Around 1914 many North American cities switched, or considered switching, to the Commission Plan or Commission-Manager Plan of civic government. These plans concentrated power in just a few hands (the Board of Commissioners, sometimes with a Manager) sometimes with no city council at all. Under a strict Commission Plan, the new powerful commissioners were elected, so Pro-Rep was often a component of the new system, as people looked askance at such power without strong democratic accountablity.
At the same time, many cities were considering adopting Direct Legislation (Initiative, Referendum and Recall) as well.
St. John (N.B.) made the switch to the Commission plan in 1913.
Lethbridge made the switch in January 1914, dismantling its city council altogether. The Commissioners were elected by IRV. (see GGG, April 15, 1914)
Edmonton considered the switch to Elective Commisson in 1913/1914. The Clean Government League published Elective Commission -- The Business Plan of Municipal Government in 1913.
[not in Peel's but is at PAA (info files: "Politics- Edmonton Leagues")
Mayoral candidate William McNamara campaigned for the Commission Plan and was elected mayor in Dec. 1913 election.
A subsequent article in the Grain Grower Guide applauded the election result --"Edmonton Endorses Democracy". (GGG, Jan. 21, 1914, p. 9)
(McNamara's election campaign leaflet (Peel 11792) does not mention P.R.)
As mayor, McNamara pressed on with the reform project.
For progress of the discussion of the Elective Commission Plan, see
Edmonton Bulletin, Feb. 10, 1914, p. 10; Nov. 28, 1914, p. 1; June 17, 1914, p. 5)
A new Elective Commission charter , which was designed to make Edmonton "the freest city on the North American continent," was presented to city council in May 1914, and thence to be discussed and hashed out by a citizens' assembly (a citizens assembly).
The new charter included government by elected commisisoners, Direct Legislation (initiative, referendum and recall), preferential ballot, adult suffrage (including renters), and elimination of plural voting on debenture issues.
The charter included "the election to specific office by preferential ballot permitting first, second and other choices." (likely Alternative Voting/IRV)
"The preferential ballot of two choices [two-round voting?], as was incorporated in the proposed charter for the city of Minneapolis last summer, is sure to be a keen competitor of the Bucklin election system," when the Edmonton Citizens Committee decides. A committee of 50 representative citizens was to be appointed by Mayor McNamara, to act in an advisory capacity with the City Council. (Red Deer News, May 20, 1914, p. 3)
This would be an early appearance of a citizens assembly in North America. I don't know if this committee was actually formed and what its decisions, if any, were.
Various ballot designs were considered - STV or IRV using number ranking or columns, Bucklin, weighted Bucklin. The "Edmonton Ballot" was devised to combine IRV for commissioners and IRV for mayor. (Edmonton Capital, August 24, 1914)
A new city constitution was hammered out, including IRV for election of commissioners, and a confirming referendum sechduled for Dec. 1914. But then two of the Plan's supporters, Mayor McNamara and Councillor James East, were forced to resign due to conflict-of-interest infractions. Perhaps due to this unhappy connection, the Elective Commission Plan met a cold reception in December 1914, when the voters voted against it. (see Edmonton Bulletin, Dec. 15, 1914)
(They also deep-sixed it in votes held in 1920, 1921, and 1926.)
But in that December 1914 vote, candidates campaigning for Clean City and Business Administration, with the support of the Edmonton Bulletin, were elected in clear sweep - W.T. Henry for mayor, and Ramsey, Williamson, Frith, Picard, McArthur and Calder.
On the other hand, labour-oriented reform-minded candidates Joe Adair and A.M. McDonald were not successful.
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