The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Down

Map by Conal Kelly

The Elections

1981 Results 1977 Results 1973 Results
Votes by Party:
SDLP: 10,233 (42.1%), 9 Councillors
UUP: 6,694 (27.3%), 5 Councillors
DUP: 3,188 (13.0%), 3 Councillors
Alliance: 2,055 (8.4%), 1 Councillor
WPRC: 1,587 (6.5%), 1 Councillor
Labour: 665 (2.7%), 1 Councillor
Independent: 74 (0.3%)

Votes by Party:
SDLP: 9,251 (44.6%), 10 Councillors
UUP: 6,520 (31.4%), 7 Councillors
Alliance: 2,446 (11.8%), 3 Councillors
UPNI: 700 ( 3.3%)
UUUP: 569 (2.7%)
Rep Cl: 536 (2.6%)
Independent: 736 (3.5%)

 Votes by Party:
Unionist: 8,930 (38.6%), 8 Councillors
SDLP: 8,101 (35.0%), 8 Councillors
Alliance: 2,847 (12.3%), 2 Councillors
Vang Loy: 1,046 (4.5%), 1 Councillor
Republican Clubs: 563 (2.4%)
Independent: 1,639 (7.1%), 1 Councillor
Electorate: 33,817; votes cast: 28,215; spoilt votes: 719 (719%); valid votes: 24,496 Electorate: 32,458; votes cast: 21,639; spoilt votes: 881 (4.1%); valid votes: 20,758 (95,9%) Electorate: 32,390; votes cast: 23,487; spoilt votes: 361 (1.5%); valid votes: 23,126 (98.5%)

Down A

1981 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
C. Marvey (DUP) 1,387
 S. Osborne (UUP) 954
D. Nesbitt (UUP) 732
F.V. Laverty (SDLP) 809
MIss M. Smyth (SDLP) 751
W.J. Finlay (UUP) 655
W. Brown (UUP) 641
T.B. Murray (SDLP) 489
T. Poole (DUP) 477
J. Glover (OI) 355
J.J. Rodgers (Alliance) 326
Mrs W. Rowan-Hamilton (Alliance) 286
J. Cochrane (UUP) 275
T. McKee (DUP) 187
F.G. Rice (Ind) 50
Mrs F.G. Rice (Ind) 24		 Votes by Party:
UUP: 3,612 (43.0%), 3 seats
DUP: 2,051 (24.4%), 2 seats
SDLP: 2,049 (24.4%), 2 seats
Alliance: 612 (7.3%)
Independent: 74 (0.9%)

Electorate: 11,993; seats: 7; votes cast: 8,614; spoilt votes: 216 (2.5%); valid votes: 8,398 (97.5%); quota: 1,050

1977 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
 P.J. Smyth (SDLP) 837
E. McVeigh (UUP) 733
S. Osborne (UUP) 631
W.J. Finlay (UUP) 604
W. Brown (UUP) 597
A.J.W. Gaskin (UUUP) 569
D. Rowan-Hamilton (Alliance) 528
W.J. Cochrane (UUP) 468
J.J. Rogers (Alliance) 362
H. Martin (UUP) 279
G. Kerr (Ind) 268
F.V. Laverty (SDLP) 257
A.T. Gilgunn (SDLP) 220
W.J. Hutton (UPNI) 162
J. McKee(UPNI) 100 		Votes by Party:
UUP: 3,312 (50.1%), 4 seats
SDLP: 1,314 (19.9%), 2 seats
Alliance: 890 (13.5%), 1 seat
UUUP: 569 (8.6%)
Independent: 268 (4.1%)
UPNI: 262 (4.0%)

Electorate: 11,489; seats: 7; votes cast: 6,836; spoilt votes: 221 (3.2%); valid votes: 6,615 (96.8%); quota: 827

1973 Results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
Edward McVeigh (Unionist) 1,099
John R. Cleland (Van Loy) 1,046
P.J. Smyth (SDLP) 1,004
William J. Finlay (Unionist) 795
William J. Cochrane (Unionist) 686
S. Osbourne (Unionist) 679
Edward Lennon (Unionist) 588
Ben Dickson (Unionist) 538
Denis Rowan Hamilton (Alliance) 444
F.V.  Laverty (SDLP) 332
Christopher Gotto (Alliance) 286
D. Rice (SDLP) 278
Mrs Alison Morton (Alliance) 202
I. Jess (Ind) 159		 Votes by Party:
Unionist: 4,385 (53.9%), 4 seats
SDLP: 1,614 (19.8%), 1 seat
Vanguard Loyalist: 1,046 (12.8%), 1 seat
Alliance: 932 (11.5%), 1 seeat
Independent: 159 (2.0%)

Electorate: 12,148; seats: 7; votes cast: 8,237; spoilt votes: 101 (1.2%); valid votes: 8,136 (98.8%); quota: 1,018

Down B

1981 Results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
 E.K. McGrady (SDLP) 1,711
R. Blaney (WPRC) 1,121
D. Curran (SDLP) 893
C.W. Maxwell (UUP) 875
M. Curran (Lab) 665
J.J. Ritchie (SDLP) 647
Mrs E. Kennedy (UUP) 513
G. MCA Flinn (Alliance) 451
J.A. Bruce (SDLP) 382
S.L. Quinn (SDLP) 373
M.G. Healy (Alliance) 305

Votes by Party:
SDLP: 4,006 (50.5%), 3 seats
UUP: 1,388 (17.5%), 1 seat
WPRC: 1,121 (14.1%), 1 seat
Alliance 756 (9.5%)
Labour: 665 (8.4%), 1 seat

Electorate: 10,747; seats: 6; votes cast: 8,188; spoilt votes: 252 (3.1%); valid votes: 7,936 (96.9%); quota: 1,134

1977 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
E.K. McGrady (SDLP) 1,524
D.F. Curran (SDP) 994
C.W. Maxwell (UUP) 848
J. Ritchie (SDLP) 595
S.L. Quinn (SDLP) 548
R. Blaney (Rep Cl) 536
Teresa M. McEvoy (SDLP) 467
R. Nicholson (UUP) 442
G.M. Flinn (Alliance) 365
J.A. Bruyce (Ind) 289
W. McNamara (Alliance) 229
J. McDowell (Ind) 179		 Votes by Party:
SDLP: 4,128 (58.8%), 4 seats
UUP: 1,290 (18.4%), 1 seat
Alliance: 594 (8.5%), 1 seat
Republican Clubs: 536 (7.6%)
Independent: 468 (6.7%)

Electorate: 10,285; seats: 6; votes cast: 7,278; spoilt votes: 262 (3.6%); valid votes: 7,016 (96.4%); quota: 1,003

1973 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
 Edward K. McGrady (SDLP) 1,246
William J. Hampton (Ind) 1,099
Cecil W. Maxwell (Unionist) 903
Martin A. Lowe (Unionist) 785
Dermot Curran (SDLP) 579
John Ritchie (SDLP) 499
Terence McKee (Alliance) 457
Daniel G. Sharvin (SDLP) 363
Owen F. Adams (SDLP) 293
Aidan Laverty (SDLP) 252
W. Brendan Rodgers (Alliance) 228
Mrs Elsie Flinn (Alliance) 218
Patrick McFarlane (Alliance) 193


 Votes by Party:
SDLP: 3,232 (45.4%), 3 seats
Unionist: 1,688 (23.7%), 1 seat
Independent: 1,099 (15.4%), 1 seat
Alliance: 1,096 (15.4%), 1 seat

Electorate: 9,757; seats: 6; votes cast: 7,219; spoilt votes: 104 (1.4%); valid votes: 7,115 (98.6%); quota: 1,017

 

Down C

1981 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
P. O'Donoghue (SDLP) 1,328
Mrs E.M. Smyth (DUP) 1,137
G.N. Douglas (UUP) 939
J. Magee (SDLP) 826
E.G. O'Neill (SDLP) 822
J. Curry (SDLP) 762
N. Bicker (UUP) 573
P.M.D. Forde (Alliance) 487
S. McClean (SDLP) 440
E.F. O'Hagan (WPRC) 349
A. Dickinson (Alliance) 200
W. Keown (UUP) 182
D.. Allister (WPRC) 117
 Votes by Party:
SDLP: 4,178 (51.2%), 4 seats
UUP: 1,694 (20.8%), 1 seat
DUP: 1,137 (13.9%), 1 seat
Alliance: 687 (8.4%), 1 seat
WPRC: 466 (5.7%)

Electorate: 11,077; seats: 7; votes cast: 8,413; spoilt votes: 251 (3.0%); valid votes: 8,162 (97.5%); quota: 1,021

1977 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
P. O'Donoghue (SDLP) 1,335
Ethyl M. Smyth (UUP) 787
J. Magee (SDLP) 687
N. Bicker (UUP) 663
E.G. O'Neill (SDLP) 651
J. Carey (SDLP) 643
J. McClean (SDLP) 493
W. Keown (UUP) 468
P.M. Forde (Alliance) 422
J.A. Keenan (Alliance) 364
J. Beck (UPNI) 332
P. Doherty (Alliance) 176
H.J. Cromie (UPNI)106 		Votes by Party:
SDLP: 3,809 (53.4%), 4 seats
UUP: 1,918 (26.9%), 2 seats
Alliance: 962 (13.5%), 1 seat
UPNI: 438 (6.1%)

Electorate: 10,684; seats: 7; votes cast: 7,525; spoilt votes: 398 (5.3%); valid votes: 7,127 (94.7%); quota: 891

1973 results (spreadsheet)

First Count:
William James McCombe (Unionist) 1,532
John Beck (Unionist) 1,020
S. Fitzpatrick (SDLP) 638
O'Donoghue (SDLP) 628
Rice (SDLP) 608
Carey (SDLP) 579
McClean (SDLP) 430
Anthony Dickinson (Alliance) 415
Mrs M. Fitzpatrick (SDLP) 372
Robert Thompson (Unionist) 305
Edward F. O'Hagan (Rep Cl) 301
 Gerald McCormick (Alliance) 222
Joseph A. Keenan (Ind) 186
Danny Goodman (Alliance) 182
Patrick Sloane (Rep Cl) 115
Richard J. Hall (Ind) 110
Hughes (Ind) 85
Anthony Small (Rep Cl) 75
Mc Cusker (Rep Cl) 55
John Sloane (Rep Cl) 17
Votes by Party:
SDLP: 3,255 (41.3%), 4 seats
Unionist: 2,857 (36.3%), 3 seats
Alliance: 819 (10.4%)
Republican Clubs: 563 (7.1%)
Independent: 381 (4.8%)

Electorate: 10,845; seats: 7; votes cast: 8,031; spoilt votes: 156 (1.9%); valid votes: 7,875 (98.1%); quota: 985

 

 

Local council election results from 1973 to 1983: Antrim | Ards | Armagh | Ballymena | Ballymoney | Banbridge | Belfast | Carrickfergus | Castlereagh | Coleraine | Cookstown | Craigavon | Derry | Down | Dungannon | Fermanagh | Larne | Limavady | Lisburn | Magherafelt | Moyle | Newry and Mourne | Newtownabbey | North Down | Omagh | Strabane

Local council election results from 1985 to 1989: Antrim | Ards | Armagh | Ballymena | Ballymoney | Banbridge | Belfast | Carrickfergus | Castlereagh | Coleraine | Cookstown | Craigavon | Derry | Down | Dungannon | Fermanagh | Larne | Limavady | Lisburn | Magherafelt | Moyle | Newry and Mourne | Newtownabbey | North Down | Omagh | Strabane

Local council election results from 1993 to 2011: Antrim | Ards | Armagh | Ballymena | Ballymoney | Banbridge | Belfast | Carrickfergus | Castlereagh | Coleraine | Cookstown | Craigavon | Derry | Down | Dungannon | Fermanagh | Larne | Limavady | Lisburn | Magherafelt | Moyle | Newry and Mourne | Newtownabbey | North Down | Omagh | Strabane

Results from 1983 to 1995 for each seat: East Belfast | North Belfast | South Belfast | West Belfast | East Antrim | North Antrim | South Antrim | North Down | South Down | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | Foyle | Lagan Valley | East Londonderry | Mid Ulster | Newry and Armagh | Strangford | Upper Bann

Other sites based at ARK: ORB (Online Research Bank) | CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) | Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey

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This page has been developed with the support of a project grant from the New Initiatives Fund of the Electoral Commission. However, any views expressed on this page or, in particular, other pages of this website are those of the author and not necessarily shared by The Electoral Commission.
Ivo Damkat, October 29, 2003

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