Toronto municipal election, 1935
Encyclopedia
Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Canada, on January 1, 1935. James Simpson
won a surprise victory in the mayoral campaign to become the first socialist candidate elected to the office.
chose not to run for reelection. The race to succeed him became focused on two candidates. James Simpson, known as "People's Jimmy" was a long serving member of the Board of Control
and former vice-president of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada
. He was an active member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and a self-described socialist. Simpson was strongly opposed by many religious leaders, former mayor Stewart, and three of the four daily newspapers. Only the Toronto Daily Star endorsed his run. The other three papers endorsed Alderman Harry W. Hunt who finished a close second. Also running were controller J. George Ramsden
and communist Reverend A.E. Smith, but they finished considerably back.
Results
won reelection to the Board of Control
. As Simpson and Ramsden chose to run for mayor, this left two vacancies on the board. These were filled by Alderman Ralph Day
and former alderman William J. Wadsworth
. Finishing further back were two ex-controllers, Claude Pierce and A.E. Hacker. Also running were social activist Adelaide Plumptre
and Communist
leader Tim Buck
.
Results
)
Ward 2 (Cabbagetown
and Rosedale
)
Ward 3 (Central Business District
)
Ward 4 (Kensington Market
and Garment District)
Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods)
Ward 6 (Davenport and Parkdale
)
Ward 7 (West Toronto Junction)
Ward 8 (East Toronto
)
Ward 9 (North Toronto
)
Results taken from the January 2, 1935 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.
James Simpson (politician)
James "Jimmy" Simpson was a Canadian trade unionist, printer, journalist and left wing politician in Toronto, Ontario...
won a surprise victory in the mayoral campaign to become the first socialist candidate elected to the office.
Toronto mayor
Incumbent William James StewartWilliam James Stewart
William James Stewart was a Canadian politician. Stewart also owned and operated the Bates and Dodds Funeral Home on Queen Street West in Toronto.- Mayor of Toronto :...
chose not to run for reelection. The race to succeed him became focused on two candidates. James Simpson, known as "People's Jimmy" was a long serving member of the Board of Control
Toronto Board of Control
Toronto Board of Control was a part of the municipal government of Toronto, Canada from 1904 until its abolition in 1969 and served as the executive committee of Toronto City Council. It consisted of four councillors elected city wide and was presided over by the mayor. Each voter could vote for up...
and former vice-president of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada
Trades and Labour Congress of Canada
The Trades and Labour Congress of Canada was a Canada-wide central federation of trade unions from 1883 to 1956. It was founded at the initiative of the Toronto Trades and Labour Council and the Knights of Labor...
. He was an active member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
and a self-described socialist. Simpson was strongly opposed by many religious leaders, former mayor Stewart, and three of the four daily newspapers. Only the Toronto Daily Star endorsed his run. The other three papers endorsed Alderman Harry W. Hunt who finished a close second. Also running were controller J. George Ramsden
J. George Ramsden
Joseph George Ramsden was a long active municipal politician in Toronto, Canada. He was born in Thornhill and first became active in politics working for Alexander Mackenzie in a York East by-election. He served for fifteen years as Chief Inspector for the Department of Indian Affairs, which saw...
and communist Reverend A.E. Smith, but they finished considerably back.
Results
- James SimpsonJames Simpson (politician)James "Jimmy" Simpson was a Canadian trade unionist, printer, journalist and left wing politician in Toronto, Ontario...
- 54,400 - Harry W. Hunt - 50,986
- J. George RamsdenJ. George RamsdenJoseph George Ramsden was a long active municipal politician in Toronto, Canada. He was born in Thornhill and first became active in politics working for Alexander Mackenzie in a York East by-election. He served for fifteen years as Chief Inspector for the Department of Indian Affairs, which saw...
- 16,851 - A.E. Smith - 4,760
Board of Control
Incumbent Sam McBride and William D. RobbinsWilliam D. Robbins
William Dullam Robbins was the 45th Mayor of Toronto from 1936 to 1937. He was appointed mayor after the death of incumbent Sam McBride and remained in office until defeated by Ralph Day in the 1937 elections. Robbins was considered a representative of labour in Toronto city politics, but was also...
won reelection to the Board of Control
Toronto Board of Control
Toronto Board of Control was a part of the municipal government of Toronto, Canada from 1904 until its abolition in 1969 and served as the executive committee of Toronto City Council. It consisted of four councillors elected city wide and was presided over by the mayor. Each voter could vote for up...
. As Simpson and Ramsden chose to run for mayor, this left two vacancies on the board. These were filled by Alderman Ralph Day
Ralph Day
Ralph C. Day was Mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1938 to 1940. He was also an accomplished funeral director, owning his own funeral home. He also served as chairman of the Toronto Transit Commission in the 1960s and 1970s....
and former alderman William J. Wadsworth
William J. Wadsworth
William J. Wadsworth was a long serving municipal politician in Toronto, Canada.He was born in Flesherton, Ontario and migrated to Toronto his family moved to the West Toronto Junction while he was still a youth...
. Finishing further back were two ex-controllers, Claude Pierce and A.E. Hacker. Also running were social activist Adelaide Plumptre
Adelaide Plumptre
Adelaide Wilson Plumptre was a Canadian activist, diplomat, and municipal politician in Toronto.She was born Adelaide Proctor in Surrey, England and studied at Somerville College, Oxford University. There she met and married H.P. Plumtree, the vice-principal of the theological college...
and Communist
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
leader Tim Buck
Tim Buck
Timothy "Tim" Buck was a long-time leader of the Communist Party of Canada...
.
Results
- Sam McBride (incumbent) - 71,177
- William J. WadsworthWilliam J. WadsworthWilliam J. Wadsworth was a long serving municipal politician in Toronto, Canada.He was born in Flesherton, Ontario and migrated to Toronto his family moved to the West Toronto Junction while he was still a youth...
- 58,783 - William D. RobbinsWilliam D. RobbinsWilliam Dullam Robbins was the 45th Mayor of Toronto from 1936 to 1937. He was appointed mayor after the death of incumbent Sam McBride and remained in office until defeated by Ralph Day in the 1937 elections. Robbins was considered a representative of labour in Toronto city politics, but was also...
(incumbent) - 44,820 - Ralph DayRalph DayRalph C. Day was Mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1938 to 1940. He was also an accomplished funeral director, owning his own funeral home. He also served as chairman of the Toronto Transit Commission in the 1960s and 1970s....
- 41,515 - Claude Pierce - 34,064
- Adelaide PlumptreAdelaide PlumptreAdelaide Wilson Plumptre was a Canadian activist, diplomat, and municipal politician in Toronto.She was born Adelaide Proctor in Surrey, England and studied at Somerville College, Oxford University. There she met and married H.P. Plumtree, the vice-principal of the theological college...
- 32,872 - A.E Hacker - 29,110
- Frank Regan - 26,242
- Tim BuckTim BuckTimothy "Tim" Buck was a long-time leader of the Communist Party of Canada...
- 9,938
City council
Ward 1 (RiverdaleRiverdale, Toronto
Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/GO tracks, and Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to the south....
)
- Frank M. Johnston (incumbent) - 7,412
- W.A. Summerville - 5,171
- Gordon MillenGordon MillenGordon Millen was a politician from Toronto, Canada. He served several years on city council before being elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament....
- 4,682 - Zeph Hilton - 3,736
- Clifford Lock - 1,686
- David Spencer - 881
- Thomas Cooney - 858
Ward 2 (Cabbagetown
Cabbagetown, Toronto
Cabbagetown is a neighbourhood located on the east side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It comprises "the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing in all of North America", according to the Cabbagetown Preservation Association....
and Rosedale
Rosedale, Toronto
Rosedale is an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which was formerly the estate of William Botsford Jarvis, and so named by his wife, granddaughter of William Dummer Powell, for the wild roses that grew there in abundance....
)
- Harry Gladstone ClarkeHarry Gladstone ClarkeHarry Gladstone Clarke was a Canadian parliamentarian and insurance agent.Clarke was an alderman on Toronto City Council for Ward 2, when he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1935 federal election as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Rosedale...
(incumbent) - 6,082 - John R. Beamish (incumbent) - 4,738
- William Dennison - 2,659
- Percy Bishop - 2348
- Thomas James -
Ward 3 (Central Business District
Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
)
- John Laidlaw (incumbent) -
- John S. Simmons -
- Arnold Ferguson - 1,980
- Albert Kinnear
- Fred Ross
- Alfred Burgess
- C.A. Risk
- Abraham Golberg
Ward 4 (Kensington Market
Kensington Market
Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Market is an older neighbourhood and one of the city's most well-known. In November 2006, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Robert Fulford wrote in 1999 that "Kensington...
and Garment District)
- Robert Hood SaundersRobert Hood SaundersRobert Hood Saunders, Q.C., CBE was mayor of Toronto from 1945 to 1948, President of the Canadian National Exhibition, chairman of the Ontario Hydro ....
- 4,779 - Nathan PhillipsNathan Phillips (politician)Nathan Phillips, KC was a Canadian politician and popular Mayor of Toronto, Ontario.-Early life:Born in Brockville, Ontario, the son of Jacob Phillips and Mary Rosenbloom, he was educated in public and high schools in Cornwall. In 1908, he articled with the Cornwall lawyer, Robert Smith, who later...
(incumbent) - 4,691 - H.M. Goodman - 2,293
- Ida Siegel - 2,130
- Myer Klig - 1,068
- Max Federman - 552
- Max Orenstein - 534
- S.C. Schiller - 419
Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods)
- Fred Hamilton (incumbent) - 6,483
- Robert Leslie - 5,931
- Harold Menzies - 3,091
- Thomas Black - 2,907
- Stewart SmithStewart Smith (politician)Stewart Smith was a long-time leading member of the Communist Party of Canada. He also served on Toronto City Council for a period in the 1930s and 1940s....
- 1,871 - James Conner - 1,576
- Charles Kerr - 1,045
- Albert Plenty - 499
Ward 6 (Davenport and Parkdale
Parkdale, Toronto
Parkdale is a neighbourhood and former village in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, west of downtown. The neighbourhood is bounded on the west by Roncesvalles Avenue, on the north by Queen Street. It is bounded on the east by Dufferin Street from Queen Street south, and on the south by Lake Ontario...
)
- Frederick J. ConboyFrederick J. ConboyFrederick Joseph Conboy was a Canadian politician, who served as mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1941 to 1944....
- - D.C. MacGregor (incumbent) -
- ...
Ward 7 (West Toronto Junction)
- George H. Gardiner (incumbent) - 7,217
- Frank Whetter (incumbent) - 5,698
- Harry Wynn - 3,267
- John McPhee - 1,594
Ward 8 (East Toronto
East Toronto
East Toronto, Ontario was an incorporated community in what is today a part of the city of Toronto, Canada. It covered much of what is today the Upper Beaches neighbourhood, stretching up to Danforth Avenue in the north. The central street in the community was Main Street, running south from...
)
- Ernest Bray (incumbent) - 9,603
- Walter Howell - 8,537
- Albert Burnese - 4,548
- Robert Baker - 4,399
- David MacKay - 878
- David Weir - 763
- Alfred Hambleton - 445
Ward 9 (North Toronto
North Toronto
North Toronto was a town located in the northern part of the Old Toronto district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It occupies a geographically central location within the current boundaries of the city of Toronto. It is a relatively narrow strip, centred around Yonge Street; it extends from the CP...
)
- William D. Ellis (incumbent) - 8,224
- Douglas McNish - 5,435
- Herbert Ball - 4,456
- John InnesJohn Innes (politician)John Innes was a municipal politician in Toronto, Canada. He was born in Scotland and immigrated to Canada in around 1900 when he was in his twenties. A carpenter by trade he built a home in on Merton Street in North Toronto. He then became a developer, building several other homes around the area...
- 3,546 - Charles Reeves - 1,646
- Walter Wilkinson - 1,689
- John McGonnell - 453
Results taken from the January 2, 1935 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.