1973 Northern Ireland local elections

Local government in Northern Ireland was reorganised in 1973 by the Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 and the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. The county councils, county borough and municipal borough corporations and urban and rural district councils were replaced by twenty-six local government districts.

1973 Northern Ireland local elections

30 May 19731977 →

All council seats
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
LeaderBrian FaulknerGerry FittOliver Napier
PartyUUPSDLPAlliance
Seats won1948263
Popular vote255,18792,60094,474
Percentage37.4%13.4%13.7%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
LeaderN/AN/AIan Paisley
PartyIndependentInd. UnionistDUP
Seats won522621
Popular vote48,94731,86628,811
Percentage7.0%4.4%4.1%

Colours denote the winning party with outright control

Colours denote the party with the most seats

Elections took place for all the seats on the district councils on 30 May 1973. Elections were by proportional representation, using the single transferable vote system. The district councils came into their powers on 1 October.[1][2][3][4]

Results edit

Overall edit

Party[5]CouncillorsVotes
Total+/-% shareTotal
UUP194N/A37.4255,187
Alliance63N/A13.794,474
SDLP82N/A13.492,600
Independent52N/A7.048,947
Ind. Unionist26N/A4.431,866
United Loyalist20N/A4.228,906
DUP21N/A4.128,811
Republican Clubs8N/A3.020,680
NI Labour4N/A2.517,422
Independent Loyalist16N/A1.417,360
Vanguard10N/A1.613,305
Unity6N/A1.510,281
Loyalist Coalition3N/A1.07,495
Nationalist4N/A0.53,784
Independent Community3N/A0.43,036
Republican Labour0N/A0.42,594
Ind. Republican3N/A0.21,911
Ulster Liberal0N/A0.1704
Independent Ratepayer1N/A0.1841
Independent Radical1N/A0.1533
Communist0N/A0.1363
Irish Labour0N/A0.0290
Independent Nationalist0N/A0.0147
Independent Labour0N/A0.091
Total462 100.0%681,628

Results by council edit

CouncilControl1st party 19732nd party 1973Councillors
AntrimUUPUUP (8)Alliance (2)15
Belfast CityNo overall controlUUP (25)Alliance (8)51
ArdsUUPUUP (11)Alliance (2)17
ArmaghNo overall controlUUP (10)SDLP (4)20
BallymenaNo overall control
BallymoneyNo overall control
BanbridgeUUP
CarrickfergusNo overall control
CastlereaghNo overall control
ColeraineUUP
CookstownNo overall control
CraigavonNo overall control
DownNo overall control
DungannonUUP
FermanaghNo overall control
LarneLoyalistLoyalist (8)Alliance (3)15
LimavadyUnited UnionistUnited Unionist (8)SDLP (4)15
LisburnUUPUUP (14)Alliance (3)23
LondonderryNo overall controlSDLP (10)United Loyalist (9)27
MagherafeltNo overall control
MoyleNo overall control
Newry and MourneNo overall control
NewtownabbeyNo overall control
North DownNo overall control
OmaghNo overall control
StrabaneNo overall control
All councilsUUP (194)SDLP (82)517

References edit

  1. ^ Local Government Elections 1973 (Ark Social & Political Archive)
  2. ^ Big Roman Catholic turnout in poll despite threats, The Times, 31 May 1973
  3. ^ Party accused over Ulster poll, The Times, 31 May 1973
  4. ^ Unionist supporters elect many hard-line men in Ulster local government poll, The Times, 2 June 1973
  5. ^ Local Government Elections 1973, Northern Ireland Elections