An Assessment of How Electoral Support for the Main Political Parties Has Changed Since 1994

An Assessment of How Electoral Support for the Main Political Parties Has Changed Since 1994

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7KH$OOLDQFH3DUW\KDVEURDGO\PDLQWDLQHGLWVVKDUHRIWKHYRWHLQUHJLRQDO $VVHPEO\ ORFDOFRXQFLODQG:HVWPLQVWHUHOHFWLRQVVLQFH 1RUWKHUQ,UHODQG$VVHPEO\5HVHDUFKDQG,QIRUPDWLRQ6HUYLFH NIAR 487-11 Research Paper Contents Key Points ...................................................................................................................................1 Executive Summary....................................................................................................................2 Contents ....................................................................................................................................5 1 Introduction......................................................................................................................6 2 Key Electoral Milestones, 1969 - 1985 ...........................................................................6 2.1 1969 Stormont General Election ...........................................................................6 2.2 1973 District Council and Assembly Elections.....................................................7 2.3 Sinn Féin: 1981 – 1985 .........................................................................................9 3 Electoral Support for the Main Parties, 1994 - 2011 ....................................................13 3.1 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).................................................................................13 3.2 Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)........................................................................14 3.3 Sinn Féin..............................................................................................................15 3.4 Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)......................................................17 3.5 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland .......................................................................18 4 Summary and Conclusion.............................................................................................19 Appendices................................................................................................................................23 Northern Ireland Assembly, Research and Information Service 5 1,$5 5HVHDUFK3DSHU ,QWURGXFWLRQ 7KHNH\DLPRIWKLVSDSHULVWRDVVHVVhowHOHFWRUDOVXSSRUWIRUWKHPDLQSROLWLFDO SDUWLHVLQ1RUWKHUQ,UHODQGKDVFKDQJHGVLQFH,WLVEH\RQGWKHVFRSHRIWKHSDSHU WRFRQVLGHUwhySDUW\VXSSRUWKDVFKDQJHG 7KHUHDUHFXUUHQWO\ILYHPDLQSDUWLHVLQ1RUWKHUQ,UHODQGQDPHO\WKH'HPRFUDWLF 8QLRQLVW3DUW\ '83 6LQQ)pLQ 6) WKH8OVWHU8QLRQLVW3DUW\ 883 WKH6RFLDO 'HPRFUDWLFDQG/DERXU3DUW\ 6'/3 DQGWKH$OOLDQFH3DUW\RI1RUWKHUQ,UHODQG $31, ,QRUGHUWRJDLQDQXQGHUVWDQGLQJRIKRZWKHILYHSDUW\V\VWHPDURVHDQG

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