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1977 Sutherland District Council election

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1977 Sutherland District Council election

← 1974 3 May 1977 (1977-05-03) 1980 →

All 14 seats to Sutherland District Council
8 seats needed for a majority
Registered10,352
Turnout64.0%
  First party
 
Ind
Party Independent
Last election 12 seats, 100.0%
Seats won 14
Seat change Increase 1[note 1]
Popular vote 2,989
Percentage 100.0%
Swing Steady

Council Control before election


Independent

Council Control after election


Independent

Elections to Sutherland District Council were held on 3 May 1977, on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. This was the second election to the district council following the local government reforms in 1974.

The election used the original 12 wards created by the Formation Electoral Arrangements in 1974 and two wards added to the district council due to boundary alterations between Sutherland and Caithness District Councils. Each ward elected one councillor using first-past-the-post voting.[1]

As with other elections in the Highland region, no candidates were affiliated with any political parties and the 14 councillors elected were all independents. In total, nine of the 14 wards were uncontested.

Background

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Prior to the election, alterations were made to the area controlled by Sutherland and Caithness District Councils. An area in the west of Caithness including Tongue, Farr and Strathy was transferred to Sutherland. Before reorganisation in 1974, the area had been part of Sutherland County. As a result, the Tongue and Farr ward was transferred from Caithness and a new Strathy ward was created.[1][2]

Results

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1977 Sutherland District Council election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 14 8 7 Increase 1[note 1] 100.0 100.0 2,989 Steady

Source:[3][4]

Ward results

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Dornoch Burgh

[edit]
Dornoch Burgh
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent D. S. Frier Unopposed
Registered electors 668
Independent gain from Independent

Source:[3][4]

Dornoch East and West

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Dornoch East and West
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent I. G. Munro 330 66.7
Independent D. A. MacRae 97 19.6
Independent R. K. Smith 68 13.7
Majority 233 47.1
Turnout 495 63.2
Registered electors 787
Independent gain from Independent

Source:[3][4]

Creich East and West

[edit]
Creich East and West
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent A. M. Gilmour Unopposed
Registered electors 849
Independent hold

Source:[3][4]

Kincardine

[edit]
Kincardine
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent E. M. A. Munro Unopposed
Registered electors 537
Independent gain from Independent

Source:[3][4]

Rogart and Golspie Rural

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Rogart and Golspie Rural
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent D. Gordon 211 54.0
Independent C. C. D. Kinghorn 180 46.0
Majority 31 8.0
Turnout 391 63.6
Registered electors 616
Independent gain from Independent

Source:[3][4]

Golspie Village

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Golspie Village
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent D. I. MacRae 391 60.9 Decrease 4.4
Independent K. F. MacLean 251 39.1 New
Majority 140 21.8 Decrease 25.3
Turnout 642 66.5 Decrease 10.3
Registered electors 965
Independent hold Swing Decrease 4.4

Source:[3][4]

Lairg

[edit]
Lairg
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent W. G. Johnston 266 62.9 Increase 2.6
Independent N. G. MacDonald 157 37.1 Decrease 2.6
Majority 109 25.8 Increase 5.2
Turnout 423 59.5 Decrease 12.0
Registered electors 714
Independent hold Swing Increase 2.6

Source:[3][4]

Assynt and Stoer

[edit]
Assynt and Stoer
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent F. H. W. Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 661
Independent gain from Independent

Source:[3][4]

Eddrachillis and Durness

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Eddrachillis and Durness
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent L. MacKenzie Unopposed
Registered electors 820
Independent hold

Source:[3][4]

Clyne

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Clyne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent R. MacLeod 424 70.9 New
Independent W. Sutherland 174 29.1 Decrease 37.8
Majority 250 41.8 N/A
Turnout 598 62.9 Decrease 7.4
Registered electors 953
Independent gain from Independent Swing Increase 54.3

Source:[3][4]

Loth and Kildonan South

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Loth and Kildonan South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent R. R. MacDonald 228 51.8 Decrease 5.5
Independent I. MacKay 212 48.2 New
Majority 16 3.6 Decrease 11.0
Turnout 440 68.4 Decrease 2.2
Registered electors 646
Independent hold Swing Decrease 5.5

Source:[3][4]

Kildonan North

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Kildonan North
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent J. O. F. MacKay Unopposed
Registered electors 712
Independent hold

Source:[3][4]

Tongue and Farr

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Tongue and Farr
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent K. S. B. Henderson Unopposed
Registered electors 867
Independent gain from Independent

Source:[3][4]

Strathy

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Strathy
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent E. B. M. Jardine Unopposed
Registered electors 557
Independent win (new seat)

Source:[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Ammendments to the boundary with Caithness District Council resulted in one ward transferring from Caithness to Sutherland and new ward being created. As a result, there were two more seats on Sutherland District Council than the previous election. These seats resulted in an independent win and an independent gain from independent.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Formation Electoral Arrangements". Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Amendment at Tongue and Farr, Caithness District, Sutherland District, LGBCS report no 11, 1977" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Botchel, J. M.; Denver, D. T. (1977). The Scottish District Elections 1977: Results and Statistics (PDF). Dundee: Election Studies, University of Dundee. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Botchel, J. M.; Denver, D. T. (1975). The Scottish Local Government Elections 1974: Results and Statistics (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. Retrieved 28 January 2024.