Post by David J. Glanfield on Feb 16, 2022 10:07:28 GMT
Placing Belfast in an island of Ireland thread. Municipal elections in Northern Ireland differed greatly from those on the mainland - the franchise, the rotation, the parties and their nomination strategies, the election of aldermen, the hours for polling and documentation required.
Best to begin with the postwar era. The rotation for the election of councillors was changed from 'annual election by thirds' to 'whole council every three years, aldermen every six years but split so half up every three years'. The 1946 elections, held on Wednesday 18th September (delayed until October for Derry/Londonderry), were contested under the provisions of a new Franchise Act. The electoral register was updated and those eligible were householders aged 21 years and over (i.e. ratepayers and their spouses), ex-Servicemen or women, those whose homes had been destroyed by air raids and those who had married since 1939 but had not been able to obtain a house. The franchise also covered business voters...'limited companies occupying premises of not less than £10 valuation'. Companies had a vote for every full £10 valuation up to a maximum of six votes. There were a few other quirks to the business vote restricting the elector to one vote if the business was conducted at his/her residence. The British franchise had been extended to non-ratepayers but this did not apply to Northern Ireland.
The nominations For Belfast City Council, closed on 4th September 1946, revealed 49 Unionists, 32 Labour (Northern Ireland), eight Commonwealth Labour, five Independent Unionists, four Nationalists, two Communists, two Workers' candidates, one Unofficial Unionist and one Independent Labour. The unopposed returns were Court ward (aldermanic election only, Unionist elected), Falls ward (councillors election only, two Nationalists and one Labour elected), Smithfield ward (aldermanic election - one Nationalist elected, councillors - two Labour and one Nationalist elected) and Windsor ward (a Unionist clean sweep - one alderman and three councillors).
The voting booths were open from 8.30am to 8.30pm on election day and voters were handed a green ballot paper for aldermanic elections and a white paper for the councillorships. Every elector had to produce an approved document of identity before a ballot paper could be issued. According to press reports women were more prone to forget their documentation.
Belfast counted their votes the following day. The Newsletter (Unionist paper) gave a brief view/expectation across the wards - www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000038/19460919/118/0005?browse=true
Counting began at 9am and occupied almost 15 hours owing to recounts and (I assume) the separation of the two kinds of ballot paper. There were many spoilt (unmarked) ballot papers in some wards (lack of choice?). Final figures were Unionists 43 (down four) Labour 8 (up four), Nationalists 4 (down one), Commonwealth Labour (up one), Independent Unionists three and Independent Labour one.
Best to begin with the postwar era. The rotation for the election of councillors was changed from 'annual election by thirds' to 'whole council every three years, aldermen every six years but split so half up every three years'. The 1946 elections, held on Wednesday 18th September (delayed until October for Derry/Londonderry), were contested under the provisions of a new Franchise Act. The electoral register was updated and those eligible were householders aged 21 years and over (i.e. ratepayers and their spouses), ex-Servicemen or women, those whose homes had been destroyed by air raids and those who had married since 1939 but had not been able to obtain a house. The franchise also covered business voters...'limited companies occupying premises of not less than £10 valuation'. Companies had a vote for every full £10 valuation up to a maximum of six votes. There were a few other quirks to the business vote restricting the elector to one vote if the business was conducted at his/her residence. The British franchise had been extended to non-ratepayers but this did not apply to Northern Ireland.
The nominations For Belfast City Council, closed on 4th September 1946, revealed 49 Unionists, 32 Labour (Northern Ireland), eight Commonwealth Labour, five Independent Unionists, four Nationalists, two Communists, two Workers' candidates, one Unofficial Unionist and one Independent Labour. The unopposed returns were Court ward (aldermanic election only, Unionist elected), Falls ward (councillors election only, two Nationalists and one Labour elected), Smithfield ward (aldermanic election - one Nationalist elected, councillors - two Labour and one Nationalist elected) and Windsor ward (a Unionist clean sweep - one alderman and three councillors).
The voting booths were open from 8.30am to 8.30pm on election day and voters were handed a green ballot paper for aldermanic elections and a white paper for the councillorships. Every elector had to produce an approved document of identity before a ballot paper could be issued. According to press reports women were more prone to forget their documentation.
Belfast counted their votes the following day. The Newsletter (Unionist paper) gave a brief view/expectation across the wards - www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000038/19460919/118/0005?browse=true
Counting began at 9am and occupied almost 15 hours owing to recounts and (I assume) the separation of the two kinds of ballot paper. There were many spoilt (unmarked) ballot papers in some wards (lack of choice?). Final figures were Unionists 43 (down four) Labour 8 (up four), Nationalists 4 (down one), Commonwealth Labour (up one), Independent Unionists three and Independent Labour one.
