E. Buckwell | Social Credit |
| 18th | 1975–1979 | Thomas J. Walker | Progressive Conservative |
| 19th | 1979–1982 | LeRoy Fjordbotten | Progressive Conservative |
| 20th | 1982–1986 | LeRoy Fjordbotten | Progressive Conservative |
| 21st | 1986–1989 | LeRoy Fjordbotten | Progressive Conservative |
| 22nd | 1989–1993 | LeRoy Fjordbotten | Progressive Conservative |
| See Pincher Creek-Macleod electoral district from 1993-1997 |||||

## Election results
### 1905

The returning officer for the 1905 election was James Wilson.
vte1905 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Malcolm McKenzie | 584 | 58.11% | – |
| | Conservative | David J. Crier | 368 | 36.62% | – |
| | Independent | Duncan J.D.K. Campbell | 53 | 5.27% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,005 | – | – |
| 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: "Macleod Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1909

vte1909 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Colin Genge | 342 | 51.12% | -6.99% |
| | Conservative | E. P. McNeill | 327 | 48.88% | 12.26% |
| Total | Total | Total | 669 | – | – |
| 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 | -9.63% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1909 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1910 by-election

vteAlberta provincial by-election, October 3, 1910 Upon Colin Genge's death on March 25, 1910 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Patterson | 446 | 55.47% | 6.59% |
| | Liberal | Edward Maunsell | 358 | 44.53% | -6.59% |
| Total | Total | Total | 804 | – | – |
| 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 | – |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | 3.30% |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

### 1913

vte1913 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Patterson | 579 | 50.83% | -4.64% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Sifton | 560 | 49.17% | 4.64% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,139 | – | – |
| 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 | – |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -2.32% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1917

vte1917 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Skelding | 728 | 51.78% | 2.61% |
| | Conservative | Robert Patterson | 678 | 48.22% | -2.61% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,406 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 1,813 | 77.55% | – |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | 0.94% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1921

vte1921 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | William H. Shield | 727 | 53.97% | – |
| | Liberal | George Skelding | 620 | 46.03% | -5.75% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,347 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 1,785 | 75.46% | – |
| | United Farmers gain from Liberal | United Farmers gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | 2.19% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1926

vte1926 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | ±% |
| | United Farmers | William H. Shield | 656 | 48.66% | 709 | -5.31% |
| | Liberal | John W. McDonald | 567 | 42.06% | 606 | -3.97% |
| | Conservative | Robert Patterson | 125 | 9.27% | – | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,348 | – | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 56 | – | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 1,769 | 79.37% | 3.90% | – |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | -0.67% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. 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

vte1930 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | William H. Shield | 1,539 | 65.80% | 17.13% |
| | Liberal | John W. McDonald | 800 | 34.20% | -7.86% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,339 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 85 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 3,179 | 76.25% | -3.12% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | 12.50% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1935

vte1935 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Hartley | 1,680 | 61.83% | – |
| | United Farmers | William H. Shield | 650 | 23.92% | -41.87% |
| | Liberal | C. T. Schiebout | 387 | 14.24% | -19.96% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,717 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 89 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 3,260 | 86.07% | 9.82% |
| | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Swing | Swing | 3.16% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1940

vte1940 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Hartley | 2,487 | 50.42% | -11.42% |
| | Independent | G. B. Walker | 2,446 | 49.58% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,933 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 162 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,190 | 82.31% | -3.76% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -18.54% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1944

vte1944 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Hartley | 2,440 | 53.59% | 3.18% |
| | Independent | Earnest Bennion | 989 | 21.72% | -27.86% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Wilfred Perrin | 972 | 21.35% | – |
| | Labor–Progressive | R.L. Welsh | 152 | 3.34% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,553 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 78 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,141 | 75.41% | -6.90% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 15.52% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1948

vte1948 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Hartley | 2,852 | 67.58% | 13.99% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Joseph E. Peterson | 756 | 17.91% | -3.43% |
| | Liberal | Everett E. Marjerison | 612 | 14.50% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,220 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 268 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,620 | 67.79% | -7.62% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 8.90% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1952

vte1952 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Hartley | 3,232 | 71.81% | 4.22% |
| | Liberal | Michael J. Jordan | 773 | 17.17% | 2.67% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Joseph E. Peterson | 496 | 11.02% | -6.89% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,501 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 286 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,703 | 83.94% | 16.14% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 2.48% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod 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 Hartley | 3,037 | 60.95% | -10.86% |
| | Liberal | Charles V. Bennett | 1,946 | 39.05% | 21.88% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,983 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 280 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,937 | 66.31% | -17.63% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -16.37% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod 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 Hartley | 3,731 | 72.38% | 11.43% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Leo E. Toone | 949 | 18.41% | – |
| | Liberal | Dennis Arthur Mouser | 475 | 9.21% | -29.84% |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,155 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 18 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,304 | 70.82% | 4.51% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 16.04% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1963

vte1963 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | James Hartley | 3,127 | 64.73% | -7.65% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Allie Streeter | 1,466 | 30.35% | 11.94% |
| | New Democratic | John K. Head | 238 | 4.93% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,831 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 12 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,377 | 65.65% | -5.17% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -9.79% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1967

vte1967 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Leighton E. Buckwell | 2,822 | 52.10% | -12.63% |
| | Progressive Conservative | George Whitehead | 1,773 | 32.73% | 2.38% |
| | New Democratic | Sid J. Cornish | 673 | 12.42% | 7.50% |
| | Liberal | Melba J. Grimm | 149 | 2.75% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,417 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 44 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 7,901 | 69.12% | 3.47% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -7.51% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1971

vte1971 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Leighton E. Buckwell | 3,399 | 50.91% | -1.19% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Danny Le Grandeur | 2,808 | 42.05% | 9.32% |
| | New Democratic | Sid J. Cornish | 470 | 7.04% | -5.38% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,677 | – | – |
| Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | Rejected, Spoiled and Declined | 31 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 8,701 | 77.09% | 7.98% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -5.26% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1975

vte1975 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Thomas J. Walker | 3,671 | 55.70% | 13.64% |
| | Social Credit | Leighton E. Buckwell | 2,359 | 35.79% | -15.11% |
| | New Democratic | Kay Cairns | 330 | 5.01% | -2.03% |
| | Liberal | Bill Olafson | 231 | 3.50% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,591 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 39 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 9,833 | 67.43% | -9.67% |
| | Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit | Progressive Conservative gain from Social Credit | Swing | Swing | 5.53% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1975 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1979

vte1979 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | LeRoy Fjordbotten | 4,189 | 58.89% | 3.20% |
| | Social Credit | Roelof A. Heinen | 2,369 | 33.31% | -2.48% |
| | New Democratic | Kathleen M. Cairns | 384 | 5.40% | 0.39% |
| | Liberal | Alfred Saddleback | 171 | 2.40% | -1.10% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,113 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 12 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 10,994 | 64.81% | -2.62% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 2.84% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1982

vte1982 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | LeRoy Fjordbotten | 6,136 | 71.52% | 12.63% |
| | Western Canada Concept | Ellis Oviatt | 1,293 | 15.07% | – |
| | New Democratic | Paul Abildgaard | 546 | 6.36% | -32.34% |
| | Independent | Dennis Irvine | 280 | 3.26% | – |
| | Independent | Scot MacLean | 180 | 2.10% | – |
| | Liberal | Inez Watmough | 144 | 1.68% | -0.73% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,579 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 22 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 11,908 | 72.23% | 7.42% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 15.43% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1986

vte1986 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | LeRoy Fjordbotten | 4,054 | 66.29% | -5.24% |
| | Representative | Ed Shimek | 1,303 | 21.30% | – |
| | New Democratic | Laurie Fiedler | 759 | 12.41% | 6.05% |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,116 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 33 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 11,624 | 52.90% | -19.33% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -5.74% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1989

vte1989 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | LeRoy Fjordbotten | 4,459 | 67.49% | 1.20% |
| | New Democratic | Mike Dawson | 1,292 | 19.56% | 7.14% |
| | Liberal | Darrell Piehl | 856 | 12.96% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 6,607 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 28 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 11,266 | 58.89% | 5.99% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 1.48% |
| Source(s) Source: "Macleod Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

## Plebiscite results
### 1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Macleod :
| 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 | 1,909 | 50.22% |
| | Yes | 1,892 | 49.78% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 3,801 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 46 | 46 |
| 7,476 eligible electors, turnout 51.46% ||||
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. Macleod voted against the proposal by a very slim 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 Macleod 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.