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#ABPoliWomen So @lisaholmes @TheAUMA @RuralMA, @Alberta_Women @ParityYEG @YWCAEdmonton I have a history of elected women in Spruce Grove to share. @MayorStuHouston @cartridgelady @McKenzie_SG @OldhamSGCouncil @jeffacker @waynerothe
How many women have been elected to Spruce Grove's council? The answer is... 7. The first woman elected was Sara Johnson, in 1974 as an Alderman for the Town of Spruce Grove (we became a city in 1986). She served on term until 1977.
Sara Johnson ran for mayor against George Cuff, arguably our most well known council member and an in-demand consultant for municipalities across the country. She lost that election. Mr. Cuff served as mayor until 1989.
And it wasn't until 1989 that Spruce Grove saw its second woman Alderman, Vicki Slater run and win. She served four terms on council. She was the first woman since the town became a city 3 years earlier.
Our 3rd, Karen Anderson, ran and won in 1995 and served two terms. Ms. Slater and Ms. Anderson served one term together- the most women on council being two up to this point. Ms. Anderson ran for mayor in 2001 and lost.
Louise Baxter, just the 4th woman Alderman, ran and won in 2001 and served up until 2017. For 17 years, Mrs. Baxter @Louise_bookz was the only woman Alderman!
and then October 2017. Spruce Grove saw 6 women & 6 men run for city council. And in that election, we elected not 1, not 2, but 3 women Aldermen to city council! In one election, we nearly doubled the number of women who have served for Spruce Grove. @McKenzie_SG @cartridgelady
In 2017, the first order of business and motion was to change our title from Alderman to Councillor. We were one of the last cities to do so and it reflected poorly on half the population and didn't really seem to reflect the make up of our council, now 3 men, 3 women & the mayor
So to recap, Spruce Grove has elected 7 women to council. 3 of the 7 were elected in 2017 and are serving their 1st term. Chantal McKenzie, Michelle Gruhlke and myself are the first women Councillors (new title) in the city. @McKenzie_SG @cartridgelady
We've never had a female mayor though two have run. #AbPoliWomen What will 2021 bring us? What will the council make up be for next term? I guess we'll see!
