Joseph Donovan Ross

Joseph Donovan Ross (March 13, 1911 – May 22, 1984)^[1] was a medical doctor and a former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1952 to 1971. He also served as Minister of Health in the Alberta provincial government.

Political career

Ross first ran for public office in the 1952 Alberta general election. He finished fifth out of twenty ninth place in the first round of the Single Transferable Vote. He finished in a four way tie for first place with 6,505 votes to take one of the Edmonton electoral district's seven seats in that election for Social Credit.^[2] He was re-elected to his second term in the 1955 Alberta general election finishing eleventh out of thirtieth place in the first round. After vote transfers he finished fifth out of seventh place to win his second term.^[3]

The Single Transferable vote was abolished and the Edmonton electoral district was broken up for the 1959 Alberta general election. Ross ran in the newly created electoral district of Strathcona Centre. He won the election with over half of the popular vote, defeating three other candidates.^[4] Ross ran for his fourth term in office in the 1963 Alberta general election, he won the highest percentage of popular vote during his political career, defeating two other candidates and winning the district with almost 60% of the popular vote.^[5] Ross ran for his fifth term in office in the 1967 general election. He won a hotly contested four way race taking just over 40% of the popular vote. The other three challenging candidates all finished with strong showings in the race.^[6] Strathcona Centre was abolished due to redistribution in the 1971 Alberta general election. Ross ran in the new electoral district of Edmonton-Strathcona. He would be defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Julian Koziak.^[7]

Ross served as Minister of Health for ten years in the Ernest Manning government.

References

1. "Obituaries". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 131 (7): 781. PMC 1483567.
2. "Edmonton election results 1952". Alberta Heritage. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
3. "Edmonton election results 1955". Alberta Heritage. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
4. "Strathcona-Centre election results 1959". Alberta Heritage. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
5. "Strathcona-Centre election results 1963". Alberta Heritage. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
6. "Strathcona-Centre election results 1967". Alberta Heritage. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
7. "Edmonton-Strathcona election results 1971". Alberta Heritage. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

External links

• Legislative Assembly of Alberta Members Listing