1920 Londonderry Borough Council election

An election to Londonderry Borough Council took place on Thursday 15 January 1920 as part of that year's Irish local elections.

1920 Londonderry Borough Council election

Thursday 15 January 1920
All 40 seats to Londonderry Borough Council 21 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party UUP Sinn Féin Nationalist Seats won 19 10 10
Mayor before election Robert Newton Anderson Irish Unionist Mayor after election Hugh O'Doherty Independent Nationalist

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. The various Nationalist parties in the city contested the election on a pan-nationalist front, emphasizing the national question of Irish self-government, as well as issues over housing.[1]

The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 had seen the introduction of a PR electoral system for local government elections in Ireland. Turnout was high, at 93.5%. Despite the new electoral system only 2.8% of ballots were spoiled.[2] Whilst Unionists won nearly 60% of the popular vote, this was connected to the Nationalist dominated West Ward going uncontested.

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.[2]

Results by party

Party		Seats	±	First Pref. votes	FPv%	±%
	Sinn Féin-Nationalist front	21 (10 SF, 10 N, 1 Ind N)		4,066	41.78
	UUP	19		5,666	58.22
Totals		40		9,732	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%).[3][4]

North Ward - 11 seats[3]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11
	UUP	James Ballantine	52.04	1,687
	Nationalist	Richard Doherty		499
	Independent Nationalist	Hugh C. O'Doherty		461
	UUP	R. A. Deane		20	1407
	Nationalist	Edward McCafferty		216	217
	UUP	Sir John McFarland		85	87
	Nationalist	Daniel O'Donnell		81	81
	UUP	H. N. Greenway		78	36
	UUP	S. W. Kennedy		67	75
	UUP	H. S. Robinson		60	63	63	63	64	64	64	65	65	69	312
	Nationalist	William Joseph O'Donnell		40	40	58	81	81	205	218	218	218	218	218
	UUP	B. K. Gilliland		21	35
Electorate: 3,586   Valid: 3,220   Spoilt: 22   Quota: 269   Turnout: 3,242

Waterside Ward

In Waterside ward 6 Unionists and 3 Nationalists were returned. Anderson and Bradley, topping the poll, were appointed as Aldermen. Unionists were advised to vote and allocate their preferences for Unionist candidates alphabetically.[5]

Waterside Ward - 9 seats[5]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9
	UUP	Alexander Anderson	37.85	974
	Sinn Féin	Cathal Bradley	15.51	399
	UUP	William H. Elliot	10.61	273
	UUP	James Blair	7.15	184	880
	Nationalist	F. O'Sullivan	9.83	252	252	260
	UUP	Thomas McCully	3.89	100	113	113	121	721
	UUP	J. H. Pollock	0.54	14	17	17	21	32	32	487
	UUP	D. P. Thompson	2.64	68	70	70	73	77	77	84	313
	Nationalist	Margaret Morris	7.54	194	196	226	226	227	228	228	228	228
	Nationalist	Robert J. Donaghey	4.47	115	115	218	218	224	225	226	226	226
Electorate: ~   Valid: 2573   Spoilt: 28   Quota: 258   Turnout: 2601

South-East Ward

South-East Ward - 12 seats[6]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11
	UUP	H. Babington	50.44	1939
	Irish Nationalist	James Bonner	24.56	944
	Irish Nationalist	W. J. Barclay	5.98	230	232	830
	Irish Nationalist	Robert McAnaney	5.54	213	214	217	217	225	226	230	231	235	235	348
	Irish Nationalist	Michael Cosgrove	4.29	165	166	196	198	696
	Sinn Féin	James Gallagher	3.67	141	141	146	148	152	158	172	172	409
	Irish Nationalist	Cou Doherty	3.02	116	117	128	129	153	156	537
	UUP	John Burns	1.01	39	45	46	1358
	UUP	John G. Magee	0.42	16	17	17	19	19	21	22	29	29	514
	UUP	T.G. Blair	0.36	14	1631
	UUP	David Mitchell	0.31	12	14	14	15	15	16	16	17	17	22
	UUP	James Hamilton	0.21	8	14	14	28	28	1071
	UUP	Henry G. McCay	0.18	7	13	13	14	14	20	20	786
Electorate: -   Valid: 3844 (98.94%)   Spoilt: 41 (1.06%)   Quota: 296 (7.70%)   Turnout: 3885

West Ward

The combined Sinn-Fein/Nationalist ticket put up 8 candidates for the 8 seats in the West Ward. The Unionist grouping in the city did not put up any candidates, resulting in there being no contest and the Sinn-Fein/Nationalist candidates being all successful.[7]

West Ward - 8 seats[7][8]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1
	Irish Nationalist	Con Bradley		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	Anthony Carlin		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	P. Hogarty		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	W. Logue		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	Patrick Meenan		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	James McLean		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	Joseph McKernan		No contest
	Irish Nationalist	D. J. Shiel		No contest
Electorate: -   Valid:   Quota:   Turnout:

References

1. The Irish Labour Party and the 1920 local elections, Conor McCabe, pg.9
2. Laffan, Michael (1999). The Resurrection of Ireland: The Sinn Féin Party, 1916–1923. Cambridge University Press. p. 327.
3. "Keen party voting in Derry". The Irish Times. 20 January 1920. p. 6.
4. Londonderry Sentinel 22 Jan 1920, Derry Municipal Elections, pg. 3
5. Londonderry Sentinel - Saturday 17 January 1920 p.5
6. Londonderry Sentinel - 22 January 1920 p.3
7. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0001480/19200106/032/0003?browse=true
8. Derry Journal - 21 January 1920 p.3

Preceded by 1914 Londonderry County Borough Council election

Londonderry elections

Succeeded by 1925 Londonderry County Borough Council election