Saskatoon used STV for city elections 1921-1926, 1938-1942 - history and info sources (Saskatoon Archives)

following is response from City of Saskatoon Archives about what materials they have on that city's use of PR, which was back in 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

The "result sheet"s listed would be of especial interest.

appears Saskatoon had plebiscite on PR in 1920

December 29, 1921 - bylaw for adoption of PR passed

used PR for city election 1921-1926

(Saskatoon city information says the STV system used in Saskatoon is the same as the one being used in Calgary, so likely Gregory)

plebiscite on end of PR in 1924 -- unsuccessful

plebiscite on end of PR in 1926 -- successful

December 1926 - bylaw rescinding PR passed [exact date not given]

plebiscite on return to PR in 1930 -- unsuccessful

Questionnaire on PR submitted Oct. 13, 1936 [nature of this questionnaire not known]

plebiscite on return to PR in 1936 -- unsuccessful

October 25, 1937 Special Committee on voting system to use in municipal elections formed to draft a bylaw and prepare for a referendum on PR for the voters in December 1938.

met with representatives of the PR League - W.J. Smith, Donald Disbery and P.R. Kreutzwieser.

Committee found that the principles of STV were still the same as when Saskatoon had last used it, in 1926.

Saskatoon's old bylaw (no. 1279) and Calgary's municipal STV bylaw were used to make up a new bylaw.

(p. 7 section 2 a and b show that the Gregory form of STV was used. and perhaps a whole-vote version of that even.)

1938 plebiscite in favour of return - successful

December 19, 1938 - bylaw reinstating PR passed

1938-1941 STV used. [first use of PR in Saskatoon was in 1939]

1941 plebiscite majority voted to end PR

December 23, 1941 - bylaw rescinding PR passed

(from info provided by Saskatoon Archives, in 2025)

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 City of Saskatoon Archives :

The City Charter of 1906 provided for election of the Mayor and City

• File No: 1007 - 87

  Accession No: S89-4

  Level:

  File

  Location: 16.5.5 - Boxes 1-2

  Part of: 1007

  
  

  Minutes of a joint meeting of Proportional Representation League and the Council to draft system for proportional representation. -- 1938. --

• ca. 4 pp of textual records.

  Scope and Content:

  This file contains minutes of a special committee of Council.

  Finding Aids:

  Contents of the file are mixed with other files in the series in chronological order.

  Minutes begin folder 9 pp. 7, 35.

  Subjects:

  civic elections

  File No: 1024

  Accession No: S85-204

  1998-002

  1998-012

  2015-032

  Level:

  Series

  Location: Main Stacks - 4.2 - FIX

  19.3.5

  Part of: CLE

  
  

  Elections Series. -- 1909 - 1985. -- 2.08 m of textual records - FIX.

• Admin History/Bio:

  The City Charter of 1906 provided for election of the Mayor and City Councillors by wards, in which the city is divided into several constituencies each represented by one or more Council members.

  The ward system was used from 1906-1920. Wards were abolished after the 1920 election. During the 1921-1926 and 1938-1941 elections, a system of proportional representation using a single, transferable ballot was tried in which voters ranked their choices in order of preference.

  Saskatoon returned to using the ward system for the 1970-1985 elections, went back to the at-large system in 1988 and 1991, and returned to the [single-member] ward system for 1994 to the present.

  (For more information on voting systems see the General Note, below)

  Scope and Content:

  Series consists of voters lists, and files containing concerning municipal elections and voting on bylaws as well as general files on polling subdivisions, instructions for voters, newspaper clippings and ballot papers. Voters lists for 1945-1950 do not appear in the files.

  In 1920, the procedure for compiling voters lists was changed to allow new property owners added since the last assessment roll was compiled (whose names would therefore not be on the final revised list) to be added to the list.

  ____________________________________________

  Notes:

  General Note:

  Under the "proporational representation" [proportional representation] system, each voter cast what was called a "single transferable vote", placing a "1" beside his first choice, a "2" beside his second choice and so on. When the ballots were counted, the first choices were counted first and the total number of ballots cast were thus ascertained.

  A quota was then arrived at by dividing the total number of votes cast by the number of candidates to be elected, plus one, and adding one to the result. Thus, if 2200 votes were cast and ten aldermen were to be elected, the quota would be 2200 divided by 11, or 200, plus one, making it 201. Any candidates receiving 201 first choices would then be

  declared elected.

  When a candidate reached his quota his excess votes were redistributed according to this supporters' second choices. The ballot counting process could go through several cycles before a council was elected.

  Most people did not fully understand this complicated voting system.

  See also: Acc. 2000-005 - 1988 Voters List

  File No: 1029-1279

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 2.5.3 - Box 14

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 1279 - Proportional Representation, re adoption of. -- December 19, 1920. -- 1 file of textual records.

  File No: 1029-1465

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 2.5.3 - Box 16

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 1465 - Proportional Representation, to provide for rescission of. --

• [Google tells me that "rescission" means "the revocation, cancellation or repeal of a law, order, or agreement."]

• November 4,

  1923. -- 1 folder of textual records.

  File No: 1029-1672

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location:

  2.5.3 - Box 18

  Part of: 1029

  
  

• Bylaw 1672 - Proportional Representation, to provide for the rescission of the system of in Municipal Elections. -- December 19, 1926. -- 1 folder of textual records.

  File No: 1029-2113

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 2.5.4 - Box 22

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 2113 - A Bylaw to provide for the adoption of a system of Proportional

  Representation in Municipal Elections. -- October 26, 1930. -- 1 file of textual records.

  File No: 1029-2496

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 2.5.4 - Box 26

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 2496 - A Bylaw to provide for submitting to the vote of the electors a Municipal

  Question (Proportional Representation). -- October 12, 1936. -- 1 file of textual records.

• File No: 1029-2536

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 2.5.4 - Box 26

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 2536 - A Bylaw to provide for the adoption of a system of Proportional

  Representation in Municipal Elections. -- October 24, 1937. -- 1 file of textual records.

  File No: 1029-2548

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 2.5.4 - Box 27

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 2548 - A Bylaw to provide for the adoption of the system of Proportional

  Representation known as the single transferable vote for the election of the Mayor and Alderman -- October 10, 1938. -- 1 file of textual records.

  File No: 1029-2744

  Accession No:

  See series entry

  Level:

  File

  Location: 3.2.7 - Box 29

  Part of: 1029

  
  

  Bylaw 2744 - A Bylaw to provide for the [rescession?] of the system of Proportional Representation known as the single transferable vote for the election of the Mayor and Alderman. -- October 26, 1941. -- 1 file of textual records.

  File No: 1069 - 1030

  Accession No: 93-002-29

  Level:

  File

  Part of: 1069

  Old File No: 288

  
  

  Proportional Representation. -- 1923,   1936-1947. -- 9 cm of textual records.

  Scope and Content:

  File consists of records relating to the use of Proportional   Representation system of voting for municipal elections and includes correspondence with various proponents of the system, information brochures and newsletters, and a list of related City bylaws and dates.

  Subjects: Proportional Representation League

  O'Hare System [Hare system STV]

  
  

  Municipal elections

  File No: 1069b-1946-227

  Accession No: 2009-011

  Level:

  File

  Location:

  Microfilm - Roll 1946 - 5

  Part of: 1069b

  Odometer No: 31

  Old File No: 288

  
  

  Proportional Representation. -- 1946.

  -- 1 file of textual records : microfilm ; 16 mm.

  File No: 1069b-1951-185

  Accession No: 2009-011

  Level:

  File

  Location: Microfilm Cabinet -   Roll 1951 - 5

  Part of: 1069b

  Odometer No: 120

  Old File No: 280

  
  

  Proportional Representation. -- 1951. -- 1 file of textual records : microfilm ; 16 mm.

  File No: 1200 - 0342

  Accession No: 2004 - 005

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1200 - Box 89

  Part of: 1200

  Old File No: 288

  
  

  Voting system - Proportional representation. -- 1938, 1943. -- 1 cm of textual records.

  Scope and Content:

  This file consists of reports, excerpts of meeting minutes and related correspondence  regarding the debate and passing of Bylaws to change the system of election of the City Council.

  Provenance

  Office of the City Commissioner

  File No: D500 - IX - 89

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.3.3

  Part of: D500 - IX

  
  

  Elections - Proportional Representation (288). --   1921-1922. -- 2.5 cm of textual

  records.

• File No: D500 - IX - 90

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.3.3

  Part of: D500 - IX

  
  

  Elections - Proportional Representation (288). -- 1922. -- 3 mm of textual records.

  File No: D500 - IX - 93

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.3.3

  Part of: D500 - IX

  
  

  Elections - Proportional Representation (288). --   1923-1924. -- 1 mm of textual records.

  File No: D500 - IX - 104

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.3.3

• Part of: D500 - IX

  
  

  Elections - Proportional Representation 288). --   1928-1929. -- 1 mm of textual records.

  File No: D500 - IX - 173

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.3.4

  Part of: D500 - IX

  
  

  Petitions - Proportional Representation (286). -- 1923. -- 2 mm of textual records.

  File No: D500 - VI - 397

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.2.6

  Part of: D500 - VI

  
  

  Bylaws - Proportional Representation (288). -- 1920. -- 3.1 cm of textual records.

• Notes:

  File No: D500 - VI - 398

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.2.6

  Part of: D500 - VI

  
  

  Bylaws - Proportional Representation (288). -- 1926. -- 3 mm of textual records.

  File No: D500 - X - 127

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  File

  Location: 1.3.4

  Part of: D500 - X

• Proportional Representation League (288). --   1925-1926. -- 1 mm of textual records.

  File No:

  D500 - XV - OS - 1923-8

  Accession No: S85-204

• Level:

  Item

  Location:

  Oversize

  Part of: D500 - XV

  
  

  Petitions re proportional representation. -- 1923. -- 25 items.

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from   D500 - IX - 173.

  File No: D500 - XV - OS - 1925-15

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  Item

  Location:

  D500 Oversize box #5 - 18.2.6

  Part of: D500 - XV

  
  

  Proportional Representation Election Result Sheets, December, 1925. -- 1925. -- 6 items.

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from   D500 - IX - 95.

  File No: D500 - XV - OS - 1926-5

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  Item

  Location:

  Oversize

  Part of: D500 – XV

  ==============================

  
  

  The Proportional Representation Election, 1926   - Result Sheet   - Mayor. -- 1926. -- 2

  items.

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from   D500 - IX - 98.

  File No: D500 - XV - OS - 1926-6

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  Item

  Location:

  Oversize

  Part of: D500 - XV

  
  

  The Proportional Representation Election, 1926 - Result Sheet- Public School Trustees. --

  1926. -- 1 item.

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from   D500 - IX - 98.

  File No: D500 - XV - OS - 1926-7

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  Item

  Location:

  Oversize

  Part of: D500 - XV

  ____________________________________________

  
  

  P.R. Elections - 1926.   Mayor. -- 1926. -- 1 item.

  Provenance

  City Clerks

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from   D500 - IX - 98.

  Subjects:

  Proportional Representation

  File No: D500 - XV - OS - 1926-12

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  Item

  Location:

  Oversize

  Part of: D500 - XV

  
  

  The Proportional Representation Election, [191-]   Result Sheet.. -- 1926. -- 1 item.

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from   D500 - IX - 98.

  File No: D500 - XV - OS - 1926-16

  Accession No: S85-204

  Level:

  Item

  Location:

  Oversize

  Part of: D500 - XV

  ____________________________________________

  
  

  The Proportional Representation Election 1926.   Result Sheet, Public School Trustees..

  -- 1926. -- 1 item.

  See also:

  Item(s) removed from D500 - IX – 98

  [end of list -- last item has no locational clues]

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