1967 Londonderry Borough Council election

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Results by ward. Londonderry Borough Council election, 1967.svg
Results by ward.

Elections to Londonderry Borough Council were held on 17 May 1967, amidst the Northern Ireland civil rights movement.

Contents

The election would be the last for the unreformed Londonderry Borough Council, with local government in Northern Ireland being reformed from 1969 onwards. The council elected was the last with a Unionist majority. Albert Anderson continued as Mayor.

The Northern Ireland Labour Party stood for the first time in local elections in the city. [1] It made a particularly strong showing under its local party chairman, Willie Breslin, with the party taking 30% of the vote. Due to the electoral system however the party failed to win any seats. [2] The Ulster Unionist Party stood in both wards with a unionist majority, and the Nationalist Party only in the one ward with a nationalist majority. Two independent candidates also stood. [1]

Results

The final result saw no change from the previous election, which had been held in 1964 and in which no seats had been contested. Two of the Nationalist Party councillors were new, with Mary Harrigan being the first woman to serve on the council since 1926. [3]

Londonderry Borough Council election, 1967 [4]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Ulster Unionist 1200066.732.225,535
  Nationalist 800033.333.926,880
  NI Labour 00000.031.925,296
Registered electors 23,312
Turnout 16,263 69.76%

The 1969 report by Lord Cameron into "Disturbances in Northern Ireland" (paragraph 134) gives the total electorate as 23,210 rather than 23,312, and divides the 23,210 into 14,429 Catholic voters and 8,781 Other voters.

Ward results

North Ward

North Ward - results by party
8 Councillors
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
 Ulster Unionist Party8000100.017,198
 Northern Ireland Labour Party00000.07,861
 Independent00000.01,227
Registered electors 6,476
Turnout 4,648 71.77%
Total valid votes4,582 70.75%

The 1969 report by Lord Cameron into "Disturbances in Northern Ireland" (paragraph 134) divides the total ward electorate of 6,476 into 2,530 Catholic voters and 3,946 Other voters.

North Ward
6 elected Councillors
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Ulster Unionist John A. Allen 2,768 60.41
Ulster Unionist William Beatty 2,908 63.47
Ulster Unionist John A. Canning 2,907 63.44
Ulster Unionist Robert Stewart 2,832 [5] 61.81
Ulster Unionist Alfred Wallace 2,877 62.79
Ulster Unionist James J. Whyte 2,906 63.42
NI Labour Ivan Cooper 1,32828.98
NI Labour Ernest G. Cowan1,22826.80
NI Labour Henry L. Doherty1,43431.30
NI Labour Richard J. Foster1,25827.46
NI Labour George S. Stewart1,28928.13
NI Labour Janet Wilcock1,32428.90
Independent George C. Austin1,22726.78
Total votes26,286
Total valid votes4,582

South Ward

South Ward - results by party
8 Councillors
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
 Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)8000100.026,880
 Northern Ireland Labour Party00000.014,174
Registered electors 11,287
Turnout 7,487 66.33%
Total valid votes7,160 63.44

The 1969 report by Lord Cameron into "Disturbances in Northern Ireland" (paragraph 134) gives the total ward electorate as 11,185 rather than 11,287, and divides the 11,185 into 10,047 Catholic voters and 1,138 Other voters.

South Ward
6 Councillors
Electorate: 6,476
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Nationalist James Doherty 4,692 65.53
Nationalist James R. Doherty 4,552 63.58
Nationalist Patrick Friel 4,624 64.58
Nationalist Mary Harrigan 4,293 59.96
Nationalist Thomas McDonnell 4,282 59.80
Nationalist Michael Eugene O'Hare 4,437 59.80
NI Labour Edward J. Campbell2,14529.96
NI Labour Joseph Doherty2,70129.96
NI Labour Paul Grace2,40233.55
NI Labour Charles V. Grant2,28631.93
NI Labour Jeremiah Mallett2,24431.34
NI Labour Barry McLaughlin2,39633.46
Total votes41,054

Waterside Ward

Waterside Ward
4 Councillors
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
 Ulster Unionist Party4000100.08,337
 Northern Ireland Labour Party00000.03,261
 Independent00000.0234
Registered electors 5,549
Turnout 4,128 74.39%
Total valid votes4,101 73.91%

The 1969 report by Lord Cameron into "Disturbances in Northern Ireland" (paragraph 134) divides the total ward electorate of 5,549 into 1,852 Catholic voters and 3,697 Other voters.

Waterside Ward
3 elected Councillors
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Ulster Unionist Albert Wesley Anderson 2,740 66.81
Ulster Unionist Leonard Hutchinson 2,834 69.11
Ulster Unionist John T. McParland 2,763 67.37
NI Labour James B. Hinds1,11627.21
NI Labour John I. Hutchinson1,05725.77
NI Labour Michael T. Roddy [6] 1,08826.53
Independent Denis Colclough2345.71
Total votes11,832

Notes

1. ^ Voters in North and South wards could each vote for up to 6 candidates and voters in Waterside ward could vote for up to 3 candidates. As a result totals for registered electors and turnout do not bear a direct relation to votes.
2. ^ Two aldermen were elected unopposed in each of the North ward and the South ward and one alderman was elected unopposed in the Waterside ward.
3. ^ The Derry Journal gives 25,550 as the total of 17,198 (North ward) and 8,337 (Waterside ward).

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References

  1. 1 2 "Local election bid by Paisleyites". Irish Times. 16 May 1967.
  2. "Labour and civil rights activist". irishtimes.com.
  3. "Unionists increase Belfast strength". Irish Times. 19 May 1967.
  4. "Labour Challenge Defeated - No Change in Derry Corporation". Derry Journal . 19 May 1967. p. 1.
  5. The Derry Journal gives a figure of 2,877, which is identical to the number of votes for the next candidate Alfred Wallace. That figure, when added to the totals for the other Ulster Unionist candidates, does not equal the total Ulster Unionist poll of 17,198 given by the Derry Journal. The figure of 2,832 given by the Londonderry Sentinel, when added to the totals for the other Ulster Unionist candidates, does equal the total Ulster Unionist poll of 17,198 given by the Derry Journal.
  6. The Derry Journal gives a figure of 1,083. That figure, when added to the totals for the other candidates, does not equal the total Labour poll of 3,261 given by the Derry Journal. The figure of 1,088 given by the Londonderry Sentinel, when added to the totals for the other candidates, does equal the total Labour poll of 3,261 given by the Derry Journal.