1985 Belfast City Council election

Last updated

1985 Belfast City Council election
Flag of Belfast.svg
  1981 17 May 1985 1989  

All 51 seats to Belfast City Council
26 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Ulster Unionist DUP Alliance
Seats won14118
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 4Increase2.svg 1

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Party Sinn Féin SDLP Ind. Unionist
Seats won762
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 7Steady2.svg 0Increase2.svg 1

 Seventh partyEighth partyNinth party
 
Party Workers' Party PUP Protestant Unionist
Seats won111
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Steady2.svg 0Increase2.svg 1

Lord Mayor before election

Alfie Ferguson
Ulster Unionist

Lord Mayor

John Carson
Ulster Unionist

Elections to Belfast City Council were held on 15 May 1985 on the same day as the other Northern Irish local government elections. The election used nine district electoral areas to elect a total of 51 councillors, most representing the more heavily populated north and west.

Contents

The UUP became the largest party, overtaking the DUP and John Carson became the Lord Mayor.

Election results

Belfast Local Election Result 1985 [1]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Ulster Unionist 1410Increase2.svg127.524.428,165Increase2.svg0.7
  DUP 1104Decrease2.svg321.619.923,052Decrease2.svg5.9
  Alliance 810Increase2.svg115.711.513,286Decrease2.svg1.7
  Sinn Féin 770Increase2.svg713.715.618,077New
  SDLP 600Steady2.svg011.814.216,479Increase2.svg0.1
  Ind. Unionist 210Increase2.svg13.93.54,091Increase2.svg1.6
  Workers' Party 110Increase2.svg12.03.84,432Decrease2.svg0.1
  Protestant Unionist 110Increase2.svg12.02.62,970Increase2.svg2.6
  PUP 100Steady2.svg02.02.22,588Increase2.svg0.3
  People's Democracy 002Decrease2.svg10.00.1131Decrease2.svg3.6
  Ulster Democratic 001Decrease2.svg10.00.5536Decrease2.svg1.8
  Labour Party NI 000Steady2.svg00.00.6731New
  Labour and Trade Union 000Steady2.svg00.00.5556New
  Green (NI) 000Steady2.svg00.00.3308New
  Communist 000Steady2.svg00.00.2245Steady2.svg0.0

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

[1]

Results of the Belfast City Council election, 1985
by district
Ward %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
Total
Cllrs
UUP DUP Alliance Sinn Féin SDLP Workers' Party PUP Others
Balmoral41.7225.5218.510.0010.401.000.002.905
Castle32.7217.119.610.0019.613.400.0017.616
Court21.6217.915.103.500.001.3024.2136.126
Laganbank30.0222.1120.8116.915.605.000.002.105
Lower Falls0.000.009.4157.2323.419.400.000.605
Oldpark17.5111.413.7028.5216.119.413.0010.406
Pottinger28.9247.538.314.602.802.403.202.306
Upper Falls0.002.907.3144.1239.223.100.003.405
Victoria42.5333.2223.120.001.200.000.000.007
Total24.41419.91111.5815.6714.263.812.218.4351

District results

Balmoral

1985: 2 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance

Balmoral - 6 seats [2]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
Ulster Unionist Mary Crooks*19.07%2,438       
Ulster Unionist Jim Kirkpatrick 14.23%1,8202,014.16 2,061.12 2,137.12    
DUP William Dickson *12.81%1,6381,660.56 1,676.68 1,931.32 2,321.32   
Alliance John Montgomery10.37%1,3261,329.12 1,426.48 1,430.6 1,488.68 1,497.39 2,449.39 
DUP John Parkes7.80%9981,009.28 1,032.64 1,281.76 1,536 1,691.44 1,780.22 1,908.19
SDLP Dorita Field 10.42%1,3321,332.24 1,446.24 1,448.24 1,457.24 1,457.24 1,587.04 1,772.63
Alliance David Cook*8.15%1,0421,054 1,180.48 1,191.08 1,345.04 1,367.82   
Ulster Unionist James Stewart*8.38%1,0711,102.08 1,127.68 1,166.44     
DUP Clarke Gibson7.80%620633.68 646.8      
Labour Party NI Stanley Graham1.45%186187.08       
Workers' Party Shaun McKeown1.04%133133.12       
Ind. Unionist Victor Brennan0.99%127127.6       
Ind. Unionist William Stevenson*0.44%5657.44       
Electorate: 23,220  Valid: 12,787 (55.07%)  Spoilt: 315  Quota: 2,132  Turnout: 13,102 (56.43%)  

    Castle

    1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent Unionist

    Castle - 6 seats [2]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    Ulster Unionist John Carson *24.23%3,153       
    SDLP Alban Maginness 15.19%1,977       
    Ind. Unionist Frank Millar *12.47%1,6231,812.83 1,813.08 1,836.49 1,863.28   
    DUP Nigel Dodds 11.54%1,5021,622.95 1,623 1,625.05 1,632.51 2,179.51  
    Ulster Unionist Alfred Redpath8.51%1,1071,783.5 1,783.5 1,797.73 1,821.83 1,916.83  
    Alliance Tom Campbell6.14%799822.37 825.42 919.79 1,333.54 1,337.77 1,351.99 1,870.99
    Ind. Unionist William Gault*5.18%674892.94 893.04 903.86 915.55 980.31 1,280.51 1,281.51
    SDLP John Murphy4.45%579581.87 672.17 864.67 885.52 885.52 887.89  
    DUP Michael Whittley5.43%706726.5 726.5 733.5 739.32    
    Alliance Robert Jamison3.45%449474.42 475.87 530.04     
    Workers' Party Katherine Johnston3.41%444448.51 451.06      
    Electorate: 24,488  Valid: 12,003 (49.02%)  Spoilt: 323  Quota: 1,715  Turnout: 12,326 (50.33%)  

      Court

      1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Protestant Unionist, 1 x Independent Unionist

      Court - 5 seats [2]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456789
      Protestant Unionist George Seawright *24.39%2,970        
      PUP Hugh Smyth *14.46%1,761        
      DUP Frederick Ashby*11.66%1,4201,591.36 1,593.78 1,681.1 1,682.1 1,732.92 2,186.92  
      Ulster Unionist Herbert Ditty9.83%1,1971,288.98 1,296.98 1,312.28 1,313.28 1,618.2 1,695.52 1,781.52 
      Ulster Unionist Fred Cobain 6.60%804846 847 856.1 858.1 1,028.28 1,101.26 1,216.26 1,457.46
      Ind. Unionist Joseph Coggle*7.34%8941,134.66 1,139.08 1,144.76 1,146.76 1,201.2 1,266.44 1,336.44 1,471.32
      Ulster Democratic Samuel Doyle4.40%536837.56 842.98 859.22 860.22 946.5 1,004.12 1,050.12 1,097.32
      Alliance William Dukelow5.14%626642.38 730.8 732.64 874.64 899.16 907 914  
      DUP William Baxter4.70%572706.4 708.82 800.34 800.34 826.64    
      Ulster Unionist James Sands5.13%624750 751 773.24 773.24     
      Sinn Féin Harry Fitzsimmons3.55%432432.42 463.42 463.42      
      DUP Robert Morrow1.49%182260.96 261.38       
      Workers' Party Peter Cullen1.29%157161.62        
      Electorate: 22,375  Valid: 12,175 (54.41%)  Spoilt: 372  Quota: 1,740  Turnout: 12,547 (56.08%)  

        Laganbank

        1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance

        Laganbank - 5 seats [2]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        123456789
        Ulster Unionist William Blair*17.92%1,969        
        Alliance William McDowell12.97%1,4251,456 1,808 1,811.15 1,841.15    
        SDLP Alasdair McDonnell *10.69%1,1751,194 1,220 1,220.35 1,448.35 1,449.56 1,797.63 2,727.63 
        Ulster Unionist Dixie Gilmore 6.62%727733 741 841.8 844.94 1,358.26 1,387.61 1,398.61 1,513.61
        DUP Rhonda Paisley 12.06%1,3251,334 1,338 1,344.51 1,344.51 1,408.98 1,419.33 1,419.33 1,427.33
        DUP Raymond McCrea*10.03%1,1021,107 1,108 1,116.61 1,117.61 1,146.52 1,152.59 1,152.59 1,160.59
        SDLP Gerard McKettrick7.58%833844 876 876 949 949 1,068   
        Workers' Party Gerard Carr5.01%550635 655 656.19 755.26 757.33    
        Ulster Unionist Robert Wilson5.50%604615 617 632.47 632.54     
        Sinn Féin Michael Conlon5.59%614624 627 627.35      
        Alliance Dan McGuinness3.95%434455        
        Labour and Trade Union Robert Millar0.91%100        
        NI Labour John King0.66%73        
        Communist Michael Morrissey0.52%57        
        Electorate: 20,934  Valid: 10,988 (52.49%)  Spoilt: 297  Quota: 1,832  Turnout: 11,285 (53.91%)  

          Lower Falls

          1985: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance

          Lower Falls - 5 seats [2]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          1234
          SDLP Joe Hendron *22.06%2,606   
          Sinn Féin Sean McKnight16.41%1,9391,963 1,985.4 
          Alliance Will Glendinning *9.42%1,1131,195 1,549.48 2,015.48
          Sinn Féin Sean Keenan14.83%1,7521,764 1,795.36 1,845.2
          Sinn Féin Elizabeth Fitzsimons13.50%1,5951,609 1,649.6 1,697.4
          Sinn Féin Fra McCann 12.42%1,4671,472 1,499.44 1,552.4
          Workers' Party Mary McMahon9.44%1,1151,168 1,312.2  
          SDLP Sean Mullan1.35%159   
          Communist Desmond Murray0.57%67   
          Electorate: 21,058  Valid: 11,813 (56.10%)  Spoilt: 450  Quota: 1,969  Turnout: 12,263 (58.23%)  

            Oldpark

            1985: 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x Workers' Party

            Oldpark - 6 seats [2]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345678910111213
            Ulster Unionist Fred Proctor12.54%1,8001,820 1,903 1,918 2,013 2,125       
            Sinn Féin Bobby Lavery12.20%1,7521,765 1,766 1,786 1,793 1,794 2,373      
            Sinn Féin Gerard McGuigan10.93%1,5701,576 1,576 1,585 1,591 1,591 1,726 2,030.7     
            SDLP Brian Feeney*10.56%1,5161,544 1,544 1,677 1,841 1,842 1,863 1,867.4 1,867.4 2,475.4   
            Workers' Party Seamus Lynch 9.36%1,3441,383 1,386 1,531 1,696 1,701 1,731 1,735.4 1,735.4 1,895.5 2,226.5  
            DUP Peter Lunn6.67%958974 1,054 1,056 1,082 1,523 1,523 1,523 1,537.6 1,539.6 1,542.6 1,549.6 1,824.6
            Ulster Unionist David Smylie4.94%709717 813 817 857 983 985 985 1,036.83 1,039.83 1,041.83 1,066.83 1,573.83
            Ind. Unionist Nelson McCausland 4.99%717729 815 825 872 919 920 920 926.57 930.57 934.57 951.57  
            SDLP Patrick Hunter5.48%787812 814 867 913 913 922 924.2 924.2     
            Sinn Féin Paddy McManus5.39%774781 781 787 787 787        
            DUP Pauline Whittley4.76%684691 735 739 748         
            Alliance Arnold Carton3.73%535597 618 695          
            Labour Party NI Paddy Devlin*3.29%472506 518           
            PUP Patrick Bird3.02%433444            
            Green (NI) Peter Emerson 2.14%308            
            Electorate: 25,774  Valid: 14,359 (55.71%)  Spoilt: 389  Quota: 2,052  Turnout: 14,748 (57.22%)  

              Pottinger

              1985: 3 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance

              Pottinger - 6 seats [2]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              12345678
              DUP Sammy Wilson *19.99%2,454       
              DUP Frank Leslie18.11%2,224       
              Ulster Unionist Margaret Clarke16.28%1,999       
              DUP Jim Walker9.39%1,1531,763.12      
              Ulster Unionist Reg Empey 9.10%1,1171,143.6 1,442.8 1,630.12 1,659.16 1,660.5 1,756.5 
              Alliance Mervyn Jones8.30%1,0191,026.56 1,039.48 1,044.64 1,127.4 1,272.74 1,309.88 1,547.28
              Ulster Unionist Harry Fletcher3.51%431449.2 546.1 569.38 594.16 595.16 706.38 727.66
              Sinn Féin Joseph O'Donnell4.61%566566 566 566 572.28 634.6 635.6 713.42
              Workers' Party Francis Cullen2.47%303304.12 306.5 312.02 398.48 496.48 514.94  
              PUP David Ervine 3.21%394402.12 442.58 448.1 459.68 460.68   
              SDLP Carmel Maginness2.77%340340.28 342.32 342.32 353.66    
              Labour and Trade Union Stan Dempsey1.78%218219.68 227.16 232.44     
              Communist James Stewart 0.25%6164.08 66.8 67.16     
              Electorate: 24,757  Valid: 12,279 (49.60%)  Spoilt: 506  Quota: 1,755  Turnout: 12,785 (51.64%)  

                Upper Falls

                1985: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance

                Upper Falls - 5 seats [2]
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                123456789
                SDLP Alex Attwood 19.35%2,461        
                Sinn Féin Alex Maskey 18.30%2,329        
                Sinn Féin Teresa Holland17.73%2,256        
                SDLP Cormac Boomer*13.01%1,6551,890.43 1,897.72 1,900.42 1,903.42 1,958.24 2,028.22 2,161.22 
                Alliance Pip Glendinning7.32%931947.38 949.9 951.16 955.16 958.73 994.31 1,334.43 1,805.43
                Sinn Féin Mairtin O'Muilleoir 8.01%1,0311,034.25 1,214.16 1,334.58 1,339.82 1,410.1 1,440.06 1,461.64 1,561.64
                SDLP Mary Muldoon*6.28%799834.36 840.84 843.36 850.36 903.78 940.23 1,035.15  
                Workers' Party Gerald McCann3.03%386389.77 390.67 391.63 405.76 413.51 463.37   
                DUP Irene Lewis2.92%372372.39 372.39 372.51 372.6 372.6 374.6   
                Labour and Trade Union Michael Duffy1.87%238243.2 244.82 246.14 255.14 273.81    
                People's Democracy John McAnulty*1.03%131131.91 137.67 140.73 146     
                SDLP Peter Prendiville0.57%7287.86 88.04 88.28 90.5     
                Communist Kevin McCorry0.47%6060.39 61.11 61.17      
                Electorate: 23,327  Valid: 12,721 (54.53%)  Spoilt: 331  Quota: 2,121  Turnout: 13,052 (55.95%)  

                  Victoria

                  1985: 3 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance

                  Victoria - 7 seats [2]
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  1234567
                  DUP Wallace Browne 22.22%3,447      
                  Ulster Unionist Thomas Patton *15.41%2,390      
                  Alliance Oliver Napier *14.89%2,309      
                  Ulster Unionist William Corry*11.85%1,8381,985.4     
                  Ulster Unionist Dorothy Dunlop 8.80%1,3651,425.28 1,595.14 1,596.58 1,619.62 2,282.62 
                  Alliance George Thompson8.23%1,2781,289.88 1,312.68 1,457.68 1,775.92 1,844.14 1,918.01
                  DUP Robin Newton 3.64%5641,611.64 1,636.15 1,640.03 1,644.03 1,772.26 1,910.87
                  DUP Samuel Walker7.29%1,1311,330.76 1,400.49 1,401.68 1,408.72 1,579.34 1,708.82
                  Ulster Unionist John McCrea6.46%1,0021,033.68 1,175.61 1,176.61 1,186.53   
                  SDLP Barry Gilheany1.21%188189.76 190.33     
                  Electorate: 30,776  Valid: 15,512 (50.40%)  Spoilt: 427  Quota: 1,940  Turnout: 15,939 (51.79%)  

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                    References

                    1. 1 2 "Belfast Council results". 27 July 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
                    2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Local Government Results 1985". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.