1977 Belfast City Council election

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Main article:
Northern Ireland local elections, 1977
1977 Belfast City Council election
← 1973 18 May 1977 1981 →
All 51 seats to Belfast City Council
26 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Ulster Unionist Alliance SDLP
Seats won 15 13 8
Seat change Decrease 10 Increase 5 Increase 1
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party DUP
Republican Clubs
 Unionist Party NI
Seats won 7 3 2
Seat change Increase 5 Increase 1 Increase 2
  Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party
 
Party Ind. Unionist
Independent
 Others
Seats won 2 1 0
Seat change Steady 0 Increase 1 Decrease 5
Lord Mayor before election

Myles Humphreys
Ulster Unionist

Lord Mayor

James Stewart

Ulster Unionist

Elections to

councillors
, most representing the more heavily populated north and west.

The

Lord Mayor
in 1978, the first non-unionist Lord Mayor since 1898.

Election results

Belfast Local Election Result 1977[1]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Ulster Unionist 15 1 11 Decrease10 29.4 26.8 30,087 Decrease23.9
  Alliance 13 5 0 Increase5 25.5 18.6 20,929 Increase5.2
  SDLP 8 1 0 Increase1 15.7 18.9 20,920 Increase7.5
  DUP 7 5 0 Increase5 13.7 13.3 14,926 Increase11.0
 
Republican Clubs
 3 1 0 Increase1 5.9 4.7 5,238 Increase0.7
  Unionist Party NI 2 2 0 Increase2 3.9 5.0 5,584 New
  Ind. Unionist 2 0 0 Steady0 3.9 4.1 4,567 Increase1.1
 
Independent
 1 1 0 Increase1 2.0 2.6 3,431 Increase2.6
  NI Labour 0 0 2 Decrease2 0.0 2.6 2,959 Decrease2.9
  UUUP 0 0 0 Steady0 0.0 2.3 2,557 New
  Vanguard 0 0 1 Decrease1 0.0 0.7 780 Decrease0.1
  Communist 0 0 0 Steady0 0.0 0.1 115 Steady0.0
  British Ulster Dominion Party 0 0 0 Steady0 0.0 0.1 114 New
 
Independent Socialist
 0 0 0 Steady0 0.0 0.1 107 Increase0.1

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

Results of the Belfast City Council election, 1977
by district[1]
Ward %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 Total
Cllrs
UUP Alliance SDLP DUP
RC
 UPNI Others
Area A 29.2 2 20.1 2 8.5 1 21.5 2 1.7 0 5.9 0 13.1 0 7
Area B 33.0 3 30.7 2 0.0 0 11.0 1 0.0 0 15.1 1 10.2 0 7
Area C 25.3 2 33.8 3 6.4 0 10.2 0 0.0 0 10.0 1 14.3 0 6
Area D 0.0 0 13.5 1 69.2 4 0.0 0 16.4 1 0.0 0 0.9 0 6
Area E 35.1 2 9.0 1 0.0 0 18.3 1 0.0 0 0.0 0 37.6 2 6
Area F 31.2 2 10.7 1 27.8 1 14.7 1 14.4 1 0.0 0 1.2 0 6
Area G 29.2 2 3.2 1 29.9 1 21.1 1 13.2 1 0.0 0 3.4 0 6
Area H 29.8 2 16.9 2 21.1 1 11.7 1 0.0 0 2.8 0 17.7 1 7
Total 26.8 15 18.6 13 18.6 8 13.3 7 4.7 3 5.0 2 13.0 3 51

District results

Area A

1973: 4 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Vanguard, 1 x NILP
1977: 2 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1973-1977 Change: DUP (two seats), Alliance and SDLP gain from UUP (two seats), Vanguard and NILP

Area A - 7 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Alliance Basil Glass 16.03% 2,580                            
Ulster Unionist Grace Bannister* 14.70% 2,367                            
DUP Raymond McCrea 11.88% 1,912 1,914.31 1,918.6 1,918.66 1,918.66 1,918.66 1,963.81 2,076.21              
Ulster Unionist William Blair* 6.37% 1,026 1,035.66 1,270.56 1,275.07 1,276.07 1,290.28 1,349.33 1,465.68 1,466.9 1,709.49 1,774.11 2,358.11      
DUP Robert Newman 9.62% 1,549 1,549.63 1,552.33 1,552.33 1,554.33 1,601.78 1,618.78 1,631.23 1,682.47 1,708.38 1,724.38 1,764.02 1,798.02 2,368.02  
Alliance Denis Loretto 4.14% 667 1,109.47 1,115.17 1,130.01 1,152.43 1,156.85 1,168.42 1,174.29 1,174.29 1,187.64 1,542.09 1,602.75 1,649.75 1,711.71 1,723.71
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 8.47% 1,364 1,397.6 1,398.2 1,408.56 1,566.55 1,567.55 1,571.55 1,571.55 1,571.55 1,573.55 1,633.23 1,636.23 1,638.23 1,643.44 1,644.44
Unionist Party NI Thomas Jordan 5.93% 954 970.8 979.5 979.5 981.5 988.65 1,002.88 1,015.48 1,016.7 1,055.08 1,122.16 1,195.53 1,300.53 1,481.48 1,609.48
UUUP Benjamin Horan* 4.20% 676 679.99 687.79 687.79 687.79 897.24 954.05 960.26 963.92 990.78 1,013.78 1,100.7 1,202.7    
Ulster Unionist Thomas Gildea* 3.00% 483 486.78 524.88 527.88 527.88 534.03 573.53 651.89 656.16 936.8 978.4        
NI Labour Brian Garrett 3.69% 594 610.17 614.37 667.21 697.63 699.84 715.84 719.14 719.14 728.14          
Ulster Unionist Walter Shannon 2.81% 452 454.52 475.07 476.07 476.07 480.43 489.03 654.82 656.04            
Ulster Unionist Alfred Shaw 2.35% 378 379.89 393.84 396.84 396.84 400.14 409.74                
Ind. Unionist William Elliott* 2.35% 379 380.05 385.75 387.38 387.38 388.38                  
UUUP Philip Moles 2.14% 345 345.84 347.79 347.79 349                    
Republican Clubs
 Terence McGrattan 1.73% 278 280.73 280.88 280.88                      
NI Labour Derek Peters 0.58% 93 95.94 96.54                        
Electorate: 24,230   Valid: 16,097 (66.43%)   Spoilt: 801   Quota: 2,013   Turnout: 16,898 (69.74%)  

Area B

1973: 5 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x United Loyalist
1977: 3 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x UPNI, 1 x DUP
1973-1977 Change: Alliance, UPNI and DUP gain from UUP (two seats) and United Loyalist

Area B - 7 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Unionist Party NI Joshua Cardwell* 15.11% 2,722                      
Alliance Oliver Napier 15.00% 2,703                      
Ulster Unionist Thomas Patton* 12.26% 2,209 2,268.58                    
Alliance Michael Brown* 7.55% 2,045 2,120.6 2,350.44                  
Ulster Unionist John Allen* 10.56% 1,903 1,994.08 2,004.79 2,008.51 2,010.4 2,196.94 2,249.22 2,662.22        
DUP Henry Evans 5.87% 1,058 1,069.52 1,070.88 1,090.88 1,090.88 1,095.41 1,105.58 1,114.2 1,118.2 1,947.41 2,707.41  
Ulster Unionist Dorothy Dunlop 3.45% 622 683.02 691.69 697.77 699.45 934.73 963.93 1,274.06 1,620.06 1,637.13 1,979.01 2,337.01
Alliance David Wonnacott 4.33% 781 812.5 984.88 989.41 1,073.62 1,083.29 1,487.12 1,524.51 1,535.51 1,541.4 1,573.3 1,595.3
UUUP Reg Empey 5.44% 981 1,013.22 1,016.11 1,182.4 1,182.75 1,211.09 1,227.99 1,249.29 1,264.29 1,374.54    
DUP Thomas McIntyre 5.11% 920 927.2 928.05 957.23 957.23 966.59 977.77 982.56 984.56      
Ulster Unionist William Corry* 3.69% 664 716.02 722.31 725.67 726.3 817.75 833.09          
NI Labour William Gunning 3.50% 631 645.76 659.02 660.2 662.93 664.11            
Ulster Unionist Joseph Hanna 3.00% 541 562.78 565.16 571.86 572.56              
UUUP Stanley Morgan 1.32% 237 245.1 246.29                  
Electorate: 37,176   Valid: 18,017 (48.46%)   Spoilt: 724   Quota: 2,253   Turnout: 18,741 (50.41%)  

Area C

1973: 4 x UUP, 2 x Alliance
1977: 3 x Alliance, 2 x UUP, 1 x UPNI
1973-1977 Change: Alliance and UPNI gain from UUP (two seats)

Area C - 6 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Alliance David Cook* 18.93% 2,748                      
Ulster Unionist Andrew Cairns 8.86% 1,287 1,290.6 1,293.6 1,321.84 1,340.84 1,346.84 1,387.08 1,547.8 1,579.8 1,981.52 1,981.52 2,330.52
Alliance William Jeffrey 6.14% 892 1,368.64 1,368.64 1,372.88 1,389.88 1,514.04 1,537.28 1,551.48 1,554.48 1,571.96 2,037.16 2,076.12
Alliance Muriel Pritchard* 8.78% 1,274 1,394.24 1,398.24 1,401.24 1,435.72 1,529.12 1,543.12 1,554.8 1,557.8 1,582 2,002.28 2,047.44
Ulster Unionist Mary Crooks 7.87% 1,142 1,148.72 1,151.72 1,180.72 1,212.72 1,217.2 1,307.44 1,445.68 1,496.68 1,824.92 1,833.92 2,035.64
Unionist Party NI Victor Brennan 9.96% 1,446 1,455.84 1,458.84 1,479.84 1,493.84 1,519.56 1,568.56 1,609.04 1,623.04 1,702 1,727 1,928.44
DUP Alexander McMeekin 6.01% 872 872 884 957 976.24 978.24 990.24 1,010.24 1,493.24 1,523.48 1,525.48 1,650.72
Vanguard Raymond Jordan 5.37% 780 784.32 788.32 825.56 876.56 882.56 914.56 963.8 1,022.8 1,068.04 1,072.04  
SDLP Mary Scott 6.36% 923 937.4 938.4 938.4 950.4 992.4 994.4 996.4 997.4 999.4    
Ulster Unionist John William Kennedy* 4.34% 630 634.08 635.08 657.08 665.08 672.08 726.08 952.04 975.04      
DUP William Spence 4.16% 604 604 607 629 667 673 691 697        
Ulster Unionist John Gilmore 4.26% 619 624.76 626.76 639.76 652.76 660.76 682.76          
Ind. Unionist John Webster* 2.34% 340 340.96 343.96 349.2 369.2 371.2            
NI Labour Ronald Macartney 2.27% 330 335.76 335.76 336.76 348.76              
Independent
 William Weir 2.16% 313 313.72 314.72 319.72                
UUUP Reginald Johnston 1.37% 199 199.96 276.96                  
UUUP James Robinson 0.82% 119 119                    
Electorate: 29,635   Valid: 14,518 (48.99%)   Spoilt: 523   Quota: 2,075   Turnout: 15,041 (50.75%)  

Area D

1973: 4 x SDLP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Alliance
1977: 4 x SDLP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Alliance
1973-1977 Change: No change

Area D - 6 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
SDLP Paddy Devlin* 53.13% 7,087              
SDLP Cormac Boomer 6.79% 905 2,925.84            
SDLP Liam Hunter 3.58% 477 1,741.64 2,290.74          
SDLP Mary Sullivan 5.70% 760 1,669.72 2,006.4          
Alliance Dan McGuinness 9.26% 1,235 1,612.72 1,664.78 1,827.8 1,891.3 1,915.19    
Republican Clubs
 Bernard McDonagh 7.06% 942 1,119.08 1,129.34 1,158.22 1,178.72 1,189.17 1,496.57 1,607.82
Republican Clubs
 Martin Lynch 5.42% 723 862.08 873.48 905.02 944.58 955.79 1,228.61 1,338.67
Alliance Robert Turkington 4.31% 575 660.88 667.34 745.62 762.5 785.68 824.15  
Republican Clubs
 Kevin Smyth 3.95% 527 622 629.98 660 675.04 682.45    
Independent Socialist
 Gerard Campbell 0.80% 107 187.56 212.64 235.44        
Electorate: 35,266   Valid: 13,338 (37.82%)   Spoilt: 1,594   Quota: 1,906   Turnout: 14,932 (42.34%)  

Area E

1973: 1 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x NILP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x United Loyalist, 1 x Independent Unionist
1977: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent, 1 x Independent Unionist
1973-1977 Change: UUP and Independent gain from NILP and United Loyalist

Area E - 6 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Ulster Unionist Billy Bell 24.38% 3,297                
Independent
 James Weir 16.15% 2,184                
DUP Fred Proctor* 12.98% 1,755 1,860.84 1,873.52 1,874.36 1,898.12 2,512.12      
Alliance Samuel Egerton 9.04% 1,223 1,263.32 1,352.32 1,497.22 1,506.88 1,513.84 1,518.84 1,561.28 2,084.28
Ulster Unionist Alfie Ferguson 2.71% 366 1,106.04 1,118.98 1,123.04 1,323.24 1,366.76 1,497.76 1,566.38 1,748.98
Ind. Unionist Hugh Smyth* 8.43% 1,140 1,174.44 1,179.44 1,180.42 1,214.98 1,240.58 1,353.58 1,657.4 1,714.82
Ulster Unionist David Smylie* 4.93% 667 798.46 811.88 812.16 1,062.46 1,109.5 1,249.5 1,390.36 1,501.78
NI Labour George Chambers 5.98% 809 872.84 930.52 998.84 1,022.92 1,031.32 1,051.32 1,108.2  
Independent
 Hugh Stockman 5.31% 718 741.94 767.36 785.98 801.98 822.08 891.08    
DUP Bill Lavery 5.29% 715 760.78 765.88 767.42 784.94        
Ulster Unionist James Sands 3.05% 412 577.48 859.58 590.56          
Independent
 Peter Emerson 1.75% 236 248.6              
Electorate: 30,109   Valid: 13,522 (44.91%)   Spoilt: 706   Quota: 1,932   Turnout: 14,228 (47.25%)  

Area F

1973: 3 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs
1977: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Alliance
1973-1977 Change: Alliance gain from UUP

Area F - 6 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
SDLP Owen Allen 18.81% 1,886                
Ulster Unionist
James Stewart
* 		16.76% 1,681                
Republican Clubs
 Jim Sullivan* 10.96% 1,099 1,113.16 1,113.31 1,131.55 1,433.35        
Ulster Unionist Harry Fletcher* 10.78% 1,081 1,082.92 1,185.22 1,193.67 1,194.67 1,504.97      
DUP William Dickson 9.46% 949 958.36 975.01 981.61 982.61 1,009.76 1,474.76    
Alliance Will Glendinning 10.74% 1,077 1,142.04 1,152.09 1,173.96 1,188.27 1,211.97 1,221.92 1,287.92 1,316.92
SDLP Thomas Lappin 8.97% 899 1,232.84 1,233.29 1,247.49 1,265.24 1,267.48 1,270.38 1,273.38 1,277.38
DUP John Parkes 5.24% 525 525.72 534.27 538.57 538.57 575.67      
Ulster Unionist Thomas Murphy* 3.68% 369 369.48 470.88 480.88 480,88        
Republican Clubs
 Sean O'Hare 3.45% 346 355.12 355.87 369.11          
Communist James Stewart 1.15% 115 117.4 119.2            
Electorate: 21,177   Valid: 10,027 (47.35%)   Spoilt: 1,013   Quota: 1,433   Turnout: 11,040 (52.13%)  

Area G

1973: 3 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist
1977: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Alliance
1973-1977 Change: DUP and Republican Clubs gain from UUP and Independent Unionist

Area G - 6 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SDLP Gerry Fitt* 29.81% 3,006            
Republican Clubs
 Seamus Lynch 13.12% 1,323 2,124.04          
Alliance Mary McKeown* 3.17% 320 1,051.6 1,632.54        
DUP Frederick Ashby 13.66% 1,377 1,380.72 1,381.34 1,383.2 1,445.2    
Ulster Unionist Herbert Ditty* 10.34% 1,043 1,049.2 1,050.44 1,057.88 1,093.74 1,203.74 1,519.74
Ulster Unionist Cecil Walker 7.73% 779 779.62 782.72 792.64 812.74 1,027.38 1,318.68
DUP George Haffey 7.36% 742 743.24 743.24 743.86 772.86 889.1 968.72
Ulster Unionist Margaret Laird* 5.87% 592 598.82 598.82 605.64 662.36 774.98  
Ulster Unionist Samuel Millar* 5.11% 515 515.62 518.72 532.36 618.84    
Ind. Unionist Hugh Kidd* 3.84% 387 396.92 398.16 406.22      
Electorate: 20,959   Valid: 10,084 (48.11%)   Spoilt: 886   Quota: 1,441   Turnout: 10,970 (52.34%)  

Area H

1973: 5 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1977: 2 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1977-1981 Change: Alliance, DUP and Independent Unionist gain from UUP (three seats)

Area H - 7 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
SDLP Paschal O'Hare 14.52% 2,414                      
Ind. Unionist Frank Millar* 13.96% 2,321                      
Ulster Unionist John Carson* 13.53% 2,250                      
Ulster Unionist Myles Humphreys* 11.68% 1,942 1,942.14 2,000.11 2,016.76 2,073.53 2,360.53            
Alliance John Cushnahan 11.21% 1,865 1,881.1 1,883.19 1,885.3 1,887.4 1,896.08 1,901.08 1,902.19 2,104.19      
DUP William Annon 9.06% 1,507 1,507.14 1,561.59 1,590.34 1,597.55 1,608.82 1,613.82 2,041.03 2,048.37 2,064.18 2,290.18  
Alliance Robert Jamison 5.68% 944 951.14 956.75 959.75 961.15 977.02 990.02 995.79 1,116.18 1,323.08 1,680.41 1,770.41
SDLP Alban Maginness 6.61% 1,099 1,406.44 1,406.99 1,407.99 1,408.2 1,408.2 1,409.2 1,409.42 1,444.26 1,445.26 1,451.31 1,461.31
Ulster Unionist Mary Creighton* 1.99% 331 331 367.85 399.16 469.65 577.41 821.41 848.99 925.06 1,160.88    
Unionist Party NI Joseph Gibson 2.78% 462 462.14 472.48 482.7 486.69 506.04 515.04 522.41 546.63      
NI Labour Alan Carr 3.02% 502 504.24 508.97 513.41 515.23 517.34 518.34 519.74        
DUP Cynthia McDowell 2.65% 441 441 472.13 484.46 486.77 492.07 495.07          
Ulster Unionist James Kennett 2.64% 439 439 455.17 458.83 466.39              
Dominion Party Alexander Beattie 0.69% 114 114 124.78                  
Electorate: 35,074   Valid: 16,631 (47.42%)   Spoilt: 684   Quota: 2,079   Turnout: 17,315 (49.37%)  

References

  1. ^ a b "Local Government Elections 1973 - 1981: Belfast". Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Local Government Results 1977". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
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