1981 Down District Council election explained

See main article: Northern Ireland local elections, 1981.

Election Name:	1981 Down District Council election
Type:	parliamentary
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1977 Down District Council election
Previous Year:	1977
Next Election:	1985 Down District Council election
Next Year:	1985
Seats For Election:	All 20 seats to Down District Council
Majority Seats:	11
Party1:	Social Democratic and Labour Party
Seats1:	9
Seat Change1:	1
Party2:	Ulster Unionist Party
Seats2:	5
Seat Change2:	2
Party3:	Democratic Unionist Party
Seats3:	3
Seat Change3:	3
Party4:	Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Seats4:	1
Seat Change4:	2
Party5:	Republican Clubs
Seats5:	1
Seat Change5:	1
Party6:	Independent Labour
Seats6:	1
Seat Change6:	1

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

Election results

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

Others|-|align="left"|Area A|24.4|2|bgcolor="40BFF5"|43.0|bgcolor="40BFF5"|3|24.4|2|7.3|0|0.0|0|0.9|0|7|-|align="left"|Area B|bgcolor="#99FF66"|50.5|bgcolor="#99FF66"|3|17.5|1|0.0|0|9.5|0|14.1|1|8.4|1|6|-|align="left"|Area C|bgcolor="#99FF66"|51.2|bgcolor="#99FF66"|4|20.8|1|13.9|1|8.4|1|5.7|0|0.0|0|7|- class="unsortable" class="sortbottom" style="background:#C9C9C9"|align="left"| Total|42.1|9|27.3|5|13.0|3|8.4|1|6.5|1|2.7|1|20|-|}

Districts results

Area A

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

Area B

1977: 4 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1981: 3 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Republican Clubs, 1 x Independent Labour
1977-1981 Change: Republican Clubs and Independent Labour gain from SDLP and Alliance

Area C

1977: 4 x SDLP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1981: 4 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x DUP
1977-1981 Change: DUP gain from UUP