1986 South Down by-election

The South Down by-election of 1986 was part of a co-ordinated series of by-elections aimed to show opposition to the Anglo Irish agreement. It resulted in the narrow victory of the incumbent Ulster Unionist Party, Enoch Powell, who increased his majority by 1,294 votes despite rising support for Irish Nationalist candidates. His opponent Eddie McGrady would later take the seat in the 1987 general election.

1986 South Down by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Enoch Powell 24,963 48.4 +8.1
SDLP Eddie McGrady 23,121 44.8 +5.5
Sinn Féin Hugh McDowell 2,963 5.7 -2.2
Workers' Party Sean Magee 522 1.0 -0.7
Majority 1,842 3.6 +2.5
Turnout 51,569 73.8 -3.9
Registered electors 69,843
UUP hold Swing

1986 South Down
by-election
South Down constituency
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Enoch Powell Eddie McGrady
Party UUP SDLP
Popular vote 24,963 23,121
Percentage 48.4% 44.8
Swing 8.1 5.5%
Location of South Down within Northern Ireland
MP before election

Enoch Powell
Ulster Unionist Party

 Elected MP

Enoch Powell
Ulster Unionist Party

Previous result
General election 1983: South Down[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Enoch Powell 20,693 40.3 -9.7
SDLP Eddie McGrady 20,145 39.3 +2.0
Sinn Féin Patrick Fitzsimmons 4,074 7.9 New
DUP Cecil Harvey 3,743 7.3 New
Alliance Patrick Forde 1,823 3.6 -5.2
Workers' Party Margaret Magee 851 1.7 New
Majority 548 1.0 -11.8
Turnout 51,329 77.7 +5.7
Registered electors 66,923
UUP hold Swing

References
  1. "By-election Result". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  2. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.


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