# Grouard (electoral district)

Grouard was a provincial electoral district in Alberta mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1913 to 1971.

## History
### Boundary history

Grouard was created from the southwest quarter of Athabasca in 1913, centred on the small community of Grouard. Its main population centres soon became High Prairie and Falher, containing a number of Franco-Albertan communities. Its boundaries saw minor adjustments throughout its history, but it retained a similar size and shape until abolished in 1971, with the northeast parts going to Lesser Slave Lake and the southwest parts becoming Smoky River.

### Representation history

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Grouard :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| See Athabasca 1905-1913 |||||
| 3rd | 1913–1917 | Jean Côté | Liberal |
| 4th | 1917–1921 | Jean Côté | Liberal |
| 5th | 1921–1923 | Jean Côté | Liberal |
| 5th | 1923–1924 | Vacant | Vacant |
| 5th | 1924–1926 | Leonidas Giroux | Liberal |
| 6th | 1926–1930 | Leonidas Giroux | Liberal |
| 7th | 1930–1935 | Leonidas Giroux | Liberal |
| 8th | 1935–1936 | Leonidas Giroux | Liberal |
| 8th | 1936 | Vacant | Vacant |
| 8th | 1936-1940 | Joseph Tremblay | Liberal |
| 9th | 1940–1944 | Joseph Tremblay | Liberal |
| 10th | 1944–1948 | William Fallow | Social Credit |
| 10th | 1948 | Vacant | Vacant |
| 11th | 1948–1951 | John Wood | Social Credit |
| 11th | 1951 | Vacant | Vacant |
| 11th | 1951–1952 | Joseph Desfosses | Liberal |
| 12th | 1952–1955 | Joseph Desfosses | Liberal |
| 13th | 1955–1959 | Joseph Desfosses | Liberal |
| 14th | 1959–1963 | Roy Ells | Social Credit |
| 15th | 1963–1967 | Roy Ells | Social Credit |
| 16th | 1967–1971 | Roy Ells | Social Credit |
| See Lesser Slave Lake after 1971 and Smoky River 1971-1993 |||||
Grouard was one of the friendliest ridings for the Alberta Liberal Party, and in its 58-year history, never once voted out an incumbent MLA.
Incumbent Athabasca MLA Jean Côté decided to run in the new riding of Grouard when it was created in 1913, easily defeating his Conservative challenger. He won re-election twice, and was appointed to the Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Mackenzie King in 1923, vacating his seat.
The resulting by-election was won handily by another Liberal, Leonidas Giroux. He was re-elected three times, defending his seat even in 1935, which saw every other seat in rural Alberta swept up by the nascent Social Credit Party of William Aberhart. However, Giroux died in office the following year.
The by-election in fall 1936 was again won by a Liberal, Joseph Tremblay, who narrowly defeated his Social Credit rival. Tremblay won a razor-thin re-election in 1940, one of only two Liberal candidates across the province in that election, and decided to retire when the legislature was dissolved.
The Liberals did not field a single candidate in 1944. With Social Credit candidate William Fallow finally capturing Grouard for the government, this ended the longest streak for any party in Alberta's tumultuous early politics. Fallow also died in office in 1948, but no by-election was held, as a general election took place that year.
Social Credit won the riding for a second time, with John Wood gaining a comfortable victory on the second count. He resigned his post before the term finished, necessitating another by-election in 1951.
Liberal Joseph Desfosses narrowly won the riding back for his party, serving with the revived opposition party until he chose to retire in 1959.
Grouard's final MLA was Roy Ells, who sat with the governing Social Credit for three terms until the riding was abolished in 1971.

## Election results
### 1910s

1913 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Jean Côté | 347 | 63.32% |
| | Conservative | O. Travers | 201 | 36.68% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 548 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | - |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 777 | 70.53% |
| | 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. |
1917 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jean Côté | 688 | 70.71% | +7.39% |
| | Conservative | Eugene Gravel | 285 | 29.29% | -7.39% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 973 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | - |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 1,265 | 76.92% | +6.39% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +7.39% |
Following the convention at the time, Côté stood in a by-election upon being named to cabinet. However, since no other candidates contested it, he was acclaimed.
vteAlberta provincial by-election, October 21, 1918 Ministerial by-election upon Jean Côté's appointment as Provincial Secretary :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jean Côté | 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 | – |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

### 1920s

1921 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jean Côté | 963 | 57.84% | -12.87% |
| | United Farmers | Henry George Dimsdale | 702 | 42.16% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,665 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | - |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 2,362 | 70.49% | -6.43% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -27.52% |
vteAlberta provincial by-election, July 11, 1924 Upon the appointment of Jean Côté to the Senate of Canada :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leonidas Giroux | 1,085 | 70.36% | +12.52% |
| | United Farmers | J.M. Cull | 457 | 29.64% | -12.52% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,542 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | – | – | – |
| Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | – | – | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +12.52% |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||
1926 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leonidas Giroux | 1,224 | 75.05% | +4.69% |
| | Conservative | Henry George Dimsdale | 407 | 24.95% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,631 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 64 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 2,511 | 67.50% | - |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -10.13% |

### 1930s

1930 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leonidas Giroux | 1,706 | 62.65% | -12.40% |
| | United Farmers | Jean Field | 1,017 | 37.35% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,723 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 6 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 3,988 | 68.43% | +0.93% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -24.88% |
1935 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leonidas Giroux | 2,272 | 55.89% | -6.76% |
| | Social Credit | R.A. Pelletier | 1,447 | 35.60% |
| | United Farmers | E.E. Requier | 346 | 8.51% | -28.84% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,065 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 135 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 5,378 | 78.10% | +9.67% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -21.18% |
vteAlberta provincial by-election, December 7, 1936 Upon the death of Leonidas Giroux :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Tremblay | 1,668 | 52.26% | -3.63% |
| | Social Credit | W. J. Desrosiers | 1,524 | 47.74% | +12.14% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3,192 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | N/A | N/A | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -7.89% |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

### 1940s

1940 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Tremblay | 1,747 | 39.05% | -13.21% |
| | Social Credit | J.A. Maurice | 1,703 | 38.06% | -9.68% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Michael O'Grady | 1,024 | 22.89% |
| Second Count ||||||
| | Liberal | Joseph Tremblay | 1,965 | 50.05% | +11.00% |
| | Social Credit | J.A. Maurice | 1,961 | 49.95% | +11.89% |
| | No second preference | No second preference | 548 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,474 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 197 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 7,528 | 62.05% | - |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -1.77% |
First-count swing is calculated from the 1936 by-election, while second-count swing reflects increase in vote share from the first count.
1944 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | William Fallow | 2,612 | 57.29% | +19.23% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Mike O'Grady | 1,560 | 34.22% | +11.33% |
| | Labor–Progressive | Merie Evanuk | 387 | 8.49% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,559 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 168 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 7,019 | 67.35% | +5.30% |
| | Social Credit gain from Liberal | Social Credit gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +3.95% |
1948 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | John Wood | 2,493 | 44.58% | -12.71% |
| | Liberal | André Dechêne | 1,850 | 33.08% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | D.B. Fraser | 1,249 | 22.34% | -11.88% |
| Second Count ||||||
| | Social Credit | John Wood | 2,717 | 58.63% | +14.05% |
| | Liberal | André Dechêne | 1,917 | 41.37% | +8.29% |
| | No second preference | No second preference | 958 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,592 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 376 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 7,881 | 75.73% | +8.38% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -22.90% |

### 1950s

vteAlberta provincial by-election, June 21, 1951 Upon the resignation of John Wood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Desfosses | 2,275 | 44.16% | +11.08% |
| | Social Credit | D. McLaughlin | 2,197 | 42.64% | -1.94% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | C.R. Clark | 680 | 13.20% | -9.14% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,152 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | Electors / turnout | N/A | N/A | – |
| | Liberal gain from Social Credit | Liberal gain from Social Credit | Swing | Swing | +6.51% |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||
1952 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Desfosses | 2,358 | 42.54% | -1.62% |
| | Social Credit | Joseph St. Arnaud | 2,234 | 40.30% | -2.34% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Charlton R. Clark | 951 | 17.16% | +3.96% |
| Second Count ||||||
| | Liberal | Joseph Desfosses | 2,558 | 51.54% | +9.00% |
| | Social Credit | Joseph St. Arnaud | 2,405 | 48.46% | +8.16% |
| | No second preference | No second preference | 580 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,543 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 335 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 8,974 | 65.50% | - |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +0.36% |
1955 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Desfosses | 2,855 | 49.70% | +7.16% |
| | Social Credit | Fred Bullen | 2,319 | 40.37% | +0.07% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Charlton R. Clark | 571 | 9.94% | -7.22% |
| Second Count ||||||
| | Liberal | Joseph Desfosses | 3,026 | 55.41% | +5.71% |
| | Social Credit | Fred Bullen | 2,435 | 44.59% | +4.22% |
| | No second preference | No second preference | 284 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 5,745 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 510 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 9,271 | 67.47% | +1.97% |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +3.55% |
1959 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Roy Ells | 3,727 | 57.23% | +16.86% |
| | Liberal | Paul Maisonneuve | 1,476 | 22.67% | -27.03% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Paul Soulodre | 1,309 | 20.10% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,512 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 25 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 9,020 | 72.47% | +5.00% |
| | Social Credit gain from Liberal | Social Credit gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +21.95% |

### 1960s

1963 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Roy Ells | 3,832 | 62.81% | +5.58% |
| | Liberal | Gunner Wahlstrom | 1,595 | 26.14% | +3.47% |
| | New Democratic | Clifford Tollefson | 674 | 11.05% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,101 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 42 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 9,169 | 67.00% | -5.47% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | +1.06% |
1967 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Roy Ells | 3,363 | 51.30% | -11.51% |
| | New Democratic | Stan Daniels | 2,207 | 33.67% | +22.62% |
| | Liberal | Gunner Wahlstrom | 985 | 15.03% | -11.11% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,555 |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 36 |
| Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | Electors / Turnout | 10,323 | 63.85% | -8.62% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -17.07% |

## Plebiscite results
### 1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Grouard :
| 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 | % |
| | Yes | 1,388 | 69.99% |
| | No | 595 | 30.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 1,983 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 48 | 48 |
| 8,426 eligible electors, turnout 24.10% ||||
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. Grouard voted in favour of the proposal with a landslide majority. Voter turnout in the district was the lowest in the province, at half 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 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 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.