[11] A large portion of Gloucester, including his home in the Ridgemont/Billings Bridge area was annexed into Ottawa in 1950.
[12] He unseated former Gloucester reeve Alexander Roger who had only just won the seat in a special election held in January when the ward was annexed into Ottawa.
In 1952, he opened a service station and garage called "Doherty's Supertest" at the corner of Bank Street and Heron Road.
[13][3][14] The annexation of parts of Nepean Township and Gloucester Township resulted in city council ballooning in size, and voters also chose to back a plebiscite to reduce the size of city council for the 1952 municipal election.
[17] He endorsed former mayor E. A. Bourque's failed candidacy for the city's top job in that election.
[18] Alderman Roger did not run for re-election, paving an easier path for Doherty to get elected back to council.
[23] Doherty was one of the speakers at a rally for Liberal Member of Parliament Joseph-Omer Gour, who was running for re-election in the 1957 Canadian federal election.
[24] Doherty cited his accomplishments over the 1957–58 term as improving the Hurdman and George Dunbar Bridges, "street paving, extension of sewers, water mains, sidewalks, road oilings, street lighting, mail services, recreation facilities and a new fire hall".
[26] Doherty was the campaign manager for Fred Barrett, the Liberal candidate in Russell in the 1959 Ontario general election.
[27] On November 3, 1960, Doherty announced he would run for alderman again in Gloucester ward in that year's municipal election.
[2] During the term, he opposed the building of low-rent housing on Station Boulevard in Riverview Park.
In 1965, Doherty ran for the Liberal Party of Canada nomination in Russell against incumbent Member of Parliament Paul Tardif for the federal election that year.
[38] Doherty's seat mate, Don Kay chose to run in the northern half, which became Alta Vista Ward.
[41] Doherty was appointed back to council in February 1968 following the resignation of James McAuley in Dalhousie Ward.
[46] He cited his desire to promote development of a downtown rapid transit system and full reconstruction of Bank Street, Heron Road and Riverside Drive as reasons for wanting to run.