54°23′10″N5°25′52″W / 54.386°N 5.431°W /54.386; -5.431
| East Down | |
|---|---|
| FormerCounty constituency for theParliament of Northern Ireland | |
| Former constituency | |
| Created | 1929 |
| Abolished | 1973 |
| Election method | First past the post |
East Down was a constituency of theParliament of Northern Ireland.
East Down was acounty constituency comprising the towns ofArdglass,Ballynahinch,Crossgar,Downpatrick,Dunmore,Killinchy,Killyleagh,Kilmore,Saintfield andStrangford, all in the formerDown District Council.[1] It was created in 1929 as one of the eight seats replacing the formerDown constituency when theHouse of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introducedfirst past the post elections throughout Northern Ireland. The constituency survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament until theParliament of Northern Ireland wastemporarily suspended in 1972, and thenformally abolished in 1973.[2]
East Down had aunionist majority, and consistently electedUlster Unionist Party members. On occasions, however, it was contested by members of theUlster Liberal Party, and various nationalist candidates who usually received over 40% of the votes cast.[3]
| Elected | Party | Name[3] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | UUP | Sir Alexander Robert Gisborne Gordon | |
| 1949 | UUP | Brian Faulkner | |
| (1921–72) |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UUP | Alexander Gordon | 6,553 | 56.4 | ||
| Ulster Liberal | David Johnston | 5,057 | 43.6 | ||
| Majority | 1,496 | 12.8 | |||
| Turnout | 11,610 | 74.1 | |||
| UUPwin (new seat) | |||||
At the1933 Northern Ireland general election, Alexander Gordon was elected unopposed.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UUP | Alexander Gordon | 4,989 | 55.2 | N/A | |
| Progressive Unionist | W. J. Price | 4,050 | 44.8 | New | |
| Majority | 939 | 10.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 9,039 | 57.8 | N/A | ||
| UUPhold | Swing | N/A | |||
At the1945 Northern Ireland general election, Alexander Gordon was elected unopposed.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UUP | Brian Faulkner | 8,132 | 59.7 | N/A | |
| Nationalist | E.K McGrady | 5,480 | 40.3 | New | |
| Majority | 2,652 | 19.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 13,612 | 79.9 | N/A | ||
| UUPhold | Swing | N/A | |||
At the elections of1953,1958 and1962 Northern Ireland general elections, Brian Faulkner was elected unopposed.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UUP | Brian Faulkner | 8,362 | 62.6 | N/A | |
| National Democratic | Daniel Rice | 4,995 | 37.4 | New | |
| Majority | 3,367 | 25.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 13,357 | 73.7 | N/A | ||
| UUPhold | Swing | N/A | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UUP | Brian Faulkner | 8,136 | 51.5 | N/A | |
| National Democratic | Eddie McGrady | 6,427 | 40.6 | +3.2 | |
| Ind. Unionist | D. A. Rowan-Hamilton | 1,248 | 7.9 | New | |
| Majority | 1,709 | 10.9 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 15,811 | 86.7 | N/A | ||
| UUPhold | Swing | ||||