Londonderry County Borough Council election, 1920

Londonderry County Borough Council election, 1920
January 1920
All 41 seats to Londonderry County Borough Council
21 seats needed for a majority

  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Irish Unionist Sinn Féin Nationalist
Seats won 19 10 10
Mayor before election

Robert Newton Anderson
Irish Unionist

 Mayor after election

Hugh O'Doherty

An election to Londonderry County Borough Council took place in January 1920 as part of that year's Irish local elections. The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 had seen elections for local government in Ireland change to a more proportional system. As a result Unionists lost control over Londonderry borough council, which for the first time passed into the control of the city's Catholic majority. Turnout was high, at 93.5%. Despite the new electoral system only 2.8% of ballots were spoiled.[1]

Nationalist control of the council wouldn't last however, and following the partition of Ireland the Northern Irish Government restored the older, and less representative ward based system.[1]

Results by party

Party Seats ± First Pref. votes FPv% ±%
Irish Unionist 19
Sinn Féin 10
Nationalist 10
Independent Nationalist 1
Totals 41 100% —

North Ward

The Unionists put forward 7 candidates, and Nationalists 5. The Unionists gave instructions that their candidates should be voted for in alphabetical order. In the first round Unionist candidates 1,923 votes (59.72%), and Nationalists 1,297 (40.28%).[2]

North Ward - 11 seats[2]
PartyCandidate% 1st PrefCount 1
UUP James Ballantine 52.04 1,687
Nationalist Richard Doherty
Nationalist Hugh C. O'Doherty
UUP Deane
Nationalist McCafferty
Nationalist Daniel O'Connell
UUP Gilliland
UUP Greenway
UUP Kennedy
UUP Sir John McFarland
UUP Robinson
Nationalist William Joseph O'Donnell

    References

    1. 1 2 Laffan, Michael (1999). The Resurrection of Ireland: The Sinn Féin Party, 1916–1923. Cambridge University Press. p. 327.
    2. 1 2 "Keen party voting in Derry". The Irish Times. 20 January 1920. p. 6.
    Preceded by
    Londonderry County Borough Council election, 1914    		 Londonderry elections Succeeded by
    Londonderry County Borough Council election, 1925
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