Laudas Joly

Laudas Joly
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office July 18, 1921 – June 19, 1930
Preceded by	Prosper-Edmond Lessard
Succeeded by	Joseph Dechene
Constituency	St. Paul
In office August 5, 1952 – June 29, 1955
Preceded by	New District
Succeeded by	Jake Josvanger
Constituency	Bonnyville
Personal details
Born	August 6, 1887 St. Thomas D'Alfred, Ontario
Died	April 30, 1960 (aged 72) Bonnyville, Alberta
Political party	Social Credit
Other political affiliations	United Farmers
Occupation	politician

Laudas Joly (August 6, 1887 – April 30, 1960)^[1] was a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta twice. The first time from 1921 to 1930 sitting with the United Farmers caucus in government and the second from 1952 to 1955 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.

Political career

Joly ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a United Farmers candidate in the 1921 Alberta general election in the St. Paul electoral district. He defeated incumbent Prosper-Edmond Lessard in a closely contested race to pick up the seat for his party.^[2]

Joly ran for a second term in the 1926 Alberta general election. He increased his popular vote easily winning the three way race to hold his seat.^[3]

Joly ran for a third term in office in the 1930 Alberta general election. He was defeated in a hotly contested two way race losing by just 18 votes to Liberal candidate Joseph Dechene.^[4]

Joly attempted to win back his seat by running in the 1935 Alberta general election. He ran against Dechene and Social Credit candidate Joseph Beaudry. The race was hotly contested. Dechene was defeated by Beaudry on the second count while Joly finished a distant third place.^[5]

Joly would attempt a political comeback many years later running in the new Bonnyville electoral district in the 1952 Alberta general election as a Social Credit candidate. He won the two way race with a landslide majority to pick up the new seat for his party.^[6]

Joly retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the Assembly in 1955.

Electoral results

Alberta general election, 1921: St. Paul
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	United Farmers	Laudas Joly	1,378	58.34%
	Liberal	Prosper-Edmond Lessard	984	41.66%	-24.99%
Total valid votes			2,362
	United Farmers gain from Liberal		Swing		+41.67%

Alberta general election, 1926: St. Paul
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	United Farmers	Laudas Joly	1,453	67.24%	+8.90%
	Liberal	H. Montambeault	603	27.90%	-13.76%
	Independent	E. McPheeters	105	4.86%
Total valid votes			2,161
Declined, spoiled, and rejected			151
Electors / Turnout			3,252	71.09%
	United Farmers hold		Swing		+11.33%

Alberta general election, 1930: St. Paul
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Liberal	Joseph Miville Dechene	1,653	50.27%	+22.37%
	United Farmers	Laudas Joly	1,635	49.73%	-17.51%
Total valid votes			3,288
Declined, spoiled, and rejected			149
Electors / Turnout			4,776	71.96%	+0.87%
	Liberal gain from United Farmers		Swing		+19.94%

Alberta general election, 1935: St. Paul
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Social Credit	Joseph Beaudry	2,567	46.88%
	Liberal	Joseph Miville Dechene	1,963	35.85%	-14.42%
	United Farmers	Laudas Joly	946	17.27%	-32.46%
Second round
	Social Credit	Joseph Beaudry	2,679	53.12%	+6.24%
	Liberal	Joseph Miville Dechene	2,364	46.88%	+11.03%
	No second preference		433
Total valid votes			5,476
Declined, spoiled, and rejected			180
Electors / Turnout			6,876	82.26%	+10.30%
	Social Credit gain from Liberal		Swing		+30.65%

Second-round swing reflects increase in vote share from the first round. Overall swing is calculated from first preferences.

Alberta general election, 1952: Bonnyville
Party		Candidate	Votes	%[7]
	Social Credit	Laudas Joly	2,497	65.94%
	Liberal	Irvin J. Baril	1,290	34.06%
Total valid votes			3,787
Rejected, spoiled and declined			215
Eligible electors / Turnout			5,935	67.43%
	Social Credit pickup new district.

References

2. "St. Paul Official Results 1921 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
3. "St. Paul Official Results 1926 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
4. "St. Paul Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
5. "St. Paul Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
6. "Bonnyville Official Results 1952 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
7. "Abheritage.ca — Electoral results for Bonnyville.".

External links

• Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing