Banff-Cochrane

Banff-Cochrane
Alberta electoral district

2010 boundaries
Provincial electoral district
Legislature Legislative Assembly of Alberta
MLA
 
 
 

Cam Westhead
New Democratic

District created 1940
District abolished 1975
District re-created 1979
First contested 1940
Last contested 2015

Banff-Cochrane is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada. This riding is home to the town of Banff and the popular tourist destination Banff National Park, environmental issues tend to dominate here.

The cost of living is significantly high especially in Canmore where there is a struggle to fill low wage service sector jobs, due to the high cost of living. Bears and wildlife encounters are also common in this riding, requiring extra attention to waste disposal. The area also has lots of ski resorts, a number of ranchers and farmers also make their home in the Alberta Foothills.

The riding was first created in 1940 out of the north half of the old Rocky Mountain riding, and the Cochrane riding. From 1975 to 1979 the riding was renamed Banff but was later reversed.

History

The electoral district has existed twice. The first iteration was created in the 1940 boundary redistribution from the ridings of Cochrane and Rocky Mountain. In 1975 the riding name was changed to Banff and it was set back to Banff-Cochrane in the 1977 redistribution.

The 2010 boundary redistribution saw Banff-Cochrane gain the land south of Cochrane that was in the old Foothills-Rocky View electoral district.[1]

Boundary history

Members of the Legislative Assembly for Banff-Cochrane[3]
Assembly Years Member Party
See Cochrane 1909–1940 and Rocky Mountain 1909–1940
9th 1940–1944 Frank Laut Independent
10th 1944–1946 Arthur Wray Social Credit
1946–1948 Independent Social Credit
11th 1948–1952
12th 1952–1955 Lee Leavitt Social Credit
13th 1955–1959 Frank Gainer Coalition
14th 1959–1963
15th 1963–1967
16th 1967–1971 Clarence Copithorne Independent
1971 Progressive Conservative
17th 1971–1975
See Banff 1975–1979
19th 1979–1982 Greg Stevens Progressive Conservative
20th 1982–1986
21st 1986–1989
22nd 1989–1993 Brian Evans
23rd 1993–1997
24th 1997–2001 Janis Tarchuk
25th 2001–2004
26th 2004–2008
27th 2008–2012
28th 2012–2015 Ron Casey
29th 2015–present Cam Westhead New Democratic

Electoral history

The electoral district was created in the 1940 boundary redistribution primarily from the ridings of Cochrane and Rocky Mountain. The first representative to win the district was Independent candidate Frant Laut who defeated former Cochrane Social Credit incumbent William King in a hotly contested race.

Laut was defeated running for a second term in the 1944 general election by Social Credit candidate Arthur Wray. Two years into his term Wray was suspended the Social Credit caucus on February 20, 1946 for criticizing the Alberta government after requests to the Public Works department to remove snow from Cochrane roads was ignored.[4] The situation came to a head a year later when the Social Credit members passed a motion in the legislature to force Wray to move his desk to the opposition side of the house. His stand against cabinet won praise from his constituents in Cochrane.

The 1948 election would see a hotly contested battle as King and Laut attempt to regain their seat. Wray hung on to a second term in vote transfers. Wray would run for a third term in the 1952 election but would be defeated finishing a distant third by Social Credit candidate Lee Leavitt.

Leavitt was defeated by Frank Gainer who was one of two joint nominee's by the Progressive Conservative and Liberal parties in the 1955 election. He ran with the Coalition banner and sat in the legislature with it. Gainer won re-election in a hotly contested race in 1959. Pundits at the time figured he would be chosen to lead the four opposition members of different stripes with his Coalition banner, however no one was picked. He won a third term in 1963 before retiring in 1967.

The wide open race in 1967 saw Independent candidate Clarence Copithorne defeat Social Credit candidate Roy Wilson to win the district. Copithorne joined the Progressive Conservative caucus on April 15, 1971. He stood for reelection as a Progressive Conservative a few months later winning a strong plurality. He retired from provincial politics at dissolution in 1975.

In 1975 the riding name was changed to Banff before being changed back in 1979. Progressive Conservative candidate Greg Stevens held the district for three terms before retiring in 1993. He was replaced by Brian Evans for two terms. Janis Tarchuck the current representative was first elected in 1997 and has been re-elected for three more terms.

Legislature results 1940–1975

1940 general election

1940 Alberta general election results[5] Turnout 80.39% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
IndependentFrank Laut 2,931 61.06%
Social CreditWilliam King 1,869 38.94%
Total 4,800 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 227
6,253 Eligible Electors
     Independent pickup new district Swing N/A

1944 general election

1944 Alberta general election results[6] Turnout 73.54% 1st Count Swing
Affiliation Candidate 1st % 2nd % Party Personal
     Social Credit Arthur Wray 1,568 38.51% 1,805 50.67% 0.40% *
     Independent Frank Laut 1,602 39.34% 1,757 49.33% * −21.72%
     Cooperative Commonwealth D. MacGregor 902 22.15% *
Total 4,072 100% 3,562 100%
Exhausted Ballots 0 510
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 118
5,698 eligible electors
     Social Credit pickup from Independent 1st Count Swing 11.06%

1948 general election

1948 Alberta general election results[7] Turnout 58.17% 1st Count Swing
Affiliation Candidate 1st % 2nd % Party Personal
     Independent Social Credit Arthur Wray 1,658 41.58% 1,964 57.28% * 3.07%
     Independent Frank Laut 1,246 31.24% 1,465 42.72% * −8.10%
     Social Credit William King 1,084 27.18% −11.33% *
Total 3,988 100% 3,429 100%
Exhausted Ballots 0 559
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 291
7,356 eligible electors
     Independent Social Credit hold from floor crossing 1st Count Swing 5.59%

1952 general election

1952 Alberta general election results[8] Turnout 56.83% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Social CreditLee Leavitt 1,845 54.73% 27.55%
     Liberal C.C. Mathews 1,035 30.70% *
     Independent Social Credit Arthur Wray 491 14.57% * −27.01%
Total 3,371 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 283
6,430 Eligible Electors
     Social Credit pickup from Independent Social Credit Swing 29.13%

1955 general election

1955 Alberta general election results[9] Turnout 70.69% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
  Coalition Frank Gainer 2,342 54.87% *
Social CreditLee Leavitt 1,926 45.13% -9.60%
Total 4,268 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 293
6,452 Eligible Electors
  Coalition pickup from Social Credit Swing 32.34%

1959 general election

1959 Alberta general election results[10] Turnout 63.23% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
  Coalition Frank Gainer 2,279 50.79% -4.08%
Social CreditRobin Echlin 2,208 49.21% 4.08%
Total 4,487
Rejected, spoiled and declined 25
Eligible electors / Turnout 7,136 %
  Coalition hold Swing −4.08%

1963 general election

1963 Alberta general election results[11] Turnout 63.58% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
  Coalition Frank Gainer 2,179 49.66% -1.13%
Social CreditVictor Watson 1,878 42.80% −6.41%
     NDP Jack Fraser 331 7.54% *
Total 4,388 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 12
6,921 Eligible Electors
  Coalition hold Swing −3.77%

1967 general election

1967 Alberta general election results[12] Turnout 64.01% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
IndependentClarence Copithorne 2,428 49.88%
Social CreditRoy Wilson 2,066 42.44% −0.36%
     NDP Jack Fraser 374 7.68% 0.14%
Total 4,868 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 31
7,653 Eligible Electors
     Independent pickup from Coalition Swing 25.12%

1971 general election

1971 Alberta general election results[13] Turnout 66.44% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeClarence Copithorne 3,801 55.34% * 5.46%
Social CreditSlim Martin 2,647 38.54% −3.90%
New DemocraticBeverly Coulter 420 6.12% −1.56%
Total 6,868 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 187
10,619 Eligible Electors
Incumbent Clarence Copithorne crossed the floor during the previous Legislature.
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 4.68%

Legislature results 1979–present

1979 general election

1979 Alberta general election results[14] Turnout 55.36% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeGreg Stevens 5,578 66.87% −2.05%
Social CreditThomas McArthur 1,462 17.52% 1.30%
New DemocraticBob Ritchie 759 9.10% 0.63%
     Liberal Morna Schechtel 543 6.51% 1.38%
Total 8,342 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 9
15,086 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −1.68%1
1Results compared to Banff electoral district in the 1975 general election.

1982 general election

1982 Alberta general election results[15] Turnout 62.33% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeGreg Stevens 8,369 72.29% 5.42%
Western Canada ConceptLarry Peterson 1,919 16.58% *
New DemocraticDavid Evans 1,288 11.13% 2.03%
Total 11,576 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 38
18,634 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 11.00%

1986 general election

1986 Alberta general election results[16] Turnout 42.30% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeGreg Stevens 4,536 66.05% -6.24%
New DemocraticEd Fisher 1,452 21.14% 10.01%
IndependentBill Deacon 444 6.46%
RepresentativeBetty Ann Stimson 436 6.35%
Total 6,868 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 22
16,290 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −8.13%

1989 general election

1989 Alberta general election results[17] Turnout 48.89% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeBrian Evans 4,389 51.02% −15.03%
     Liberal Jim Tanner 2,411 28.03% *
New DemocraticSteven Scott 1,802 20.95% −0.19%
Total 8,602 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 35
17,665 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −21.53%

1993 general election

1993 Alberta general election results[18] Turnout 61.75% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeBrian Evans 6,552 52.55% 1.53%
LiberalPaula Andrews 4,183 33.55% 5.52%
New DemocraticCindy McCallum 1,048 8.41% −12.54%
IndependentBrian Horejsi 607 4.87%
     Natural Law Ginger Sheets-Revitt 77 0.62% *
Total 12,467 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 29
20,235 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 3.53%

1997 general election

1997 Alberta general election results[19] Turnout 49.81% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeJanis Tarchuk 7,180 61.13% 8.58%
LiberalJudy Stewart 3,151 26.82% −6.73%
New DemocraticJeff Eamon 754 6.42% −1.99%
Social CreditScott Mudford 661 5.63%
Total 11,746 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 32
23,646 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 7.66%

2001 general election

Alberta general election, 2001
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
Progressive ConservativeJanis Tarchuk 9,418 70.21% 9.08%
LiberalNorman Kent 2,147 16.01% −10.81%
New DemocraticCathy Harrop 1,311 9.77% 3.35%
IndependentCory Morgan 538 4.01%
Total 13,414
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 55
Eligible Electors / Turnout 27,22849.47%
Progressive Conservative hold Swing 9.95%
Source: "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 2001 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 18, 2010. 

2004 general election

2004 Alberta general election results[20] Turnout 38.05% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeJanis Tarchuk 4,238 52.75% -17.46%
LiberalIan McDougall 1,648 20.51% 4.50%
Green Chris Foote 1,204 14.99% *
Alberta AllianceBob Argent 477 5.94%
New DemocraticMellisa Cambridge 467 5.81% −3.96%
Total 8,034 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 81
21,330 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −10.98%

2008 general election

2008 Alberta general election results[21] Turnout 34.96% Swing
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Party Personal
Progressive ConservativeJanis Tarchuk 4,727 49.34% -3.41%
LiberalPatricia Robertson 2,753 28.74% 8.23%
Green Dan Cunin 1,353 14.12% −0.87% *
New DemocraticAnne Wilson 575 6.00% 0.19%
IndependentZrinko Amerl 172 1.80%
Total 9,580 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 43
27,527 Eligible Electors
Progressive Conservative hold Swing −5.82%

2012 general election

Alberta general election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes%
Progressive ConservativeRon Casey 6,632 41.82%
WildroseTom Copithorne [22] 5,933 37.41%
LiberalPete Helfrich [23][24] 2,234 14.08%
New DemocraticJamie Kleinsteuber 1,059 6.67%
Total 15,858

2015 general election

Alberta general election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
New DemocraticCameron Westhead 8,428 43.0
WildroseScott Wagner 5,653 28.8
Progressive ConservativeRon Casey 5,534 28.2
Total valid votes

Senate nominee results

2004 Senate nominee election district results

2004 Senate nominee election results: Banff-Cochrane[25] Turnout 38.05%
Affiliation Candidate Votes % Votes % Ballots Rank
Progressive ConservativeBert Brown 3,183 16.46% 50.60% 1
Progressive ConservativeBetty Unger 2,745 14.20% 43.63% 2
Progressive ConservativeJim Silye 2,360 12.21% 37.51% 5
Progressive ConservativeDavid Usherwood 2,232 11.54% 35.48% 6
     Independent Link Byfield 2,094 10.83% 33.29% 4
Progressive ConservativeCliff Breitkreuz 1,853 9.58% 29.46% 3
     Independent Tom Sindlinger 1,588 8.21% 25.24% 9
Alberta Alliance Michael Roth 1,130 5.84% 17.96% 7
Alberta Alliance Vance Gough 1,109 5.74% 17.62% 8
Alberta Alliance Gary Horan 1,041 5.39% 16.55% 10
Total Votes 19,335 100%
Total Ballots 6,291 3.07 Votes Per Ballot
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 1,826

Voters had the option of selecting 4 Candidates on the Ballot

Plebiscite district results

1948 Electrification Plebiscite

District data for the 1948 Electrification Plebiscite

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?
2,624     64.31% 1,456     35.69%
Province wide result: Option A passed.

1957 liquor plebiscite

1957 Alberta liquor plebiscite results: Banff-Cochrane[26]
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 Votes %
Yes 2,324 78.33%
No 643 21.67%
Total Votes 2,967 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 37
6,237 Eligible Electors, Turnout 48.16%
Question B1: Should mixed drinking be allowed
in beer parlours in Calgary and the surrounding areas?
Ballot Choice Votes %
Yes 115 87.12%
No 17 12.88%
Total Votes 132 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 0
242 Eligible Electors, Turnout 54.55%

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.[27]

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.[26] Question B was slightly modified depending on which city the voters were in.[26]

Province wide Question A of the plebiscite passed in 33 of the 50 districts while Question B passed in all five districts. Banff-Cochrane voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plebiscite. The district recorded a slightly above average voter turnout, being a couple points above the province wide 46% average.[26] The landslide in favour of Question A was attributed to recognition of the tourist industry in Banff and the national parks.

Banff-Cochrane also voted on question B1 with a number of residents lying inside the electoral district within the corporate limits of Calgary. Residents voted for mixed drinking with a super majority. Turnout for question B was also quite high.[26]

Official district returns were released to the public on December 31, 1957.[26] The Social Credit government in power at the time did not considered the results binding.[28] However the results of the vote led the government to repeal all existing liquor legislation and introduce an entirely new Liquor Act.[29]

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.[30]

1967 Daylight Saving Plebiscite

District data from the 1967 Daylight Saving Plebiscite

Do you favour province-wide daylight saving time?
For Against
2,323   48.17% 2,499   51.82%
Province wide result: Failed

1971 Daylight Saving Plebiscite

District data from the 1971 Daylight Saving Plebiscite

Do you favour province-wide daylight saving time?
For Against
4,034   59.46% 2,750   40.54%
Province wide result: Passed

Student Vote results

2004 election

Participating Schools[31]
Holy Spirit Catholic School
Lawerence Grassi Middle School
Mitford Middle School
Our Lady of the Snows

On November 19, 2004 a Student Vote was conducted at participating Alberta schools to parallel the 2004 Alberta general election results. The vote was designed to educate students and simulate the electoral process for persons who have not yet reached the legal majority. The vote was conducted in 80 of the 83 provincial electoral districts with students voting for actual election candidates. Schools with a large student body that reside in another electoral district had the option to vote for candidates outside of the electoral district then where they were physically located.

2004 Alberta Student Vote results[32]
Affiliation Candidate Votes %
Green Chris Foote 107 26.42%
Progressive ConservativeJanis Tarchuk 102 25.19%
     Liberal Ian McDougall 93 22.96%
Alberta AllianceBob Argent 54 13.33%
     NDP Melissa Cambridge 49 12.10%
Total 405 100%
Rejected, Spoiled and Declined 16

2012 election

2012 Alberta Student Vote results
Affiliation Candidate
Progressive ConservativeRon Casey
LiberalPete Helfrich[23][24]
New DemocraticJamie Kleinsteuber

References

  1. "Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta" (PDF). Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission. June 2010. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. "E‑4.1". Statutes of the Province of Alberta. Government of Alberta. 2003. pp. 25–26.
  3. "Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta 1905–2006" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 30, 2007. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  4. "Given Bum's Rush". Vol. XXXIX No. 59. The Lethbridge Herald. February 20, 1944. p. 3.
  5. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1940 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  6. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1944 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  7. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1948 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  8. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  9. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1955 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  10. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1959 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  11. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1963 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  12. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1967 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  13. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1971 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  14. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  15. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  16. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  17. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  18. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  19. "Banff-Cochrane Official Results 1997 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  20. "Banff-Cochrane Statement of Official Results 2004 Alberta general election" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  21. The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-seventh Legislative Assembly. Elections Alberta. July 28, 2008. pp. 358–363.
  22. "Tom Copithorne official Wildrose Party page".
  23. 1 2 "Provincial liberals choose Banff-Cochrane candidate". February 1, 2012.
  24. 1 2 "Pete Helfrich for Banff-Cochrane". February 4, 2012.
  25. "Senate Nominee Election 2004 Tabulation of Official Results" (PDF). Elections Alberta. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2009. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alberta Gazette. 53 (December 31 ed.). Government of Alberta. 1957. pp. 2,247–2,249.
  27. "Albertans Vote 2 to 1 For More Liquor Outlets". Vol L No 273. The Lethbridge Herald. October 31, 1957. pp. 1–2.
  28. "No Sudden Change In Alberta Drinking Habits Is Seen". Vol L No 267. The Lethbridge Herald. October 24, 1957. p. 1.
  29. "Entirely New Act On Liquor". Vol LI No 72. The Lethbridge Herald. March 5, 1968. p. 1.
  30. "Bill 81". Alberta Bills 12th Legislature 1st Session. Government of Alberta. 1958. p. 40.
  31. "School by School results". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  32. "Riding by Riding Results – the Candidates". Student Vote Canada. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved 2008-04-19.

External links

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