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City of Kitchener Corporate Archives
Municipal Elections fonds 1916-2010
Prepared by: Hilda Sturm
August 2012
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS fonds - 1916-2010. – 40 cm of textual records, 40cm of
videos, 5cm of maps and 3 artifacts.
Municipal elections have been held yearly, bi-yearly, every three and now every
four years. Citizens have been asked to elect mayors, council members (aldermen),
wardens, reeves, Public Utilities Commission members, Water Commissioners, Board
of Education Public/Separate School members, and Roman Catholic Separate School
Board Trustees over the years. Voter turnout for municipal elections has not been
known to be high. There have been years where it has been as low as 29% and as
high as 60%.
For the City of Kitchener, referendums and questions have been put to the
electorate over the years. In 1930 voters were asked to pass a by-law for market
improvement which they did. Also in 1930 the question regarding daylight savings time
was put to voters for the first time, it was turned down. Again in 1936, and 1957, it was
put to voters, it only passed in 1957. The question regarding having two year terms for
council was put forth in 1939, 1940, 1956 and 1962. It was passed in 1962. The
change to three year terms began in 1982 and four year terms began in 2006. In 1960
and 1962, voters were asked to vote on movie theatres opening on Sundays, it was not
passed, but was passed in 1965. In 1967, voters were asked to vote on fluoridation of
the water and it was not passed.
The question in the 1974 election was regarding the ward system. Two
questions were asked, ‘Are you in favour of the election of Aldermen by wards rather
then by a general election?’ and ‘Are you in favour of a candidate for the office of
Alderman being allowed to stand for election only in the ward in which he resides or in
which he is qualified to vote in the event that a ward system of elections is adopted?
Both questions were passed. In 1976 the ward question was asked again with the
second question changing. Question one, ‘Are you in favour of the election of Aldermen
to City Council by wards? It was passed. Question two, ‘If a ward system of electing
Aldermen to City Council is adopted, would you favour – a) A Council of 10 Aldermen
with 1 Alderman elected from each of 10 wards. The 8 Aldermen to sit on Regional
Council to be selected by City Council? or b) A Council of 16 Aldermen with 1 Alderman
elected from each of 8 wards and 8 Aldermen elected at large. The 8 Aldermen elected
by wards to sit on City Council only and the 8 Aldermen elected at large to sit on both
City Council and Regional Council? Option ‘a’ was selected by voters.
In 2001 the number of councillors decreased to 6 and in the most recent election
in 2010 the number increased to ten.
This fonds consist of correspondence, maps, videos and a voting machine and ballots.
The records consist of four series.
Title based on contents of fonds.
Records transferred Clerks’ Division and staff.
1: Correspondence – 1916 – 2007. 30cm
This series consists of the correspondence, newspaper articles regarding
municipal elections of the City of Kitchener.
An index is available in Appendix A.
2: Artifacts – 1972 – 1999. 10cm
This series consists of a voting machine used during municipal elections of the City
of Kitchener.
An index is available in Appendix B.
3: Videos – 1990 – 1999. 11cm
This series consists of videos of election debates of the City of Kitchener.
An index is available in Appendix C.
4: Maps – 1990 – 2010. 11cm
This series consists of ward maps of the City of Kitchener.
An index is available in Appendix D.
Appendix A
Series 1: Correspondence
Title Date Volume/Item Box
Ward/referendum 1926-2000 1-1 12855
information
Voting machine 1990’s 2-1 12464
instructions
Newspaper Articles 1970’s 3-1 10158
Election Information 1988 4-1 10942
Amalgamation 1963-1967 5-1 10171
Information
Amalgamation 1916-1979 5-2 10171
Information
Amalgamation 1955-1959 5-3 10171
Information
Amalgamation 1980’s 6-1 11173
Information
Posters 2007 10-1 11281
Regional Reform 1999 13-1 13599
Appendix B
Series 2: Artifacts
Title Date Volume/Item Box
Voting machine 1990’s 2-2 12464
Election ballots 1972-1976 7-1 10140
Election ballots n.d. 8-1 10911
Appendix C
Series 3: Videos
Title Date Volume/Item Box
Election/debate 1990-2004 9-1 11177
videos
Appendix D
Series 4: Maps
Title Date Volume/Item Box
Ward Maps n.d. 11-1 11195
Election Ward Maps 1991-1997 12-1 CH
Voting Subdivisions 2010 12-2 CH
& Ward Map