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Westminster General Election (NI)
Thursday 9 June 1983


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Text and Research: Fionnuala McKenna
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Westminster General Election (NI)
Thursday 9 June 1983

This is a draft (v1) of the results of the 1983 Westminster General Election Results.

Introduction

The following provides the results from the 17 Northern Ireland constituencies where the 1983 Westminster General Election was contested on Thursday 9 June 1983. The number of constituencies in Northern Ireland increased by five, from 12 to 17, following a decision by the Boundary Commission.

Summary of Results

Electorate:
Valid votes cast: 764,925
Spoiled votes: 4,353
Percentage poll:

Party
Number of Seats
Vote
% Valid Poll
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
11
259,952
34.0%
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
1
137,012
17.9%
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
3
152,749
20.0%
Sinn Féin (SF)
1
102,701
13.4%
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)
0
61,275
8.0%
Ulster Popular Unionist Party (UPUP)
1
22,861
3.0%
Workers' Party (WP)
0
14,650
1.9%
Independents (Ind)
0
10,326
1.3%
Others
0
3,399
0.3%

Constituency Results

The results for each of the 17 constituencies contain the following information:
Name of constituency
Name of candidate (Party) Number of votes
Party majority: Electorate: Turnout: (%)

East Antrim
Beggs, Roy (Ulster Unionist Party) 14,293
Allister, J. (Democratic Unionist Party) 13,926
Neeson, S. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 7,620
O'Cleary, M. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 1,047
Cunning, W. (Independent) 741
Kelly, A. (Workers Party) 581

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 367; Electorate: 58,780; Turnout: 65.0%


North Antrim
Paisley, Ian (Democratic Unionist Party) 23,922
Coulter, Rev. R. (Ulster Unionist Party) 10,749
Farren, S. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 6,193
McMahon, P. (Sinn Féin) 2,860
Williams, G. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 5,140
Samuel, M.H. (Ecology Party) 451

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority:13,173; Electorate: 63,254; Turnout: 69.9%


South Antrim
Forsythe, Clifford (Ulster Unionist Party) 17,727
Thompson, R. ((Democratic Unionist Party) 10,935
Mawhinney, G. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 4,612
Maginness, A. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 3,377
Laverty, S. (Sinn Féin) 1,629
Smyth, K. (Workers Party) 549

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 6,792; Electorate: 59,300; Turnout 65.5%


Belfast East
Robinson, Peter (Democratic Unionist Party) 17,631
Burchill, J. (Ulster Unionist Party) 9,642
Napier, O. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 9,373
Donaldson, D. (Sinn Féin) 682
Tang, M. (Lab. and TU) 584
Prendiville, P. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 519
Cullen, F. (Workers' Party) 421
Boyd, H. (Anti-Noise) 59

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority: 7,989; Electorate: 55,581; Turnout: 70.0%


Belfast North
Walker, Cecil (Ulster Unionist Party) 15,339
Seawright, G. (Protestant Unionist Party) 8,260
Feeny, B. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 5,944
Austin, J. (Sinn Féin) 5,451
Maguire, P. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 3,879
Lynch, S. (Workers Party) 2,412
Gault, W. (Independent DUP) 1,134

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 7,079; Electorate: 61,128; Turnout: 69.4%)


Belfast South
Smyth, Rev. Martin (Ulster Unionist Party) 18,669
Cook, D. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 8,945
McCrea, R.S. (Democratic Unionist Party) 4,565
McDonnell, A. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 3,216
McKnight, S. (Sinn Fein) 1,107
Carr, G. (Workers' Party) 856

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 9,724; Electorate: 53,694; Turnout: 69.6%


Belfast West
Adams, Gerry (Sinn Féin) 16,379
Hendron, Dr. J. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 10,934
Fitt, G. (Independent) 10,326
Passmore, T. (Ulster Unionist Party) 2,435
Haffrey, G. A. (Democratic Unionist Party) 2,399
McMahon, M. (Workers' Party) 1,893

Sinn Féin (SF) majority: 5,445; Electorate: 59,750; Turnout: 74.3%


North Down
Kilfedder, James (Ulster Popular Unionist Party) 22,861
Cushnahan, J. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 9,015
McCartney, R. (Ulster Unionist Party) 8,261
Ó Baoill, C. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 645

Ulster Popular Unionist Party (UPUP) majority: 13,846; Electorate: 61,574; Turnout: 66.2%


South Down
Powell, Enoch (Ulster Unionist Party) 20,693
McGrady, E. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 20,145
Fitzsimmons, P. (Sinn Féin) 4,074
Harvey, C. (Democratic Unionist Party) 3,743
Forde, P,M.D. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 1,823
Magee, M. (Workers Party) 851

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 548; Electorate:66,987; Turnout: 76.6%


East Londonderry
Ross, William (Ulster Unionist Party) 19,469
McClure, J. (Democratic Unionist Party) 12,207
Doherty, A. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 9,397
Davey, J. (Sinn Féin) 7,073
McGrath, M. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 2,401
Donnelly, F. (Workers' Party) 819

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 7,262; Electorate: 67,365; Turnout: (76.3%)


Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Maginnis, Ken (Ulster Unionist Party) 28,630
Carron, O. (Sinn Féin) 20,954
Flanagan, R. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 9,923
Kettyles, D. (Workers' Party) 649

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 7,676; Electorate: 67,880; Turnout: (88.6%)


Foyle
Hume, John (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 24,071
Campbell, G. (Democratic Unionist Party) 15,923
McGuinness, M. (Sinn Féin) 10,607
O'Grady, G. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 1,108
Melaugh, E. (Workers' Party) 582

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) majority: 8,148; Electorate: 67,431; Turnout: (77.6%)


Lagan Valley
Molyneaux, James (Ulster Unionist Party) 24,017
Beattie, Rev. W. (Democratic Unionist Party) 6,801
Close, S. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 4,593
Boomer, C. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 2,603
McAuley, R. (Sinn Féin) 1,751
Loughlin, G. (Workers' Party) 809

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 17,216; Electorate: 60,099; Turnout: (67.5%)


Mid Ulster
McCrea, Rev. William (Democratic Unionist Party) 16,174
Morrison, D. G. (Sinn Féin) 16,096
Haughey, D. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 12,044
Thompson, W. J. (Ulster Unionist Party) 7,066
Lagan, Dr. J. A. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 1,735
Owens, T. A. (Workers' Party) 766

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority: 78; Electorate: 63,899; Turnout: (84.3%)


Newry and Armagh
Nicholson, Jim (Ulster Unionist Party) 18,988
Mallon, S. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 17,434
McAllister, J. (Sinn Féin) 9,928
Moore, T. (Workers' Party) 1,070

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 1,554; Electorate: 62,387; Turnout: (76.0%)


Strangford
Taylor, John (Ulster Unionist Party) 19,086
Gibson, S. (Democratic Unionist Party) 11,716
Morrow, A. (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 6,171
Curry, J. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 1,713
Heath, R. (Independent Labour) 430

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 7,370; Electorate: 60,232; Turnout: (64.9%)


Upper Bann
McCusker, Harold (Ulster Unionist Party) 24,888
McDonald, J. (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 7,807
Wells, J. (Democratic Unionist Party) 4,547
Curran, B. (Sinn Féin) 4,110
French, T. (Workers' Party) 2,392

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority: 17,081; Electorate: 60,797; Turnout: (72.0%)

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