Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Canada, on January 2, 1888. Edward Frederick Clarke, a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, defeated Alderman Elias Rogers, owner of a well-known coal and home heating company, and Daniel Defoe, a lawyer and former alderman. Rogers, a Quaker, was seen as the "temperance [anti-alcohol] candidate for mayor" while Clarke was favoured by tavern and liquor store owners and anti-temperance voters. Clarke's victory, along with the defeat of two liquor bylaws being proposed by referendum (popular vote), were seen as a victory for anti-temperance views.

Toronto mayor

Results

Edward Frederick Clarke - 7,951

Elias Rogers - 7,050

Daniel Defoe - 2,019

Referendum

Votes were held on three planned by-laws, one to approve spending for a "trunk sewer", a second by-law to reduce the number of taverns licensed to serve liquor from 150 to 100, and a third to reduce the number of shops licensed to sell liquor from 50 to 20. All three by-laws were defeated. Trunk sewer by-law For - 2,825 Against - 3,737 Tavern license by-law For - 7,371 Against - 8,187 Shop license by-law For - 7,743 Against - 8,146

1888 Toronto municipal election

Aldermen elected to city council

St. Andrew's Ward

E. King Dodds (incumbent) - 837

William Carlyle (incumbent) - 822

Thomas Pells - 769

William Burns - 699

J. D. Henderson - 633

James Bond - 519

St. David's Ward

John C. Swait (incumbent) - 1,255

William H. Gibbs - 1,179

Robert J. Fleming (incumbent) - 1,019

J. G. Gibson - 940

Wickett (incumbent) -  770

St. George's Ward

George E. Gillespie (incumbent) - acclaimed

John Maugham (incumbent) - acclaimed

George Verral (incumbent) - acclaimed

St. James' Ward

Alfred McDougall  - 1,165

James B. Boustead (incumbent) - 1,017

John McMillan (incumbent) - 1,053

Wallace Millichamp (incumbent) - 774

St. John's Ward

H. L. Piper (incumbent) - 1,025

Irwin (incumbent) - 814

A. H. Gilbert - 679

Frank Moses - 642

R. J. Score - 622

James Thomson - 572

St. Lawrence Ward

Garrett F. Frankland (incumbent) - 733

John Hallam - 634

Morrison (incumbent) - 616

Charles Small - 561

Thomas Thompson - 399

St. Mark's Ward

John Ritchie  (incumbent) - 456

Michael J. Woods (incumbent) - 401

Charles Frederick Denison (incumbent) - 410

David D. Christie - 286

James Roney - 245

Robert Brown - 95

St. Matthew's Ward

Jones  (incumbent) - 371

Francis E. Galbraith - 308

Peter Macdonald - 295

Ernest A. Macdonald (incumbent) - 247

Ingham (incumbent) - 182:Thomas Foster - 29

St. Patrick's Ward

John Baxter (incumbent) - 1,966

Harvie (incumbent) - 1,467

George J. St. Leger (incumbent) - 1,214

Isaac Wardell - 1,187

St. Paul's Ward

W. J. Hill (incumbent) - acclamation

William Roaf - (incumbent) acclamation

John Shaw (incumbent) -  acclamation

St. Stephen's Ward

Johnston  (incumbent) - 1,178

William Bell - 1,079

Barton  (incumbent) - 1,001

Robert H. Graham (incumbent) - 926

R. W. Prittie - 477

St. Thomas' Ward

William Carlyle (incumbent) - 892

Edward Hewitt  - 691

Drayton (incumbent) - 655

Galley (incumbent) - 632

William Park - 375

References

Municipal elections in Toronto

1888

1880s in North America

1888 Toronto municipal election