The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Ards


Map by Conal Kelly

The Elections

1981 Results 1977 Results 1973 Results
Votes by Party:
DUP: 8,120 (37.1%), 7 Councillors
UUP: 4,759 (21.7%), 3 Councillors
UPUP: 2,816 (12.9%), 2 Councillors
Alliance:2,692 (12.3%), 3 Councillors
NILP: 1,424 (6.5%), 1 Councillor
SDLP: 942 (4.3%), 1 Councillor
UPNI: 112 (0.5%)
Independent: 1,049 (4.8%)		 Votes by Party:
UUP: 5,368 (31.8%), 6 Councillors
Alliance: 3,507 (20.8%), 5 Councillors
DUP/UUUC: 2,322 (13.8%), 3 Councillors
NILP: 1,349 (8.0%), 1 Councillor
SDLP: 964 (5.7%),1 Councillor
UPNI: 886 (5.3%)
VUP: 277 (1.6%)
UUUP/UUUC: 170 (1.0%)
Loy Prot: 102 (0.6%)
U: 68 (0.4%)
Independent: 1,843 (10.9%), 1 Councillor		 Votes by Party:
UUP: 11,499 (54.5%), 11 Councillors
Alliance: 3,133 (14.8%), 2 Councillors
Loyalist Coalition: 1,608 (8%), 1 Councillor
Vanguard Loyalist: 1,510 (7.2%)
SDLP:1,180 (5.6%), 1 Councillor
NILP: 1,114 (5.3%), 1 Councillor
Liberal: 167 (0.8%)
Independent:895 (4.2%), 1 Councillor
Electorate: 40,234; votes cast: 22,627; spoilt votes: 713 (3.2%); valid votes: 21,914 (96.8%) Electorate: 38,280; votes cast: 17,435; spoilt votes: 579 (3.3%); valid votes: 16,856 (96.7%) Electorate: 35,886; votes cast: 21408; spoilt votes: 302 (1.4%); valid votes: 21106 (98.6%)

Ards A

1981 results

First Count:
Mrs G. McIntyre (UPUP) 1,034 P.J. Doherty (SDLP) 942
J. Thompson (DUP) 917
O.W. Johnston (DUP) 875
R.J. Shannon (UUP) 741
R.C. Ambrose (UUP) 609
J. Scott (UUP) 545
J. McMullan (Ind) 481
W. Sheldon (Alliance) 427
W.J. Caughey (UUP) 339
A. Burnside (Alliance) 337
J.S. Kennett (UUP) 259
D. Hamilton (UUP) 209
M. Long (UPNI) 112
Mrs F.E. Millar (UPUP) 100 		Votes by Party:
DUP: 2,533 (32.0%), 2 seats
UUP: 1,961 (24.7%), 2 seats
UPUP: 1,134 (14.3%), 1 seat
SDLP: 942 (11.9%), 1 seat
Alliance: 764 (9.6%),1 seat
Independent: 481 (6.1%)
UPNI: 112 (1.4%)
Electorate: 14,228; seats: 7; votes cast: 8,162; spoilt votes: 235 (2.9%); valid votes: 7,927 (97.1%); quota: 991

1977 results

First Count:
C.E.H.J Dunleith (Alliance) 1,339
J. Thompson (DUP/UUUC) 981
P. Doherty (SDLP) 964
O.W Johnston (UUP) 460
W.J. Caughey (UUP) 451
J. Scott (UUP) 446
M. Long (UPNI) 371
J. McMullan (Ind) 313
H.S. Cosbey (UUP) 308
R.C Ambrose (UUP) 287
W. Sheldon (Alliance) 190
W. Keag (UUP) 158
F.B. McMaster (Ind) 128
R.L. Mason (Loy Prot) 102
Mrs V.C. Shaw (U) 68		 Votes by Party:
UUP: 2,110 (32.1%), 3 seats
Alliance: 1,529 (23.3%), 2 seats
SDLP: 964 (14.7%), 1 seat
DUP/UUUC: 981 (12.5%), 1 seat
UPNI: 371 (5.7%)
Loy Prot: 102 (1.6%)
U: 68 (1.0%)
Independent: 441 (6.7%)
Electorate: 13,670; seats: 7; votes cast: 6,793; spoilt votes: 227 (3.3%); valid votes: 6,566 (96,7%); quota: 821

1973 Results

First Count:
McPolin (SDLP) 1,101
Cosbey (UUP) 961
Donnan (UUP) 905
Pollock (UUP) 873
Scott (UUP) 845
Mrs. McMordie (UUP) 754
Jonhston (UUP) 719
Willis (Vanguard Loyalist) 478
McNamara (Alliance) 315
Leroux (Alliance) 264
Sheldon (Alliance) 230
Paden (NILP) 55		 Votes by Party:
UUP: 5,057 (67.4%), 6 seats
SDLP: 1,101 (14.7%), 1 seat
Alliance: 809 (10.8%)
Vanguard Loyalist: 478 (6.4%)
NILP: 55 (7.3%)
Electorate: 13323; seats: 7; votes cast:7592; spoilt votes: 92 (1.2%); valid votes: 7500 (98.8%); quota: 938

Ards B

1981 Results

First Count:
H.D. Boyd (DUP) 1,681
R.E. Gaw (NILP) 1,310
H.J.S. Gibson (DUP) 1,005
O. Dorrian Alliance) 784
J.C. Elliott (DUP) 670
R.L. Brown (UPUP) 508
J. Murray (UPUP) 468
R.J.G. Hamilton (UUP) 458
H. Patton (UUP) 383
H. Yeaman (UPUP) 360
JMA. A Murphy (Alliance) 270
E.J. McLoughlin (UUP) 166
W.J. Speers (UUP) 162
J.A. Graw (NILP) 114		 Votes by Party:
DUP: 3,356 (40.2%), 3 seats
NILP: 1,424 (17.1%), 1 seat
UPUP: 1,336 (16.0%), 1 seat
UUP: 1,169 (14.1%)
Alliance: 1,054 (12.6%), 1 seat
Electorate: 16,070; seats: 6; votes cast: 8,649; spoilt votes: 310 (3.6%); valid votes: 8,339 (96.4%); quota: 1,192

1977 results

First Count:
 R.E. Gaw (NILP) 843
H.D. Boyd (DUP/UUUC) 780
J. Algie (UUP) 822
H.W. Gallagher (Alliance) 656
O. Dorrian (Alliance) 613
 Miss C.M. Cooke (UPNI) 515
W. Allen (NILP) 506
W. Boal (UUP) 381
Yeaman (UUP) 314
Spratt (UUP) 288
R.J. Brown (VUP) 277
 Votes by Party:
UUP: 1,805 (30.1%), 2 seats
Alliance: 1,269 (21.2%), 2 seats
NILP: 1,349 (22.5%), 1 seat
DUP/UUUC: 780 (13.0%), 1 seat
UPNI: 515 (8.6%)
VUP: 277 (4.6%)
Electorate: 15,186; seats: 6; votes cast: 6,227; spoilt votes: 232 (3.7%); valid votes: 5,995 (96.3%); quota: 857

1973 results

First Count:
Algie (UUP) 1,268
Mrs Coke (UUP) 954
Spratt (UUP) 712
Dorrian (Alliance) 668
Brown (Loyalist Coalition) 558
Gaw (NILP) 566
Hannigan (Loyalist Coalition) 537
Mrs Brown (Loyalist & Democratic Unionist) 513
Allen (NILP) 493
Mrs Foulis (UUP) 371
Forsythe (Alliance) 339
McGimpsey (UUP) 325
Hirst (Alliance) 240
McElroy (LIberal) 167
Devaney (SDLP) 79
 Votes by Party:
UUP: 3,930 (48.6%), 3 seats
Loyalist Coalition: 1,095 (13.5%), 1 seat
Alliance: 1,247 (15.4%), 1 seat
NILP: 1,059 (13.1%), 1 seat
Loyalist & Democratic Unionist 513 (6.3%)
Liberal: 167 (2.1%)
SDLP: 79 (1%)
Electorate: 13801; seats: 6; votes cast: 8217; spoilt votes: 127 (1.5%); valid votes: 8090 (98.5%); quota: 1,156

 

Ards C

1981 results

First Count:
T. Gourley (DUP) 1,479
H. McKeag (UUP) 1,082
J.S. Hamilton (DUP) 752
T.J. McBriar (Alliance) 526
Mrs K.W. Coulter (Alliance) 348
G. Brown (UUP) 334
J. Shields (Ind) 311J
. Middleton (Ind) 237
R. McKee (UPUP) 222
J.B. Caughey (UUP) 213
Mrs S. McWhinney (UPUP) 124
T.F.I. Adair (Ind) 20		 Votes by Party:
DUP: 2,231 (39.5%), 2 seats
UUP: 1,629 (28.8%), 1 seat
Alliance: 874 (15.5%), 1 seat
Independent: 568 (10.1%)
UPUP: 346 (6.1%)
Electorate: 9,936; seats: 4; votes cast: 5,816; spoilt votes: 168 (2.9%); valid votes: 5,648 (97.1%); quota: 1,130

1977 results

First Count:
H. McKeag (UUP) 823
T. Gourley (DUP/UUUC) 561
J. Shields (Ind) 520
T.J. McBriar (Alliance) 448
J. Middleton (Ind) 418
J.B. Caughey (Ind) 352
H.S. Porter (UUP) 348
Mrs A.K Hamilton (UUP) 282
Mrs A. Rudnitzky (Alliance) 261
W. Dempster (UUUP/UUUC) 170
A. Spence (Ind) 112 		Votes by Party:
UUP: 1,453 (33.8%), 1 seat
Alliance: 709 (16.5%), 1 seat
DUP/UUC: 561 (13.1%), 1 seat
UUUP/UUUC: 170 (4.0%)
Independent: 1,402 (32.6%), 1 seat
Electorate: 9,424; seats: 4; votes cast: 4,415; spoilt votes: 120 (2.7%); valid votes: 4,295 (97.3%); quota: 860

1973 results

First Count:
Caughey (Ind) 895
McKeag (UUP) 727
McBriar (Alliance) 682
Hamilton (UUP) 645
Crawford (Van Loy) 593
Porter (UUP) 582
Cromie (UUP) 558
McCreery (Van Loy) 439
Mrs Rudnitzky (Alliance) 395		 Votes by Party:
UUP: 2,512 (45.5%), 2 seats
Alliance: 1,077 (19.5%), 1 seat
Vanguard Loyalist: 1,032 (18.7%)
Independent: 895 (16.2%), 1 seat
Electorate: 8762; seats: 4; votes cast: 5599; spoilt votes: 83 (1.4%); valid votes: 5516 (98.6%); quota: 1,104

 

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 2001: 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

Your comments, please! Send an email to me at nicholas.whyte@gmail.com.

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; updated by Nicholas Whyte, 23 August 2004

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