1919 Toronto municipal election

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 1, 1919. Mayor Tommy Church was elected to his fifth term of office in a row. This election also saw the creation of a new ward, Ward 8, covering the neighbourhood of East Toronto which had recently joined Toronto. The number of representatives for Ward 7 was also increased to three aldermen, like every other ward.

Toronto mayor[change | change source]

Church had first been elected mayor in 1915 and had been re-elected every year since then. He was opposed by several serious opponents, most notably by Controller John O'Neill who was trying to become the first Roman Catholic to be elected mayor of Toronto. Two other important candidates ran, but failed to win much support. They were MP and future mayor Thomas Foster and former controller William Henry Shaw.

Results: Tommy Church (incumbent) - 26,020; John O'Neill - 16,230; William Henry Shaw - 3,772; Thomas Foster - 2,180

Board of Control[change | change source]

O'Neill's decision to run for mayor opened one vacancy on the Board of Control. It was filled by former Controller R.H. Cameron who had run unsuccessfully for mayor the year previous.

Results: Charles A. Maguire (incumbent) - 19,963; R.H. Cameron - 19,094; Sam McBride (incumbent) - 18,476; William D. Robbins (incumbent) - 19,270; Joseph Gibbons - 16,397; Garnet Archibald - 15,603; Fred McBrien - 13,570

City council[change | change source]

Ward 1 (Riverdale): Frank Marsden Johnson (incumbent) - 3,559; Richard Honeyford (incumbent) - 3,555; W. W. Hiltz (incumbent) - 3,533; William Feawick - 2,478; Arthur J. Stubbings - 1,623

Ward 2 (Cabbagetown and Rosedale): J.R. Beamish (incumbent) - 2,997; John Winnett - 2,582; Herbert Henry Ball (incumbent) - 2,401; Charles A. Risk (incumbent) - 2,060; Joseph Kent - 866

Ward 3 (Central Business District and The Ward): J. George Ramsden (incumbent) - 3,113; F.W. Johnston (incumbent) - 1,886; Charles W. Mugridge - 1,687; William Harper - 1,463

Ward 4 (Kensington Market and Garment District): Arthur Russell Nesbitt (incumbent) - 3,644; John Cowan (incumbent) - 2,448; John C. McMulkin (incumbent) - 3,349; Harry Winberg - 1,862; William Brant - 614

Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods): R.H. Graham (incumbent) - 3,908; W.R. Plewman (incumbent) - 3,185; Clifford Blackburn (incumbent) - 2,853; Angus Beaton - 2,371; James Phinnemore - 1,249; James Coughlin - 1,159; Thomas Ballentyne - 919

Ward 6 (Brockton and Parkdale): D.C. MacGregor - 5,113; George Birdsall (incumbent) - 4,225; Brook Sykes (incumbent) - 4,098; James M.H. Ballantyne - 2,710; Michael Manley - 1,624; Alex Williamson - 1,360; Alvin L. Gadsby - 869; Richard Holmes - 916

Ward 7 (West Toronto Junction): Samuel Ryding (incumbent) - 1,435; William Maher - 1,359; Frank Whetter - 1,352; Alexander Chisholm - 1,146; Robert Agnew - 1,095

Ward 8 (East Toronto): William Williamson - 1,747; William M. Miskelly - 1,548; Frederick Baker - 1,483; Walter Brown - 1,202; John Lennox - 766; Alfred Dunnett - 567; William Ford - 558

Results taken from the January 1, 1920 Toronto Daily Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

References[change | change source]

Election Coverage. Toronto Star. January 1, 1919