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Edmonton municipal election, 1892


The 1892 Edmonton municipal election, held February 10, 1892, was the first after the incorporation of Edmonton as a town, and was held to elect the new town's first town council (consisting of a mayor and six aldermen) for a one-year term. It saw Matthew McCauley acclaimed as Edmonton's first mayor, and elected Colin Strang, Daniel Fraser, Edward Carey, James Goodridge, John Cameron, and Philip Daly from a field of fourteen candidates for aldermen.

In 1891, the Canadian Pacific Railway's main line, which had passed well south of Edmonton, was extended northward into Strathcona, then known as South Edmonton. Edmonton came to fear that the presence of the railway across the North Saskatchewan River would result in it being surpassed by its southern neighbour, and calls for the railway to be brought to Edmonton grew louder (this objective would be achieved in 1905). As part of these efforts, it was judged appropriate to apply for a town charter, which was granted effective February 15, 1892, when the first town council was to be sworn into office. The election of the first council was fixed for February 10.

Nomination day was February 3, one week before the election, and nominations were accepted between ten am and noon. All nominated candidates ran as independents, as political parties did not begin to make their appearance until after Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904.

Matthew McCauley was nominated by George Sanderson and Colin Strang and was the only mayoral candidate nominated. As such, he was declared elected by acclamation.


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