August 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election

August 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election
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MP before election; Bobby Sands; Anti H-Block	Subsequent MP ; Owen Carron; Anti H-Block

The August 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election was the second

hunger striker and MP Bobby Sands

.

Background of the constituency

The constituency, based on the districts of

Irish nationalist candidates, with several elections being won due to the absence of competing candidates on one side or the other.^[1]

The

Anti-H-Block/Armagh Political Prisoner" and the former Ulster Unionist Party MP and leader Harry West, with no other candidates standing. Sands won with a majority of 1446 (with 3280 spoilt ballot papers).^[2]

Candidates in the 1981 by-election

Following Sands' victory and death shortly afterwards, the British government passed the

Anti-H-Block Proxy Political Prisoner".^[2]

The Ulster Unionists nominated a new candidate,

Orange Order

.

The new by-election also saw four additional candidates stand.

Official IRA. Two fringe candidates also stood: Martin Green on a "General Amnesty" ticket and Simon Hall-Raleigh as "The Peace Lover."^[2]

Results

August 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Anti H-Block	Owen Carron	31,278	49.1	−2.1
	Ulster Unionist	Ken Maginnis	29,048	45.6	−3.2
	Alliance	Seamus Close	1,930	3.0	N/A
	Republican Clubs	Tom Moore	1,132	1.8	N/A
	General Amnesty	Martin Green	249	0.4	N/A
	The Peace Lover	Simon Hall-Raleigh	90	0.1	N/A
Majority			2,230	3.5	-4.5
Turnout			63,727	88.6	+1.7
Registered electors			73,161
	Anti H-Block hold		Swing

There were 804 spoilt votes.[2]

Compared to the April election, turnout rose by 1.7%, whilst there were over two and a half thousand fewer spoilt papers. Most of these additional votes went to the additional parties standing.^[2]

References

^ Whyte, Nicholas (12 May 2004). "Westminster elections in Northern Ireland since 1920". Northern Ireland Elections. ARK - Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Whyte, Nicholas (3 April 2003). "Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1973-1982". Northern Ireland Elections. ARK - Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University.
^ Brent, Harry (5 May 2021). "IRA prisoner Bobby Sands died following 66 days on hunger strike on this day in 1981". The Irish Post.

External links

Campaign literature from the by-election

[1] Whyte, Nicholas (12 May 2004). "Westminster elections in Northern Ireland since 1920". Northern Ireland Elections. ARK - Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University.

[ARK-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Whyte, Nicholas (3 April 2003). "Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1973-1982". Northern Ireland Elections. ARK - Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University.

[3] Brent, Harry (5 May 2021). "IRA prisoner Bobby Sands died following 66 days on hunger strike on this day in 1981". The Irish Post.

[1]

[2]