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♂ William Smithe
aliasWilliam Smithe
Record
57816 · 13210

☆  
Type of record
Elected candidate ✓
Known but unelected candidate
Perennial candidate		 Deceased Performance: 100%
  ✓ ✗ ∑
British Columbia 7 0 7
Birth 30 June 1842 → 181 years + 9 months ago
Lived 44 years + 8 months
First mandate 28 October 1871 → 152 years + 6 months ago
↳ at age 29 years + 3 months
Death 28 March 1887 → 137 years + 1 month ago
Died in office Yes
Special notes
Born William Smith.
 
William Smithe (1842–1887)
© Photo — Public domain
Family tie with other documented individual
None
 
Well that's interesting!
The seventh premier of British Columbia added the "e" to his name to distinguish himself from another member in the legislature named William Smith — the second premier of the province who, not one to be outdone, changed his name to "Love of the Universe" (or Amor de Cosmos). Once, Smithe was asked whether he thought British Columbia should be annexed to the United States. He replied that, instead, Washington and Oregon should be annexed to British Columbia.
 

Length of service in elected office

Legislature Total Government Opposition
years months days years months days years months days
British Columbia 15 1 29 Z

Leadership role

  Duration
# Legislature Party M Int Role Age Dates y m d
1. BC 4–5
GOV
 1 Premier 40–44 29 Jan 1883 — 28 Mar 1887 4 1 28

Electoral history

Races 7  
Path points 8  
3 documented challengers
⊖ John P. Booth  m  (3 runoffs)
⊖ Edwin Pimbury  m  (3 runoffs)
 		 ⊖ Henry Fry  m 
 
Eligible: inc. Votes: 196 Participation: inc. Candidacies: 6
Provincial
1		 British Columbia
28 October 1871
General
Plurality-at-large (2)
Gov't  GOV  Majority
ID: 28600(F) — 23 Jul 2023 15:47 ET
✓
 → New to this legislature
Age
29
IND
 1/6 58 59.18% +20 Loser:
IND
 38 38.78% Archibald Dods
After his election:
28 Oct 1871 29
IND
 →
OPPO
 Changed allegiance (remained in opposition)
Service: 3 years 10 months 13 days (Oppo.)
Eligible: 170 Votes: 246 Participation: 72.35% Candidacies: 4
Provincial
2		 British Columbia
18 September 1875
General
Plurality-at-large (2)
Gov't  GOV  Minority
ID: 28622(F) — 23 Jul 2023 15:47 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent
Age
33
REF
 1/4 78 63.41% +24 Loser:
IGOV
 54 43.90% William H. Lomas
After his election:
19 Sep 1875 33
REF
 →
GOV
 Changed allegiance (joined government)
26 Jul 1876 34
GOV
 →
Vac.
 Successfully ran in a ministerial by-election
Service: 10 months 8 days (Oppo. & Gov't)
Eligible: 170 Votes: 0 Participation: n/a Candidacy: 1
Provincial
2		 British Columbia
14 August 1876
By-Election
First-past-the-post
Gov't  GOV  Minority
ID: 28635(F) — 14 Oct 2022 19:30 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent
Age
34
GOV
 1/1 By acclamation

Service: 1 year 9 months 7 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 202 Votes: 292 Participation: 72.28% Candidacies: 4
Provincial
3		 British Columbia
22 May 1878
General
Plurality-at-large (2)
Gov't  GOV  Minority
ID: 28642(F) — 23 Jul 2023 18:18 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent
Age
35
GOV
 1/4 97 66.44% +31 Loser:
OPPO
 66 45.21% John P. Booth
After his election:
23 May 1878 35
GOV
 →
OPPO
 Changed allegiance (joined opposition)
Service: 4 years 2 months (Gov't & Oppo.)
Eligible: 243 Votes: 143 Participation: 58.85% Candidacies: 2
Provincial
4		 British Columbia
23 July 1882
General
First-past-the-post
Gov't  GOV  Minority
ID: 28659(F) — 23 Jul 2023 18:36 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
40
OPPO
 1/2 102 71.33% +61 Loser:
GOV
 41 28.67% Frederick Foord
After his election:
24 Jul 1882 40
OPPO
 →
GOV
 Changed allegiance (joined government)
29 Jan 1883 40
GOV
 →
Vac.
 Successfully ran in a ministerial by-election
Service: 6 months 6 days (Oppo. & Gov't)
Eligible: 243 Votes: 0 Participation: n/a Candidacy: 1
Provincial
4		 British Columbia
31 March 1883
By-Election
First-past-the-post
Gov't  GOV  Minority
ID: 28673(F) — 14 Oct 2022 19:36 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
40
GOV
 1/1 By acclamation

Service: 3 years 3 months 6 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 322 Votes: 0 Participation: n/a Candidacies: 2
Provincial
5		 British Columbia
7 July 1886
General
Plurality-at-large (2)
Gov't  GOV  Majority
ID: 28681(F) — 2 Mar 2022 12:48 ET
✓
 Re-elected incumbent (Party leader)
Age
44
GOV
 1/2 By acclamation
After his election:
28 Mar 1887 44
GOV
 →
Vac.
 Died in office
Service: 8 months 21 days (Gov't)
Eligible: 322 Votes: 255 Participation: 79.19% Candidacies: 3
Provincial
5		 British Columbia
5 May 1887
By-Election
First-past-the-post
Gov't  GOV  Majority
ID: 28692(F) — 30 Jul 2021 23:22 ET
—
 Deceased
Age
44		 Successor:
GOV
 98 38.43% Henry Fry

Online biographical references (2)

 Retrieved on
EN Wikipedia
William Smithe		 11 Feb 2024
FR Wikipédia
William Smithe		 11 Feb 2024

© 2019, 2024 :: PoliCan.ca (Maurice Y. Michaud)
Pub.: 22 Jun 2019 17:01
Rev.: 11 Feb 2024 23:40 (but data presented dynamically)

© 2019-2024 :: PoliCan.ca
Given that electoral results are by their very nature public information, such data that can be found in PoliCan are considered to be in the public domain. However, unless indicated otherwise, all other elements — the concept of consolidating these data into a single format, the detailed research on each election, legislature and candidate, the organization and searchability of the data, the programming allowing the entry and maintenance of the data, as well as the analyses and explanatory articles found in this website — are the intellectual property of Maurice Y. Michaud.