1998 Calgary municipal election

The 1998 Calgary municipal election was held on October 19, 1998, to elect a Mayor and 14 Aldermen to Calgary City Council.

1998 Calgary municipal election
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October 19, 1998

Mayor and 14 aldermen to Calgary City Council
 
A. D.
R. C.
Leader Al Duerr Ray Clark
Popular vote 182,780 43,242

 
R. B.
R. W.
Leader Rick Bell Ron Wise
Popular vote 20,812 1,097

Mayor before election

Al Duerr

Elected Mayor

Al Duerr

In addition to the city council election, trustees to the Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic School District, two plebiscites and the Alberta Senate nominee election.[1]

Incumbent Mayor Al Duerr was re-elected defeating Alderman Ray Clark, and each incumbent Alderman was re-elected.[2]

Background

Calgary City Council approved a vote on a question on whether Calgarians continued to support water fluoridation following the 1989 plebiscite which saw fluoride first introduced. Plebiscites had previously failed to garner sufficient support in 1957, 1961 1966, and 1971.[3] The Calgary Regional Health Authority promoted the fluoridation campaign, spending $250,000 on advertising and other measures.[4] Opponents proposed to take legal action when pro-fluoride posters were on display at a voting station on election day which anti-fluoride groups charged was illegal.[4]

The second vote on a question put to Calgary voters was whether video lottery terminals (VLTs) should be removed by the provincial government, or whether the decision to remove VLTs from Calgary should remain with City Council.[5] The plebiscite was held in 28 municipalities across Alberta after the provincial government increased access to VLTs, increasing the number present in the province from 500 in 1997 to 2,200 in 1998.[6] Prominent Calgary oilman Jim Gray was an advocate for the removal of the VLTs, while casinos and restaurant groups advocated for VLTs to remain.[6] Incumbent Mayor Duerr supported the provincial government removing the VLTs while the main challenger Clark supported keeping VLTs in the city and leaving the decision to council.[7]

A police investigation followed a bomb threat to incumbent Ward 13 alderman Sue Higgins written on a ballot cast during the election.[8]

Results

Mayor

Votes %
Al Duerr182,780 %
Ray Clark43,242 %
Rick Bell20,812 %
Ron Wise1,097 %
Doug Service755 %
Jerzyk Jamroziak728 %
Floyd D. Allen690 %
Total

Ward 1

Candidate Votes Percent
Dale Hodges 16,636
Robin Elford 4,187
Barb Taylor-Daigarno 1,780
Jason Seitanidis 725
Peter Manousos 489

Ward 2

Candidate Votes Percent
Joanne Kerr Acclaimed

Ward 3

Candidate Votes Percent
John Schmal 13,065
Carrie Donahue 2,740
Derrik Thomas Meyer 1,291

Ward 4

Candidate Votes Percent
Robert Andrew Hawkesworth 11,830
David H. Chambers 2,431
Edward R. Peebles 841

Ward 5

Candidate Votes Percent
Ray Jones 11,061
Francis A. Byron 2,704

Ward 6

Candidate Votes Percent
Dave Bronconnier 10,691
Craig Burrows 4,322
James Donald Istvanffy 3,491
Janyce Konkin 1,921

Ward 7

Candidate Votes Percent
Bev Longstaff 10,638
Augustine Joseph Barron 5,161

Ward 8

Candidate Votes Percent
Jon Lord 6,397
Robert Victor Lang 3,650
Luba Arko 671

Ward 9

Candidate Votes Percent
Joseph Anthony Ceci 9,075
Shirley-anne Reuben 5,074
Stanley Gabriel Waciak 882

Ward 10

Candidate Votes Percent
Diane Lynn Danielson 6,318
Andre R. Chabot 2,455
Kevin John Montgomery 1,443
Amir Hernani 1,083
Bastiaan Quist 483

Ward 11

Candidate Votes Percent
James Barry Erskine Acclaimed

Ward 12

Candidate Votes Percent
Suzanne Higgins 14,360
Richard William McIver 2,711
Tim Rollans 2,375
Albert Ludwig 908
Gareth Evans 371

Ward 13

Candidate Votes Percent
Patti Grier 12,859
Diane Marie Colley-Urquhart 8,171

Ward 14

Candidate Votes Percent
Linda J. Fox-Mellway 12,294
Diana Fitzpatrick 3,271
Andrew Neufeld 2,936
Blaine Chornawka 2,380
Randy Reynolds 461

Fluoridation

Calgarians were asked "Are you in favour of continuing the fluoridation of the municipal water supply? YES or NO."[1]

Candidate Votes Percent
Yes 136,393
No 113,730

VLTs

Calgarians were asked "Should The City of Calgary request that the Provincial Government take appropriate action to remove all video lottery terminals from our city? YES or No."[1]

Candidate Votes Percent
Yes 104,999
No 144,281

See also

References

  1. "Election Primer". Calgary Herald. October 18, 1998. p. C1. ProQuest 2466268514.
  2. Collins, Ron; Pommer, Dave (October 20, 1998). "'I will not let you down'; Duerr back for fourth term; Calgarians keep VLTs, fluoride". Calgary Herald. p. A1. ProQuest 2466269312.
  3. Smith, Madeline (February 3, 2021). "A brief history of Calgary's long relationship with fluoride votes". Calgary Herald. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  4. Lowey, Mark (October 20, 1998). "Calgary's fluoride levels will drop". Calgary Herald. p. AA1. ProQuest 2466269312.
  5. Cunningham, Jim; Henton, Darcy (October 20, 1998). "VLT backers triumph at polls". Calgary Herald. p. AA1. ProQuest 2466269312.
  6. Cunningham, Jim; Henton, Darcy (October 19, 1998). "All eyes on VLT plebiscite". Calgary Herald. p. A1. ProQuest 2466268546.
  7. Collins, Ron (October 11, 1998). "Clark favours keeping VLTs". Calgary Herald. p. A9. ProQuest 2263168885.
  8. "Bomb threat targeting Sue Higgins probed". Calgary Herald. October 20, 1998. p. A2. ProQuest 2466269312.
  9. "Civic election results". Calgary Herald. October 21, 1998. p. B2. ProQuest 2374374013.

Further reading

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