# Gleichen (electoral district)

Gleichen was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1963.

## History

Gleichen 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 merged with Drumheller prior to the 1963 Alberta general election to form the short lived Drumheller-Gleichen electoral district.
The district was named after the town of Gleichen, Alberta, that is situated north of Siksika Nation.

### Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Gleichen :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 1st | 1905–1906 | Charles A. Stuart | Liberal |
| 1st | 1906–1909 | Ezra H. Riley | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1909–1910 | Ezra H. Riley | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1910–1911 | Archibald J. McArthur | Liberal |
| 2nd | 1911–1913 | Harold Riley | Conservative |
| 3rd | 1913–1917 | John Peter McArthur | Liberal |
| 4th | 1917–1921 | Fred Davis | Conservative |
| 5th | 1921–1926 | John C. Buckley | Social Credit |
| 6th | 1926–1930 | John C. Buckley | Social Credit |
| 7th | 1930–1935 | John C. Buckley | Social Credit |
| 8th | 1935–1940 | Isaac M. McCune | Social Credit |
| 9th | 1940–1944 | Donald J. McKinnon | Independent |
| 10th | 1944–1948 | George E. Bell | Social Credit |
| 11th | 1948–1952 | George E. Bell | Social Credit |
| 12th | 1952–1955 | George E. Bell | Social Credit |
| 13th | 1955–1959 | George E. Bell | Social Credit |
| 14th | 1959–1963 | George E. Bell | Social Credit |
| See Drumheller-Gleichen electoral district from 1963-1971 |||||

## Election results
### 1905

vte1905 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles A. Stuart | 667 | 51.03% | – |
| | Conservative | John W. Hayes | 640 | 48.97% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,307 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 1,307 | 100.00% | – |
| | 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: "Gleichen Official Results 1905 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1906 by-election

vteAlberta provincial by-election, December 7, 1906 Upon Charles Stuart's appointment to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories in October 1906 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ezra Riley | 560 | 56.28% | – |
| | Conservative | William L. Walsh | 435 | 42.72% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 995 | – | – |
| 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) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

### 1909

vte1909 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ezra H. Riley | 720 | 57.83% | 6.80% |
| | Conservative | James Shouldice | 525 | 42.17% | -6.80% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,245 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 1,666 | 74.37% | – |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | 6.80% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen 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 resignation of Ezra Riley in protest against leadership of his party :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Archibald J. McArthur | 1,119 | 54.91% | – |
| | Independent | Ezra Riley | 919 | 45.09% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,038 | – | – |
| 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) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

### 1911 by-election

vteAlberta provincial by-election, October 31, 1911 Upon the death of Archibald J. McArthur on June 5, 1911 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Riley | 1,370 | 56.29% | – |
| | Liberal | John Peter McArthur | 1,064 | 43.71% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,434 | – | – |
| 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 | N/A |
| Source(s) "By-elections". Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 26, 2020. |||||||

### 1913

vte1913 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Peter McArthur | 641 | 52.67% | -5.16% |
| | Conservative | George McElroy | 576 | 47.33% | 5.16% |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,217 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 1,565 | 77.76% | 3.39% |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | -5.16% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1913 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1917

vte1917 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Fred Davis | 762 | 42.76% | -4.57% |
| | Liberal | John Peter McArthur | 712 | 39.96% | -12.72% |
| | Nonpartisan League | John W. Leedy | 308 | 17.28% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,782 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 2,711 | 65.73% | -12.03% |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | -1.27% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1917 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1921

vte1921 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | John C. Buckley | 1,565 | 59.51% | – |
| | Liberal | H. Scott | 1,065 | 40.49% | 0.54% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,630 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | N/A | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 3,708 | 70.93% | 5.20% |
| | United Farmers gain from Conservative | United Farmers gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | 8.10% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1926

vte1926 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | John C. Buckley | 1,584 | 56.90% | -2.61% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Miller | 722 | 25.93% | – |
| | Liberal | Frank Lount | 478 | 17.17% | -23.32% |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,784 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 166 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 4,428 | 66.62% | -4.31% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | 5.98% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1930

vte1930 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers | John C. Buckley | 1,566 | 59.43% | 2.53% |
| | Independent | H. S. B. Chamberlain | 1,069 | 40.57% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,635 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 104 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 4,074 | 67.23% | 0.61% |
| | United Farmers hold | United Farmers hold | Swing | Swing | -6.05% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1935

vte1935 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | Isaac M. McCune | 2,093 | 52.38% | – |
| | United Farmers | John C. Buckley | 895 | 22.40% | -37.03% |
| | Liberal | V. S. Kimpton | 569 | 14.24% | – |
| | Conservative | T. S. Hughes | 439 | 10.99% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,996 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 141 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 4,908 | 84.29% | 17.06% |
| | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Social Credit gain from United Farmers | Swing | Swing | 5.56% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1940

vte1940 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Donald J. McKinnon | 2,255 | 51.46% | – |
| | Social Credit | Isaac M. McCune | 1,457 | 33.25% | -19.13% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | J. H. Coldwell | 670 | 15.29% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,382 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 212 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 6,112 | 75.16% | -9.13% |
| | Independent gain from Social Credit | Independent gain from Social Credit | Swing | Swing | -5.88% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1944

vte1944 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | George E. Bell | 2,032 | 50.22% | 16.97% |
| | Independent | Donald J. McKinnon | 1,072 | 26.50% | -24.97% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | B. C. Henricks | 942 | 23.28% | 7.99% |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,046 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 111 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,560 | 74.77% | -0.40% |
| | Social Credit gain from Independent | Social Credit gain from Independent | Swing | Swing | 2.76% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1948

vte1948 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | George E. Bell | 2,354 | 64.37% | 14.15% |
| | Independent | Jonathan M. Wheatley | 1,303 | 35.63% | 9.13% |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,657 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 221 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,926 | 65.44% | -9.33% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 2.51% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1952

vte1952 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | George E. Bell | 2,061 | 68.49% | 4.12% |
| | Liberal | Charles County | 675 | 22.43% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Aubrey E. Gibson | 273 | 9.07% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,009 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 161 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,192 | 61.06% | -4.38% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 8.66% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1955

vte1955 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | George E. Bell | 1,912 | 51.73% | -16.76% |
| | Liberal | Carman Ellis | 1,784 | 48.27% | 25.84% |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,696 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 202 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,228 | 74.56% | 13.50% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | -21.30% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### 1959

vte1959 Alberta general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Credit | George E. Bell | 2,267 | 60.08% | 8.35% |
| | Progressive Conservative | A. John Van Wezel | 754 | 19.98% | – |
| | Liberal | Carman A. Parkyn | 752 | 19.93% | -28.34% |
| Total | Total | Total | 3,773 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 9 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 5,244 | 72.12% | -2.44% |
| | Social Credit hold | Social Credit hold | Swing | Swing | 18.32% |
| Source(s) Source: "Gleichen Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

## Plebiscite results
### 1948 electrification plebiscite

District results from the first province wide plebiscite on electricity regulation.
| Option A | Option B |
| Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being continued by the Power Companies? | Are you in favour of the generation and distribution of electricity being made a publicly owned utility administered by the Alberta Government Power Commission? |
| 2,007 56.04% | 1,574 43.96% |
| Province wide result: Option A passed. ||

### 1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Gleichen :
| 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 | 1,440 | 61.02% |
| | No | 920 | 38.98% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,360 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 13 | 13 |
| 4,885 eligible electors, turnout 48.58% ||||
| Question B1: Should mixed drinking be allowed in beer parlours in Calgary and the surrounding areas? ||||
| Ballot choice | Ballot choice | Votes | % |
| | Yes | 5 | 100.00% |
| | No | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 5 | 100% |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 0 | 0 |
| 19 eligible electors, turnout 26.32% ||||
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 woman were allowed to drink together in establishments. Question B was slightly modified depending on which city the voters were in.
Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Gleichen voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plebiscite. The district recorded about average voter turnout, being a couple points above the province wide 46% average.
Gleichen also voted on question B1 with just 19 residents lying inside the electoral district within the corporate limits of Calgary. Only 5 residents showed up to vote, they unanimously voted to allow mixed drinking.
Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957. The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered 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 that wanted a license had to petition for a binding municipal plebiscite in order to be granted a license.

## By-election reasons

* December 7, 1906—Appointment of Mr. Charles Stuart to the Judicial Bench.
* October 3, 1910—Resignation Ezra Riley in protest against leadership of his party.
* October 31, 1911—Death of Mr. Archibald J. McArthur.