Laudas Joly

Laudas Joly (August 6, 1887 – April 30, 1960)^[1] was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1921 to 1930 as a member of the United Farmers of Alberta and from 1952 to 1955 as a member of the Social Credit Party.

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(1960-04-30) (aged 72) Bonnyville, Alberta
Political party	Social Credit
Other political affiliations	United Farmers
Occupation	politician

Personal

Joly was born in 1887 to parents Anselme Phydime Joly and Corinne Therien in Ontario and moved to Alberta.

Political career

Joly first ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature as a United Farmers candidate in the 1921 general election. He defeated incumbent Prosper-Edmond Lessard in the electoral district of St. Paul to pick up the seat for his party.^[2] He was re-elected in the 1926 general election.^[3]

Joly was defeated in the 1930 general election by Liberal candidate Joseph Dechene by just 18 votes .^[4] He ran again in the 1935 general election and was defeated by Social Credit candidate Joseph Beaudry.^[5]

Joly ran once again in the new electoral district of Bonnyville in the 1952 general election, this time as a Social Credit candidate. He won the two-way race in a landslide.^[6] He retired from the assembly at dissolution in 1955.

Electoral results

1921 Alberta general election: 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%

1926 Alberta general election: 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
Rejected, spoiled and declined			151
Electors / Turnout			3,252	71.09%
	United Farmers hold		Swing		+11.33%

1930 Alberta general election: 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
Rejected, spoiled and declined			149
Electors / Turnout			4,776	71.96%	+0.87%
	Liberal gain from United Farmers		Swing		+19.94%

1935 Alberta general election: 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
Rejected, spoiled and declined			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.

1952 Alberta general election: 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.