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List of Northwest Territories general elections

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This is a list of territorial elections in the Northwest Territories, Canada since 1870. The Northwest Territories operates on a consensus government using the First Past the Post electoral system. Elections NWT does not presently recognize political parties.

History of elections

Unlike other political divisions in Canada, the Northwest Territories has gone through a number of distinct changes since the Government of Canada acquired the territory in 1870.

From 1869 to 1876 the Northwest Territories was run by interim government, first led by lieutenant-governor William McDougall, and a council appointed by Ottawa. This council was governed under the Temporary Government of Rupert's Land Act, 1869 and the Manitoba Act, 1870 The council itself sat in Manitoba and was made up of Members of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly.

In 1876 the Temporary government was dissolved and a new council was appointed under the Northwest Territories Act. Provisions to allow elected members to join the council would occur when an area of 1000 square miles had 1000 people to set up an electoral district. The first district was created in 1888. When the council reached twenty-two members, it would gain control of territorial affairs. That happened in 1886. Twelve elections were held during this period the council was not dissolved until 1888.

A short lived period of partisan politics emerged after the fourth general election in 1898. This would last until 1905 under the rule of the Northwest Territories Liberal-Conservative Party.

In 1905, Alberta and Saskatchewan were carved out of the Northwest Territories. After that, the population of the area dropped from approx 160,000 to 16,000, of which 15,000 were aboriginal and had no right to vote under Canadian law. The Northwest Territories defaulted back to its 1870 constitutional status, and once again came under the control of the federal government. The area so governed attained boundaries in 1912 that were sustained until 1999, and included what is now Nunavut. The 2nd council existed until 1951. The council sat in Ottawa, Ontario.

In 1951, the 2nd council was dissolved for a return to elections. Rather then being fully election a mix of elected and appointed members would sit on the council until 1975. From 1975 to 1999, the Northwest Territories was once again fully elected. The Northwest Territories was split in half in 1999.

Elections and Appointed Councils of the Northwest Territories

Changes of seats and electoral districts by year
Year Appointed Elected Districts
1870[1] 7 - 15[2] 0 0
1872 11 0 0
1876 3 0 0
1878 4 0 0
1881 4 1 1
1883 5 6 6
1884 6 8 8
1885 6 13 11
1886 6 14 11
1888 3 22 19
1891 0 26 25
1894 0 29 29
1898 0 31 31
1902 0 35 35
1905 4 0 0
1921 6 0 0
1939 6 0 1
1951 5 3 3
1954 5 4 4
1967 5 7 7
1970 4 10 10
1975 0 15 15
1979 0 19 19
1983 0 22 22
1991 0 24 24
1999 0 19 19
Appointed Councils of the Northwest Territories
First Year Dissolution Council[3]
1870 1872 1st Temporary Council
1876 1888 1st Council
1905 1951 2nd Council
Date Elections prior to 1888[4]
March 23, 1881 Lorne by-election #1
May 29, 1883 Edmonton by-election
June 5, 1883 Lorne by-election #2
August 13, 1883 Moose Jaw, Regina, Qu'Appelle sub-election
August 31, 1883 Broadview by-election
June 28, 1884 Calgary Moose Mountain by-election
September 15, 1885 Territory wide sub-election
October 14, 1886 Qu'Apelle by-election #2
July 8, 1886 Moose Mountain by-election #2
July 14, 1886 Calgary, by-election #2
May 24, 1887 Qu'Appelle by-election #3
September 5, 1887 Macleod by-election
Date General elections
June 30, 1888 First Northwest Territories general election
November 7, 1891 Second Northwest Territories general election
October 31, 1894 Third Northwest Territories general election
November 4, 1898 Forth Northwest Territories general election
May 21, 1902 Fifth Northwest Territories general election
Seats by party results Fifth General Election[5]
Liberal-Conservative 21 Liberal 7 Independent 6 Independent Liberal 1
September 17, 1951 Sixth Northwest Territories general election
September 7, 1954 Seventh Northwest Territories general election
August 19, 1957 Eighth Northwest Territories general election
September 19, 1960 Ninth Northwest Territories general election
March 31, 1964 Tenth Northwest Territories general election
July 4, 1967 Eleventh Northwest Territories general election
December 21, 1970 Twelfth Northwest Territories general election
March 10, 1975 Thirteenth Northwest Territories general election
October 1, 1979 Fourteenth Northwest Territories general election
November 21, 1983 Fifteenth Northwest Territories general election
October 5, 1987 Sixteenth Northwest Territories general election
October 15, 1991 Seventeenth Northwest Territories general election
October 16 1995 Eighteenth Northwest Territories general election
February 15, 1999 Nineteenth Northwest Territories general election
November 24, 2003 Twentieth Northwest Territories general election
Next general election in 2007

Notes

  1. ^ No members sat in Council between 1870 - 1872 and 1905 - 1921.
  2. ^ Provisions existed for appointment from seven to fifteen members of the council.
  3. ^ Councils listed for years prior and in between general elections. Please see List of Assemblies for other assemblies and councils.
  4. ^ Please see the 1st Northwest Territories Council for election results prior to 1888
  5. ^ The fifth general election was the only general election elected on party lines

See also

References

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