Cornelia Wood
Encyclopedia
Cornelia Lucinda Railey Wood (1892- ) was a provincial level politician from Alberta
, Canada
. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
twice the first time being from 1940 to 1955 and the second time being from 1959 to 1967. She sat with the governing Social Credit party and later as an Independent.
. She defeated three other candidates in a hotly contested race on the third count to hold the Stony Plain electoral district for the Social Credit party. She ran for a second term in office in the 1944 Alberta general election
and won a landslide against Co-operative Commonwealth candidate Harold Anderson in a straight fight.
Wood would run for a third term in the 1948 Alberta general election
. She faced Anderson for the second election and a liberal candidate. She won re-election cleanly with just over 50% of the popular vote.
Wood would stand for a fourth term in office in the 1952 Alberta general election
. Her popular vote fell just enough to force a second count. She won re-election after the ballot transfers from Liberal candidate Charles Wudel gave her a large majority.
Wood was defeated standing for a fifth term in office in the 1955 Alberta general election
. Liberal candidate John McLaughlin
doubled his party percentage surging to a first ballot win with Wood finishing a close second.
McLaughlin and Wood faced each other for the second time in the 1959 Alberta general election
. This time McLaughlin ended losing almost 20% of his popular vote from the previous election and being defeated. Wood would be re-elected to her fifth term and second stint in office with just under half the popular vote.
A rematch between Wood and McLaughlin took place for the third time in the 1963 general election
. Both candidates lost about 4% of their vote in the five way race with Wood hanging onto her seat and McLaughlin finishing second. Future MLA Rudolph Zander
also ran in this race finishing a distant fourth place.
Wood stood for a seventh term in office, however the Social Credit Stony Plain constituency association was looking for a change. On February 11, 1967 Wood was defeated by Ralph Jespersen
in a nomination battle. Wood left the Social Credit caucus on April 24, 1967 claiming that she was the only true Social Creditor left and that was perhaps the reason for getting rid of her. She would run against Jespersen in the general election
and two other candidates and be defeated finishing a very distant fourth place.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
twice the first time being from 1940 to 1955 and the second time being from 1959 to 1967. She sat with the governing Social Credit party and later as an Independent.
Political career
Wood ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1940 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1940
The Alberta general election of 1940 was the ninth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, was held on March 21, 1940 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. She defeated three other candidates in a hotly contested race on the third count to hold the Stony Plain electoral district for the Social Credit party. She ran for a second term in office in the 1944 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1944
The Alberta general election of 1944 was the tenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The Assembly was dissolved on July 8, 1944 and the vote for was held on August 8, 1944 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
and won a landslide against Co-operative Commonwealth candidate Harold Anderson in a straight fight.
Wood would run for a third term in the 1948 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1948
The Alberta general election of 1948 was the eleventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 17, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. She faced Anderson for the second election and a liberal candidate. She won re-election cleanly with just over 50% of the popular vote.
Wood would stand for a fourth term in office in the 1952 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1952
The Alberta general election of 1952 was the twelfth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 5, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. Her popular vote fell just enough to force a second count. She won re-election after the ballot transfers from Liberal candidate Charles Wudel gave her a large majority.
Wood was defeated standing for a fifth term in office in the 1955 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. Liberal candidate John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (Alberta politician)
John Harold McLaughlin was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1955 to 1959 sitting with the opposition Liberal caucus.-Political career:...
doubled his party percentage surging to a first ballot win with Wood finishing a close second.
McLaughlin and Wood faced each other for the second time in the 1959 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. This time McLaughlin ended losing almost 20% of his popular vote from the previous election and being defeated. Wood would be re-elected to her fifth term and second stint in office with just under half the popular vote.
A rematch between Wood and McLaughlin took place for the third time in the 1963 general election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
. Both candidates lost about 4% of their vote in the five way race with Wood hanging onto her seat and McLaughlin finishing second. Future MLA Rudolph Zander
Rudolph Zander
Rudolph "Rusty" Zander was a politician from Alberta, Canada.Rudolph ran in the 1963 Alberta general election under the Alberta Unity Movement banner in the electoral district of Stony Plain...
also ran in this race finishing a distant fourth place.
Wood stood for a seventh term in office, however the Social Credit Stony Plain constituency association was looking for a change. On February 11, 1967 Wood was defeated by Ralph Jespersen
Ralph Jespersen
Ralph Andrew Jespersen was a dairyman and a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1967 to 1971 sitting with the governing Social Credit caucus.-Political career:...
in a nomination battle. Wood left the Social Credit caucus on April 24, 1967 claiming that she was the only true Social Creditor left and that was perhaps the reason for getting rid of her. She would run against Jespersen in the general election
Alberta general election, 1967
The Alberta general election of 1967 was the sixteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on May 23, 1967 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
and two other candidates and be defeated finishing a very distant fourth place.