List of Toronto municipal elections explained

The following is a list of articles on municipal elections for Toronto City Council in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

For many years, municipal elections occurred annually in Toronto. After 1956, elections occurred every other year until 1966 after which elections occurred in 1969 and 1972 before reverting to a 2-year cycle. After 1982, elections again occurred every third year and, after the 2006 election the term of city council grew to 4 years.

Toronto's mayor was elected at-large through First past the post.

The four member Toronto Board of Control was introduced with the 1904 election and was accompanied by a reduction in the number of alderman elected per ward from four to three. The Board of Control was abolished with the 1969 municipal election.

Toronto had 39 aldermen (3 elected in each of 13 wards) in 1890 and 1891. In 1892 the number of aldermen was dropped to 24 (4 elected in each of six wards). This number was further reduced in 1910, to 20 elected in 7 wards, then in 1919 it was raised to 24 elected in 8 wards.

All elections of multiple members was by Block Voting, with this exception - in 1903 Toronto adopted Cumulative voting for election of members of the Board of Control and the Board of Education.^[1]

For most of the first half of the twentieth century elections were held on or around New Year's Day. Voting day was on the first Monday of December from 1950 until 1978 when it moved to the second Monday in November. Beginning in 2010, election day is on the fourth Monday of October.

Popular Elections for Council and Appointment of Mayor (1834-1858)

Election	Date	Alderman andCouncilmen	Wards	Mayor Appointed by City Council	Yeas	Nays	Source
1855	January 1 and 2	28	7	George William Allan	unanimous	—	[2]
1856	January 7 and 8	28	7	John Beverley Robinson	15	11	[3]
1857	January 5 and 6	28	7	John Hutchison	14	13	[4]
1858	January 4 and 5	28	7	William Henry Boulton	unanimous	—	[5] [6]

Popular Elections for Mayor and Council (1859-1866)

Election	Date(s)	Mayor	Votes	Runner-up	Votes	Alderman &Councilman	Wards	Source
1859	January 3 and 4	Adam Wilson	2,000	William Henry Boulton	831	28	7	[7]
1860	January 2 and 3	Adam Wilson	2,137	John Cameron	1,551	28	7	[8]
1861	January 7 and 8	John George Bowes	2,139	Matthew Crooks Cameron	1,793	28	7	[9]
1862	January 6 and 7	John George Bowes	1,624	Sam Sherwood	1,286	28	7	[10]
1863	January 5 and 6	John George Bowes	1,943	William Henderson	748	28	7	[11]
1864	January 4 and 5	Francis Henry Medcalf	2,278	John George Bowes	2,122	28	7	[12]
1865	January 2 and 3	Francis Henry Medcalf	2,530	John Cameron	999	28	7
1866	January 1 and 2	Francis Henry Medcalf	acclaimed	—	—	28	7

Popular Elections for Council and Appointment of Mayor (1867-1873)

Election	Date	Alderman	Wards	Mayor Appointed by City Council	Yeas	Nays
1867	January 7	21	7	James Edward Smith	11	10
1868	January 6	21	7	James Edward Smith	acclaimed	—
1869	January 4	21	7	Samuel Bickerton Harman	13	8
1870	January 4	21	7	Samuel Bickerton Harman	12	8
1871	January 2	21	7	Joseph Sheard	acclaimed	—
1872	January 1	21	7	Joseph Sheard	No recorded vote	—
1873	January 6	24	8	Alexander Manning	13	6

Popular Elections for Mayor and Council (since 1874)

Election	Date	Mayor	Votes	Runner-up	Votes	Alderman (until 1988)/Councillors	Wards	Turnout (%)
1874	January 6	Francis Henry Medcalf	2,994	Alexander Mortimer Smith	2,746	24	8
1875	January 4	Francis Henry Medcalf	3,369	Andrew Taylor McCord	2,968	24	8
1876	January 3	Angus Morrison	4,421	Francis Henry Medcalf	2,685	27	9
1877	January 1	Angus Morrison	4,640	Warring Kennedy	3,662	27	9
1878	January 7	Angus Morrison	3,868	James Beaty Jr.	3,269	27	9
1879	January 6	James Beaty Jr.	2,780	Patrick G. Close	2,163	27	9
1880	January 5	James Beaty Jr.	4,294	Angus Morrison	3,368	27	9
1881	January 3	William Barclay McMurrich	4,119	Patrick G. Close	2,944	27	9
1882	January 3	William Barclay McMurrich	acclaimed	—	—	27	9
1883	January 4	Arthur Radcliffe Boswell	4,289	William Henry Withrow	4,284	27	9
1884	January 7	Arthur Radcliffe Boswell	acclaimed	—	—	30	10
1885	January 5	Alexander Manning	6,029	William Henry Withrow	5,874	36	12
1886	January 4	William Holmes Howland	7,762	Alexander Manning	6,107	36	12
1887	January 5	William Holmes Howland	9,153	David Blain	6,958	36	12
1888	January 3	Edward Frederick Clarke	7,950	Elias Rogers	6,853	36	12
1889	January 7	Edward Frederick Clarke	acclaimed	—	—	36	12
1890	January 6	Edward Frederick Clarke	10,326	John McMillan	8,422	39	13
1891	January 5	Edward Frederick Clarke	8,146	Ernest A. Macdonald	6,953	39	13
1892	January 4	Robert Fleming	8,581	Edmund Boyd Osler	8,204	24	6
1893	January 2	Robert Fleming	11,608	Warring Kennedy	8,618	24	6
1894	January 1	Warring Kennedy	13,500	Robert Fleming	9,306	24	6
1895	January 7	Warring Kennedy	10,261	Robert Fleming	10,212	24	6
1896	January 6	Robert Fleming	10,281	John Shaw	8,583	24	6
1897	January 4	Robert Fleming	11,969	George McMurrich	10,375	24	6
1898	January 3	John Shaw	12,618	Ernest A. Macdonald	8,462	24	6
1899	January 2	John Shaw	11,395	Ernest A. Macdonald	10,465	24	6
1900	January 1	Ernest A. Macdonald	11,845	Edward Frederick Clarke	9,229	24	6
1901	January 7	Oliver Aiken Howland	12,300	Francis Stephens Spence	8,076	24	6
1902	January 6	Oliver Aiken Howland	13,424	William Findlay Maclean	8,774	24	6
1903	January 5	Thomas Urquhart	8,634	Oliver Aiken Howland	7,887	24	6
1904	January 1	Thomas Urquhart	acclaimed	—	—	24	6
1905	January 2	Thomas Urquhart	15,173	George Horace Gooderham	12,827	24	6
1906	January 1	Emerson Coatsworth	16,425	Francis Stephens Spence	12,328	24	6
1907	January 1	Emerson Coatsworth	13,698	James Lindala	8,286	24	6
1908	January 1	Joseph Oliver	14,022	George Reginald Geary	7,124	24	6
1909	January 1	Joseph Oliver	27,128	Thomas Davies	8,127	24	6
1910	January 1	George Reginald Geary	19,017	Horatio Clarence Hocken	14,999	20	7
1911	January 2	George Reginald Geary	30,931	Herbert Capewell	2,671	20	7
1912	January 1	George Reginald Geary	acclaimed	—	—	20	7
1913	January 1	Horatio Clarence Hocken	27,983	Thomas Davies	9,003	20	7
1914	January 1	Horatio Clarence Hocken	21,471	Fred McBrien	16,641	20	7
1915	January 1	Tommy Church	25,520	Jesse O. McCarthy	19,573	20	7
1916	January 1	Tommy Church	28,541	Harry Winberg	9,880	20	7
1917	January 1	Tommy Church	acclaimed	—	—	20	7
1918	January 1	Tommy Church	27,587	R.H. Cameron	17,995	20	7
1919	January 1	Tommy Church	26,020	John O'Neill	16,230	24	8
1920	January 1	Tommy Church	25,689	Sam McBride	20,775	24	8
1921	January 1	Tommy Church	35,959	Sam McBride	19,966	24	8
1922	January 1	Charles A. Maguire	acclaimed	—	—	24	8
1923	January 1	Charles A. Maguire	46,362	R.J. Fleming	38,961	24	8
1924	January 1	W. W. Hiltz	44,265	Tommy Church	33,875	24	8
1925	January 1	Thomas Foster	32,885	Wesley Hiltz	31,408	24	8
1926	January 1	Thomas Foster	47,771	R.H. Cameron	38,045	24	8
1927	January 1	Thomas Foster	42,617	Sam McBride	38,477	24	8
1928	January 1	Sam McBride	50,324	Thomas Foster	34,785	24	8
1929	January 1	Sam McBride	47,931	Brook Sykes	30,329	24	8
1930	January 1	Bert Wemp	54,309	Sam McBride	49,933	24	8
1931	January 1	William James Stewart	57,500	Sam McBride	57,110	24	8
1932	January 1	William James Stewart	acclaimed	—	—	26	9
1933	January 1	William James Stewart	85,407	Robert Leslie	26,007	26	9
1934	January 1	William James Stewart	72,536	H.L. Rogers	17,222	18	9
1935	January 1	James Simpson	54,400	Harry W. Hunt	50,986	18	9
Jan. 1936	January 1	Sam McBride	48,723	Harry W. Hunt	43,036	18	9
Dec. 1936	December 7	William D. Robbins	74,844		22,018	18	9
1937	December 6	Ralph Day	64,736	William D. Robbins	50,779	18	9
1939	January 2	Ralph Day	93,060	Lewis Duncan	53,364	18	9
1940	January 1	Ralph Day	61,480	Lewis Duncan	38,011	18	9
1941	January 1	Frederick J. Conboy	55,677	Douglas McNish	33,024	18	9
1942	January 1	Frederick J. Conboy	acclaimed	—	—	18	9
1943	January 1	Frederick J. Conboy	acclaimed	—	—	18	9
1944	January 1	Frederick J. Conboy	78,383	Lewis Duncan	58,712	18	9
1945	January 1	Robert Hood Saunders	68,757	Frederick J. Conboy	36,299	18	9
1946	January 1	Robert Hood Saunders	acclaimed	—	—	18	9
1947	January 1	Robert Hood Saunders	92,762	Frank O'Hearn	9,477	18	9
1948	January 1	Robert Hood Saunders	118,097	Ross Dowson	15,008	18	9
1949	January 1	Hiram E. McCallum	97,715	Ross Dowson	23,777	18	9
Jan 1950	January 2	Hiram E. McCallum	133,320	C.H. Mahoney	19,658	18	9
Dec 1950	December 4	Hiram E. McCallum	86,491	Allan Lamport	84,987	18	9
1951	December 3	Allan Lamport	72,648	Hiram E. McCallum	59,492	18	9
1952	December 1	Allan Lamport	81,448	Nathan Phillips	41,923	18	9
1953	December 7	Allan Lamport	55,064	Arthur Brown	46,080	18	9
1954	December 6	Nathan Phillips	40,683	Leslie Saunders	36,756	18	9
1955	December 5	Nathan Phillips	70,647	Roy E. Belyea	26,717	18	9
1956	December 3	Nathan Phillips	80,352	Ross Dowson	9,834	18	9
1958	December 1	Nathan Phillips	53,776	Ford Brand	30,736	18	9
1960	December 5	Nathan Phillips	81,699	Allan Lamport	58,254	18	9
1962	December 3	Donald Summerville	117,031	Nathan Phillips	51,933	18	9
1964	December 7	Philip Givens	62,628	Allan Lamport	52,143	18	9
1966	December 5	William Dennison	52,742	Philip Givens	54,525	18	9
1969	December 1	William Dennison	65,988	Margaret Campbell	52,742	22	11
1972	December 4	David Crombie	82,754		58,362	22	11	40%
1974	December 2	David Crombie	100,680	Don Andrews	5,662	22	11	27%
1976	December 6	David Crombie	112,763	Don Andrews	7,126	22	11	30.5%
1978	November 13	John Sewell	71,885		62,173	22	11	46.4%
1980	November 10	Art Eggleton	87,919	John Sewell	86,152	22	11	44.9%
1982	November 8	Art Eggleton	119,387		11,721	22	11	42%
1985	November 12	Art Eggleton	92,994	Anne Johnston	59,817	22	11	36.6%
1988	November 14	Art Eggleton	91,180		24,479	16	16	31%
1991	November 12	June Rowlands	113,993		64,044	16	16	42.9%
1994	November 12	Barbara Hall	70,248	June Rowlands	58,952	16	16	36.7%
1997	November 10	Mel Lastman	387,848	Barbara Hall	346,452	56	28	45.6%
2000	November 13	Mel Lastman	483,277	Tooker Gomberg	51,111	44	44	36.1%
2003	November 10	David Miller	299,385	John Tory	263,189	44	44	38.33%
2006	November 13	David Miller	332,969	Jane Pitfield	188,932	44	44	39.3%
2010	October 25	Rob Ford	353,519	George Smitherman	289,832	44	44	50.55%
2014	October 27	John Tory	394,775[13]	Doug Ford	330,610	44	44	54.67%
2018	October 22[14]	John Tory	479,659	Jennifer Keesmaat	178,193	25	25	40.9%
2022	October 24	John Tory	342,158	Gil Peñalosa	98,525	25	25	29.17%
2023	June 26	Olivia Chow	269,372	Ana Bailao	235,175			38%

References

• The Globe (1844-1936), ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Globe and Mail

Notes and References

1. Proportional Representation Review, September 1903 (online), p. 1
2. The Globe, January 16, 1855
3. The Globe, January 21, 1856
4. The Globe, January 21, 1857
5. The Globe, January 06, 1858
6. The Globe, January 19, 1858
7. The Globe, January 7, 1859
8. The Globe, January 6, 1860
9. The Globe, January 11, 1861
10. The Globe, January 11, 1862
11. The Globe, January 8, 1863
12. The Globe, January 6, 1864
13. Web site: Toronto 2014 municipal elections: Full results | Metro . 2014-10-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141028113009/http://metronews.ca/toronto-2014-elections/ . 2014-10-28 .
14. Web site: Elections - Accessing City Hall | City of Toronto . 2017-03-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329181112/http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=d712c36902f5d310VgnVCM1000006cd60f89RCRD&WT.rd_id=elections . 2017-03-29 . dead .