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
OU: 6,694 (27.3%), 5 Councillors
UDUP: 3,188 (13.0%), 3 Councillors
Alliance: 2,055 (8.4%), 1 Councillor
WPRC: 1,587 (6.5%), 1 Councillor
Lab: 665 (2.7%), 1 Councillor
Independent: 74 (0.3%)

Votes by Party:
SDPL: 9,251 (44.6%), 10 Councillors
OU: 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:
SDLP: 8,101 (35.0%), 8 Councillors
Unionist: 8,930 (38.6%), 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: x; votes cast: x; spoilt votes: x (x%); valid votes: x 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: 23126 (98.5%)

Down A

1981 results

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

First Count:
 P.J. Smyth (SDLP) 837
E. McVeigh (OU) 733
S. Osborne (OU) 631
W.J. Finlay (OU) 604
W. Brown (OU) 597
A.J.W. Gaskin (UUUP) 569
D. Rowan-Hamilton (Alliance) 528
W.J. Cochrane (OU) 468
J.J. Rogers (Alliance) 362
H. Martin (OU) 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:
OU: 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%)
Unionist PNI: 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

First Count:
McVeigh (Unionist) 1,099
Cleland (Van Loy) 1,046
Smyth (SDLP) 1,004
Finlay (Unionist) 795
Cochrane (Unionist) 686
Osbourne (Unionist) 679
Lennon (Unionist) 588
Dickson (Unionist) 538
R. Hamilton (Alliance) 444
Laverty (SDLP) 332
Rice (SDLP) 278
Gotto (Alliance) 286
Mrs morton (Alliance) 202
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

First Count:
 E.K. McGrady (SDLP) 1,711
R. Blaney (WPRC) 1,121
D. Curran (SDLP) 893
C.W. Maxwell (OU) 875
M. Curran (Lab) 665
J.J. Ritchie (SDLP) 647
Mrs E. Kennedy (OU) 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
OU: 1,388 (17.5%), 1 seat
WPRC: 1,121 (14.1%), 1 seat
Alliance 756 (9.5%)
Lab: 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

First Count:
E.K. McGrady (SDLP) 1,524
D.F. Curran (SDP) 994
C.W. Maxwell (OU) 848
J. Ritchie (SDLP) 595
S.L. Quinn (SDLP) 548
R. Blaney (Rep Cl) 536
Teresa M. McEvoy (SDLP) 467
R. Nicholson (OU) 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
OU: 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

First Count:
 McGrady (SDLP) 1,246
Hampton (Ind) 1,099
Maxwell (Unionist) 903
Lowe (Unionist) 785
Curran (SDLP) 579
Ritchie (SDLP) 499
McKee (Alliance) 457
Sharvin (SDLP) 363
Adams (SDLP) 293
Laverty (SDLP) 252
Rodgers (Alliance) 228
Mrs Flinn (Alliance) 218
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

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

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

First Count:
McCombe (Unionist) 1,532
Beck (Unionist) 1,020
S. Fitzpatrick (SDLP) 638
O'Donoghue (SDLP) 628
Rice (SDLP) 608
Carey (SDLP) 579
McClean (SDLP) 430
Dickinson (Alliance) 415
Mrs M. Fitzpatrick (SDLP) 372
Thompson (Unionist) 305
O'Hagan (Rep Cl) 301
 McCormick (Alliance) 222
Keenan (Ind) 186
Goodman (Alliance) 182
P Sloane (Rep Cl) 115
Hall (Ind) 110
Hughes (Ind) 85
Small (Rep Cl) 75
Mc Cusker (Rep Cl) 55
J. 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 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

Surveys of each recent election: 2001 Westminster | 2001 local govt | 2000 S Antrim | 1999 European | 1998 Assembly | 1997 local govt | 1997 Westminster| 1996 Forum | 1995 N Down | 1994 European | 1993 local govt | 1992 Westminster | 1987 Westminster | 1986 by-elections | 1983 Westminster Summary of all Northern Ireland elections since 1973 | Brief summary of election results 1993-2001

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