1981 Banbridge District Council election

Elections to Banbridge District Council were held on 20 May 1981 on the same day as the other Northern Irish local government elections. The election used two district electoral areas to elect a total of 15 councillors.

	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
UUP	8	0	0	0	53.3	42.1	6,241	4.9
DUP	4	1	0	1	26.7	26.5	3,929	9.2
SDLP	2	0	0	0	13.3	14.9	2,217	0.1
Ind. Nationalist	1	0	0	0	6.7	6.4	950	2.2
Ind. Unionist	0	0	1	1	0.0	5.5	818	0.8
Alliance	0	0	0	0	0.0	4.6	677	1.6

Ward	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	Total Cllrs
Ward	UUP		DUP		SDLP		Others		Total Cllrs
Area A	34.7	3	25.3	2	13.9	1	26.1	1	7
Area B	50.4	5	27.9	2	16.2	1	5.5	0	8
Total	42.1	8	26.5	4	14.9	2	16.5	1	15

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	SDLP	James Walsh*	13.86%	1,092
	Ind. Nationalist	Laurence McCartan*	10.98%	865	932.6	988.6
	DUP	Wilfred McFadden	11.52%	907	907.2	907.5	914.5	993.5
	UUP	Wilson Davidson*	11.92%	939	939.2	939.3	972.3	979.3	1,017.3
	UUP	Samuel Cowan*	8.66%	682	682.2	683.4	698.4	699.4	909.4	940.4	1,063.4
	DUP	Gareth Bennett	6.34%	499	499.1	499.1	500.1	552.1	566.1	882.2	989.2
	UUP	Norman Ferguson*	8.68%	684	684.1	685.1	707.1	708.1	736.1	762.1	959.4
	Alliance	Kenneth McElroy	7.28%	573	579.6	605.3	608.3	610.3	626.5	659.8	726.1
	Ind. Unionist	Hugh Anderson*	6.83%	538	540.8	543.6	550.6	554.6	567.6	579.6
	DUP	Irene Todd	5.36%	422	422.3	422.4	425.4	436.4	452.4
	UUP	Raymond Armstrong	3.53%	278	278.1	278.2	335.2	337.2
	DUP	Mildred McDowell	2.04%	161	161	161	162.1
	UUP	Herbert Plunkett	1.92%	151	151.1	151.2
	Ind. Nationalist	Margaret McStraw	1.08%	85	111.8
Electorate: 11,561 Valid: 7,876 (68.13%) Spoilt: 259 Quota: 985 Turnout: 8,135 (70.37%)

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
	SDLP	Patrick McAvoy*	16.17%	1,125
	DUP	Brian Biggerstaff*	10.78%	750	751.92	774.92
	UUP	Raymond McCullough*	10.19%	709	719.08	720.08	720.08	789.08
	UUP	Matthew Bailey*	8.47%	589	598.6	626.6	641.04	685.52	688.51	852.51
	UUP	George Gamble	7.55%	525	527.88	528.88	647.2	652.88	652.91	790.91
	UUP	Herbert Heslip*	7.09%	493	494.44	502.92	505.92	674.4	682.68	707.39	740.87	784.87
	UUP	Robert Hill*	6.40%	445	447.88	455.88	478.88	498.88	501.64	556.64	582.02	646.1	659.7	670.34
	DUP	David Herron*	6.79%	472	473.92	530.92	539.4	574.4	574.86	600.57	609.75	623.59	626.95	626.95
	DUP	Robert McIlroy	6.40%	445	450.76	569.72	577.72	583.72	584.18	598.18	608.98	617.34	617.82	618.96
	Alliance	Ebezener Mulligan	1.50%	104	349.28	353.16	447.4	462.88	462.88	470.8	471.34
	UUP	Robert Barr*	5.26%	366	373.2	391.2	429.08	447.08	447.54
	UUP	Eric Williamson	5.46%	380	388.16	395.16	397.12
	Ind. Unionist	Thompson Howe	4.03%	280	326.56	326.56
	DUP	Robert McIlroy	3.92%	273	277.32
Electorate: 9,513 Valid: 6,956 (73.12%) Spoilt: 172 Quota: 773 Turnout: 7,128 (74.93%)

v t e Council elections in County Down
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council	2014 2019 2023
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council	2014 2019 2023
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council	2014 2019 2023
Ards and North Down Borough Council	2014 2019 2023
Ards Borough Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
Banbridge District Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
Castlereagh Borough Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
Craigavon Borough Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
Down District Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
Lisburn City Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
Newry and Mourne District Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished
North Down Borough Council	1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2011 Abolished

Districts summary

v t e (1980 ←) 1981 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1982)
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District councils (Northern Ireland)	Antrim Ards Armagh Ballymena Ballymoney Banbridge Belfast Carrickfergus Castlereagh Coleraine Cookstown Craigavon Down Dungannon Fermanagh Larne Limavady Lisburn Londonderry Magherafelt Moyle Newry and Mourne Newtownabbey North Down Omagh Strabane
Sui generis	Isles of Scilly