Herbert Joseph Ash | |
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Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta | |
In office 1935–1940 | |
Preceded by | Frank Grisdale |
Succeeded by | Norman Cook |
Constituency | Olds |
Personal details | |
Born | London, England [1] | March 13, 1878
Died | March 14, 1959 | (aged 81)
Herbert Joseph Ash (1878-1959) was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1940. Ash served as a member of the Governing Social Credit caucus, and later as an Independent Social Credit member while representing the electoral district of Olds.
Ash ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1935 Alberta general election. He won the electoral district of Olds as a candidate for the Social Credit party. Ash won a huge majority taking 66% of the vote defeating three other candidates including incumbent Agriculture Minister Frank Grisdale. [2] In 1937, Ash was one of the insurgents in the Social Credit backbenchers' revolt. [3]
Ash was removed from the Social Credit caucus citing a difference of opinion with Premier William Aberhart in 1940. The Social Credit Candidate Advisory Board refused to let him run for the party. He was dropped as a candidate by the Social Credit advisory board. [4] Ash decided to stand for re-election anyway as an Independent Social Credit candidate. [5]
Ash faced off in a three-way battle with Grisdale, who this time ran as an Independent and Social Credit candidate Norman Cook. The first vote showed Ash easily defeated running a distant third place. Grisdale was leading 110 votes ahead of Cook. Grisdale did not have a 50% majority so the Ash's second preferences were counted. Most of the second choices game Cook just enough votes to win the district and defeat Grisdale. [6]