1950 Hamilton, Ontario municipal election

The 1950 Hamilton municipal election was held on December 6, 1950, to select one Mayor, four Controllers, and sixteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council, as well as members of the local Board of Education. In addition, this election was accompanied by six referendums, each dealing with a major issue in the city at the time.[1]

1950 Hamilton municipal election
December 6, 1950
 
Candidate Lloyd Jackson Helen Anderson Coulson
Party Independent Labor-Progressive Party
Popular vote 49,924 8,270
Percentage 85.79% 14.21%
The wards of the City of Hamilton. Each ward sent two Alderman to city hall, in addition to four Controllers and one Mayor elected at-large.
Mayor before election

Lloyd Jackson
Independent

 Elected Mayor

Lloyd Jackson
Independent

Referendums
 
Hamilton, Ontario, Municipal referendums, 1950 (Money related)
Question Yes No Voter Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes %
"By-law to raise $250,000.00 for a grant to Hamilton College." 13,863 44.03% 17,625 55.97% 31,488 52.75%
"By-law to borrow the sum of $850,000.00 by the issue of debentures
for improvements on the Old Jolly Cut Road and to provide four-lane
pavement."		 19,492 61.73% 12,085 38.27% 31,577 52.90%
"By-law to authorize the issue of debentures for $1,750,000.00
for the purpose of erecting an arena adaptable for auditorium use."		 12,107 38.36% 19,456 61.64% 31,563 52.88%
Total Eligible Voters 59,690 52.98%
Total Voters 112,650 100%
Note: Vote totals for each question were different as voters did not need to vote on each question
Note: Only property owners in Hamilton were eligible to vote for money related referendums.
Sources: "City Clerk Advises Upon Technique of Casting Your Vote," Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday,
December 5, 1950, pg. 31.
Mountain Access Only Is Supported," Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, December 7, 1950, pg. 20.
 
Hamilton, Ontario, Municipal referendums, 1950
Question Yes No Voter Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes %
"Voting on by-law to extend the terms of Council members to two years
after the year 1951."		 19,591 42.96% 26,015 57.04% 45,606 40.49%
"Are you in favour of the construction of an auditorium building and a
gymnasium building upon the assent of the electors at a later date?"		 20,665 43.04% 27,347 56.96% 48,012 46.62%
"Are you in favour of public games and sports on the Lord's Day to be
regulated by municipal bylaw under the authority of the Lord's Day
(Ontario) Act, 1950?"		 20,004 37.29% 33,643 62.71% 53,647 47.62%
Total Voters 112,650 100%
Note: Vote totals for each question were different as voters did not need to vote on each question
Note: All voters were eligible to vote for questions not related to money.
Sources: "City Clerk Advises Upon Technique of Casting Your Vote," Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday, December 5, 1950, pg. 31.
"Questions fail to find favour," Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, December 7, 1950, pg. 20.

Mayoral Election

In the months before the vote, rumours circulated the city that the city's popular mayor, Lloyd Jackson, would face a serious contest from a number of prominent Controllers, namely William K. Warrender and Henry Arnott Hicks. Despite their amicable relationship with the mayor, their terms on council were widely viewed as spent establishing themselves for a mayoral run.[2]

On November 17, Labor-Progressive Party executive member and former city Controller Helen Anderson Coulson announced her intention to stand against the mayor. Discussions concerning possible opponents for the mayor waned after Warrender and Hicks announced their intentions to stand for re-election to the Board of Control, and the possibility of an acclamation for the mayoralty seemed certain. Coulson made the announcement, stating, "In view of the urgent need for the labour movement to oppose a second term for the sitting incumbent mayor, I have decided...to contest the mayoralty.[3]

Coulson's announcement brought both indignation and dismissal from prominent officials in the city, with Mayor Jackson simply quipping, "Let her come", while Controller Warrender pressed the fact that an avowed Communist was seeking the highest office in the city and the voters should rebuke her for her views.[3] Hicks made a statement to the Spectator the following day, saying that the voters of Hamilton should be, "stirred out of their lethargy to realize that there are Communists in our midst making a bold bid for support.[4]

"Certainly I will be opposed by the big business interests of this city. The Chamber of Commerce, the executives of big corporations of this city; their paid press and radio, will have no sympathy for the policies I am advocating...It is unfortunate that even within the ranks of the labour movement, they have their spokesmen who fall in line with their hysteria."

Helen Anderson Coulson's Nomination Speech,
November 23, 1950.[5]

The city's organized labour movement convened shortly after the close of nominations to study the issue of mayoral endorsement. Rather than take the side of Mayor Jackson, a conservative-minded politician or that of Coulson, an avowed Communist, the city's unions pushed for a stronger get-out-the-vote campaign and made individual endorsements for aldermanic and controller seats.[6]

Jackson was endorsed by a number of groups, most prominently a taxpayers group called Hamiltonians for Sound Civic Government. Calling itself a group of 'public-spirited citizens', Hamiltonians for Sound Civic Government paid for a series of advertisements in the Hamilton Spectator, supporting the mayor and most of the sitting Board of Control.[7][8]

Coulson was shut out of most advertising in the Spectator, while Jackson maintained a considerable presence, actively highlighting his platform points of reevaluating the city's tax assessment process, constructing more public recreation facilities, including outdoor pools and skating rinks, and improving traffic in the city core.[9]

During the time of the election, Jackson found himself embroiled in controversy over comments made concerning potential annexation of land in Barton Township to the south of the city's limits at Fennell Avenue. City engineers noted that it would be appropriate for Hamilton to take control of lands as far south as Limeridge Road. Controllers debated the necessity of expanding farther onto the Mountain, urging the mayor to instead consider looking to lands along the shore of Lake Ontario.[10]

On election night, Jackson told the Spectator, "I cannot tell you just what it means to one's faith, confidence, and courage to know that the great majority of the citizens are behind one", with the paper editorializing that the win was a "vote of confidence in the mayor's leadership, and a tribute to his vigorous administration of civic affairs."[11]

 Summary of the December 6, 1950 Hamilton, Ontario Mayoral Election
Candidate Endorsing Party Popular vote
% ±%
Lloyd Douglas Jackson (incumbent) Independent 49,924 85.79%
Helen Anderson Coulson Labor-Progressive 8,270 14.21%
Total votes 58,194 100%
Registered voters n/a n/a
Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on their supporting party's or group's colour.
Sources: "Vote for Mayor", Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, December 7, 1950, pg. 19.

Board of Control

Candidates
 Summary of the December 6, 1950 Hamilton, Ontario Board of Control Election
Candidate Endorsing Party/Group Popular vote
% ±%
William Kenneth Warrender (incumbent) Independent 31,014 1
Samuel Leslie Parker (incumbent) Independent 29,314 2
Henry Arnott Hicks (incumbent) Liberal 27,723 3
Samuel Lawrence CCF 24,763 4
Hugh John Sedgwick Independent 18,730 5
Hugh McIntyre Independent 18,558 6
Bessie Hughton Women's Civic Club 15,786 7
Walter Biggs Independent 11,636 8
Total votes n/a 100%
Registered voters n/a n/a
Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on their supporting party's or group's colour.
Sources: "Hamilton Board of Control Results", Hamilton Spectator, December 11, 1946, News.

Aldermen
gollark: No, just a setting.
gollark: It's apparently a thing. At least, there's a Wikipedia page on it.
gollark: I don't think "better by comparison to some annoying people" paints you in a very good light.
gollark: Not really. It'll probably shatter or something.
gollark: ... 5V, apparently, so maybe not, huh.

References
  1. "Council Approves Issues On Which City Will Vote", Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday, November 1, 1950, pg. 19.
  2. Tom Mills. "Hint At Two Candidates In '51 Test", Hamilton Spectator, Monday, November 13, 1950, pg. 8.
  3. "Helen Anderson Coulson To Oppose Mayor Jackson", Hamilton Spectator, Friday, November 17, 1950, pg. 7.
  4. "Mayoral Race Likely To Boost Vote December 6", Hamilton Spectator, Saturday, November 18, 1950, pg. 7.
  5. "Charges, Counter-charges Hurled By Lawrence, Warrender", Hamilton Spectator, Friday, November 24, 1950, pg. 7.
  6. "Labour Council Studies Mayoralty Race Problem", Hamilton Spectator, Saturday, November 25, 1950, pg. 20.
  7. "Advertisement – Vote! Vote! Vote!" Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, November 30, 1950, pg. 37.
  8. "Advertisement – This Man Deserves Your Vote", Hamilton Spectator, Saturday, December 2, 1950, pg. 29.
  9. "Advertisement – A Message From Mayor Jackson", Hamilton Spectator, Saturday, December 2, 1950, pg. 30.
  10. "Annexation Conference To Be Sought By Mayor", Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, November 16, 1950, pg. 7.
  11. "Mayor Jackson Coasts To Win Over Coulson", Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, December 7, 1950, pg. 19.
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