Calgarians have an extended historical past of exercising direct democracy by way of plebiscite votes.
In December 1912, the town’s almost 44,000 residents have been first known as to vote on a plebiscite on the election of commissioners. Calgarians might say whether or not they have been in favour of an election by the vote of the individuals or an appointment by metropolis council. That vote went almost 10-to-1 in favour of the vote of the individuals for commissioners.
Calgarians have gone to the polls greater than 150 occasions through the years for issues like daylight saving time (5 occasions), fluoridation (seven occasions), the ward system (no less than 4 occasions), the transit system (seven occasions) the hours firefighters work (5 occasions), and the constructing of infrastructure like bridges, libraries, swimming swimming pools and hospitals.
Provincial and federal plebiscites on which Calgarians voted have included subjects starting from conscription to prohibition, and the Charlottetown Accord.
Various particular subjects additionally went to plebiscite votes within the 112 years since that first one.
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Taxation of church property was voted on in December 1914, which noticed 55 per cent of Calgarians in opposition.
Two years later, a vote on “proportional illustration” had two-thirds of voters in favour of it.
In 1918, almost 72 per cent of voters have been in favour of closing retail shops at 9 p.m. on Saturdays.
In 1920, 60 per cent of Calgary voters have been in favour of a curfew.
The next yr, the identical per cent of Calgarian voters have been towards a “public bathtub home.”
In 1949, the Mewata Stadium grandstand, with an estimated price ticket of $75,000, failed with solely 46 per cent of the 9,086 ballots solid in favour of it.
Latest excessive profile plebiscites embrace whether or not the town ought to ask the province to take away video lottery terminals (VLTs) in 1998, with 58 per cent of voters not in favour of the transfer.
In November 2018, a plebiscite was carried out on whether or not Calgary ought to bid to host the 2026 Olympic Winter Video games, which misplaced after 56 per cent of voters opted, “No.”
And in the latest municipal election, almost 62 per cent of voters have been in favour of reintroducing fluoride to faucet water.
By decade, the Nineteen Twenties had the best variety of points going to plebiscite within the southern Alberta metropolis, numbering 46 in complete. The variety of plebiscites has declined each decade since.
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