1981 Ballymena Borough Council election explained

See main article: Northern Ireland local elections, 1981.

Election Name:	1981 Ballymena Borough Council election
Type:	parliamentary
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1977 Ballymena Borough Council election
Previous Year:	1977
Next Election:	1985 Ballymena Borough Council election
Next Year:	1985
Seats For Election:	All 21 seats to Ballymena Borough Council
Majority Seats:	11
Party1:	Democratic Unionist Party
Seats1:	13
Seat Change1:	2
Party2:	Ulster Unionist Party
Seats2:	5
Seat Change2:	1
Party3:	Independent (politician)
Seats3:	2
Seat Change3:	0
Party4:	Independent Unionist
Seats4:	1
Seat Change4:	2
Party5:	Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Seats5:	0
Seat Change5:	1

Elections to Ballymena Borough Council were held on 20 May 1981 on the same day as the other Northern Irish local government elections. The election used four district electoral areas to elect a total of 21 councillors.

Election results

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

Others|-|align="left"|Area A|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|42.8|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|2|37.8|1|19.4|1|4|-|align="left"|Area B|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|68.0|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|4|32.0|2|0.0|0|6|-|align="left"|Area C|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|66.6|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|4|31.5|1|1.9|0|5|-|align="left"|Area D|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|41.9|bgcolor="#D46A4C"|3|21.7|1|36.4|2|6|-|- class="unsortable" class="sortbottom" style="background:#C9C9C9"|align="left"| Total|55.5|13|30.0|5|14.5|3|21|-|}

Districts results

Area A

1977: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
1981: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
1977-1981 Change: No change

Area B

1977: 4 x DUP, 2 x UUP
1981: 4 x DUP, 2 x UUP
1977-1981 Change: No change

Area C

1977: 3 x DUP, 2 x Independent Unionist
1981: 4 x DUP, 1 x UUP
1977-1981 Change: DUP and UUP gain from Independent Unionist (two seats)

Area D

1977: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent, 1 x Independent Unionist
1981: 3 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent, 1 x Independent Unionist
1977-1981 Change: DUP gain from Alliance