1938 Northern Ireland general election

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1938 Northern Ireland general election
Ulster Banner.svg
  1933 9 February 1938 1945  

All 52 seats to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
27 seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Sir James Craig 1924 (crop).jpg Judge TJ Campbell.jpg
Leader James Craig Thomas Campbell
Party Ulster Unionist Nationalist
Leader since7 June 192118 January 1934
Leader's seat North Down Belfast Central
Last election36 seats, 43.5%9 seats, 13.2%
Seats won39 [u 1] 8 [n 1]
Seat changeIncrease2.svg3Decrease2.svg1
Popular vote187,68416,167
Percentage56.8%4.9%
SwingIncrease2.svg13.3%Decrease2.svg8.3%

 Third partyFourth party
 
Leader William Wilton Harry Midgley
Party Ind. Unionist Party NI Labour
Leader since19371933
Leader's seat Belfast Oldpark (Defeated) Belfast Dock (Defeated)
Last electionDid not stand2 seats, 8.5%
Seats won11 [l 1]
Seat changeIncrease2.svg1Decrease2.svg1
Popular vote28,45918,775
Percentage8.6%5.7%
SwingNew partyDecrease2.svg2.8%

1938 Northern Ireland Assembly Election Results Map.svg
Election results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

James Craig
Ulster Unionist

Prime Minister after election

James Craig
Ulster Unionist

The 1938 Northern Ireland general election was held on 9 February 1938. Like all previous elections to the Parliament of Northern Ireland, it produced a large majority for the Ulster Unionist Party, who won three-quarters of the seats.

Contents

The newly-formed Ulster Progressive Unionist Association came second in vote share, but won no seats. 21 MPs were elected unopposed (40%), the vast majority of whom were Ulster Unionists.

Results

39823
UUPNationalistIUOth
1938 Northern Ireland general election
Northern Irish general election 1938.svg
PartyCandidatesVotes
StoodElectedGainedUnseatedNet % of total %No.Net %
  Ulster Unionist 433930+375.056.8187,684+13.3
  Progressive Unionist 10000012.441,028N/A
  Ind. Unionist Party 6 1 1 0+11.98.628,459N/A
  Ind. Unionist 52 1 2-13.86.822,354-14.5
  NI Labour 7 1 1 2-11.95.718,775-2.8
  Nationalist 980 1 -115.44.916,167-8.3
  Independent 300002.27,482+2.0
  Independent Labour 1 1 1 0+11.91.75,480N/A
 Ind. Progressive Unionist 1 00000.92,926N/A

Electorate: 825,101 (464,860 in contested seats); Turnout: 71.1% (330,355).

Seat changes

ConstituencyFromTo
Belfast Dock NI Labour Ulster Unionist
Belfast Pottinger NI Labour Independent Labour
Belfast Shankill Ind. Unionist Ind. Unionist Party
Mourne Nationalist Ulster Unionist
Queen's University of Belfast Ind. Unionist Ulster Unionist
South Armagh Independent Nationalist NI Labour
South Down Fianna Fáil Ind. Unionist

Votes summary

Popular vote
Ulster Unionist
56.81%
Progressive Unionist
12.42%
Ind. Unionist Association
8.61%
Ind. Unionist
6.77%
Labour
5.68%
Nationalist Party
4.89%
Independent
2.26%
Independent Labour
1.66%
Ind. Progressive Unionist
0.89%

Seats summary

Parliamentary seats
Ulster Unionist
75.00%
Nationalist Party
15.38%
Ind. Unionist
3.85%
Labour
1.92%
Ind. Unionist Association
1.92%
Independent Labour
1.92%

Contested seats

Only 31 of the 52 seats (60%) were actually contested.

1938 Northern Ireland general election (contested seats)
PartyPopular voteCandidates
Votes%StoodElected%
Ulster Unionist 187,68456.8292580.6
Progressive Unionist 41,02812.4100
Ind. Unionist Party 28,4598.6613.2
Ind. Unionist 22,3546.8526.5
Labour 18,7755.760
Nationalist 16,1674.9326.5
Independent 7,4822.230
Ind. Labour 5,4801.7113.2
Ind. Progressive Unionist 2,9260.910
Total330,35571.16431

Uncontested seats

In 21 of the 52 seats (40%), only one candidate stood and they were elected unopposed without any votes cast. The vast majority of the MPs elected without a contest were Ulster Unionists.

1938 Northern Ireland general election (uncontested seats)
PartyPopular voteCandidates
Votes%StoodElected%
Ulster Unionist Unopposed141466.7
Nationalist Unopposed6628.6
Labour Unopposed114.8
Total2121100

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References

  1. Includes 14 members elected unopposed.
  1. Includes 6 members elected unopposed.
  1. The only Labour MP was elected unopposed.