1977 Hamilton District Council election

Elections to Hamilton 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.

1977 Hamilton District Council election
← 1974 3 May 1977 (1977-05-03) 1980 →

All 20 seats to Hamilton District Council
11 seats needed for a majority
Registered76,551
Turnout53.2%
  First party Second party
 
Lab
SNP
Party Labour SNP
Last election 13 seats, 45.7% 2 seats, 26.7%
Seats won 10 6
Seat change Decrease 3 Increase 4
Popular vote 17,088 13,442
Percentage 42.1% 33.1%
Swing Decrease 3.6 Increase 6.4

  Third party Fourth party
 
Lib
Con
Party Liberal Conservative
Last election 2 seats, 7.3% 2 seats, 12.4%
Seats won 2 1
Seat change Steady Decrease 1
Popular vote 2,517 5,123
Percentage 6.2% 12.6%
Swing Decrease 1.1 Increase 0.2

Council Leader before election


Labour

Council Leader after election


No overall control

The election used the original 20 wards created by the Formation Electoral Arrangements in 1974. Each ward elected one councillor using first-past-the-post voting.[1]

After a net loss of three seats, Labour lost their majority on the council but remained as the largest single party after winning half the seats. The Scottish National Party (SNP) recorded their best result in a Hamilton District election after winning six seats – an increase of four and a result they wouldn't match in the area for 30 years. The Liberals retained their two seats while the Conservatives lost one seat to return one councillor. The remaining seat was won by Independent Labour.

Results

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1977 Hamilton District Council election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 10 2 5   3 50.0 42.1 17,088   3.6
  SNP 6 4 0   4 30.0 33.1 13,442   6.4
  Liberal 2 0 0   10.0 6.2 2,517   1.1
  Conservative 1 0 1   1 5.0 12.6 5,123   0.2
  Independent Labour 1 1 0   1 5.0 1.6 639   4.0
  Independent 0 0 1   1 0.0 4.1 1,664   2.0
  Communist 0 0 0   0.0 0.4 148   0.1
Total 20 40,621

Source:[2][3]

Ward results

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Hillhouse

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Hillhouse
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP G. McLachlan 855 52.5   12.7
Labour R. Newberry 775 47.5   12.7
Majority 80 5.0 N/A
Turnout 1,630 50.4   1.4
Registered electors 3,239
SNP gain from Labour Swing   12.7

Source:[2][3]

Udston

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Udston
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Labour S. Dallas 639 37.0
Labour M. Adam 584 33.8
SNP E. Alexander 504 29.2
Majority 55 3.2
Turnout 1,727 52.0
Registered electors 3,320
Independent Labour gain from Labour

Source:[2][3]

Wellhall North

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Wellhall North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP M. Kirkwood 722 41.9   5.4
Labour H. Doyle 460 26.7   0.3
Conservative A. Aitchison 436 25.3   1.1
Independent S. Clarke 106 6.1 New
Majority 262 15.2   5.7
Turnout 1,724 53.8   7.5
Registered electors 3,207
SNP hold Swing   2.8

Source:[2][3]

Central

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Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Murphy 506 38.2   9.5
SNP K. Darling 441 33.3 New
Conservative G. Cowper 376 28.4   23.9
Majority 65 4.9 N/A
Turnout 1,323 54.9   0.2
Registered electors 2,411
Labour gain from Conservative Swing   6.3

Source:[2][3]

Burnbank

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Burnbank
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour C. Brownlie 1,154 61.4   0.2
SNP G. MacDonald 660 35.1   3.7
Communist M. McIntosh 67 3.6 New
Majority 494 26.3   3.9
Turnout 1,881 47.2   3.1
Registered electors 3,989
Labour hold Swing   0.2

Source:[2][3]

Bent

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Bent
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP J. Ross 907 52.4   12.1
Labour A. Welsh 428 24.7   9.8
Conservative J. Bell 395 22.8   2.4
Majority 479 27.7   21.9
Turnout 1,730 55.2   1.8
Registered electors 3,138
SNP hold Swing   12.1

Source:[2][3]

Fairhill

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Fairhill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour N. Cochrane 1,406 54.6   3.3
SNP J. McGowan 1,087 42.2   2.6
Communist A. Valentine 81 3.1   0.9
Majority 319 12.4   5.9
Turnout 2,574 50.9   0.2
Registered electors 5,077
Labour hold Swing   3.3

Source:[2][3]

Wellhall South

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Wellhall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Peutherer 603 37.9   15.1
SNP R. Hetmanczyk 580 36.5 New
Conservative A. Keg 301 18.9   4.9
Liberal R. Wilkinson 105 6.6   16.6
Majority 23 1.4   27.8
Turnout 1,589 51.2   1.6
Registered electors 3,105
Labour hold Swing   25.8

Source:[2][3]

Low Waters

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Low Waters
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D. Williamson 1,587 60.6   6.3
SNP A. McGubbin 538 20.5 New
Labour W. Cochrane 494 18.9   14.2
Majority 1,049 40.1   6.3
Turnout 2,619 56.2   0.2
Registered electors 4,665
Conservative hold Swing   6.3

Source:[2][3]

Cadzow

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Cadzow
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP I. Campbell 1,080 36.9 New
Labour J. Brownlie 925 31.6   32.2
Conservative J. Dorricott 919 31.4   4.8
Majority 155 5.3 N/A
Turnout 2,924 51.5   3.2
Registered electors 5,693
SNP gain from Labour Swing   34.5

Source:[2][3]

Dalserf

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Dalserf
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP D. Broadfoot 1,024 56.4   20.6
Labour M. Grove 793 43.6   1.3
Majority 231 12.8 N/A
Turnout 1,817 48.2   3.1
Registered electors 3,782
SNP gain from Labour Swing   20.6

Source:[2][3]

Machan

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Machan
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP M. Miller 1,117 53.7   11.8
Labour J. Hunter 785 37.8   5.0
Independent A. Clelland 177 8.5 New
Majority 332 15.9 N/A
Turnout 2,079 47.4   6.5
Registered electors 4,389
SNP gain from Labour Swing   11.8

Source:[2][3]

Avonholm

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Avonholm
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Speirs 698 47.5   8.1
SNP A. Douglas 529 36.0   12.5
Independent J. McLean 244 16.6 New
Majority 169 11.5   9.2
Turnout 1,471 50.1   7.0
Registered electors 2,948
Labour hold Swing   8.1

Source:[2][3]

Strutherhill

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Strutherhill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S. Casserly 792 54.3   10.3
SNP A. Broadfoot 432 29.6   13.7
Independent W. Little 235 16.1 New
Majority 360 24.7   20.8
Turnout 1,459 56.8   5.2
Registered electors 2,583
Labour hold Swing   10.3

Source:[2][3]

Stonehouse

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Stonehouse
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Gibb 1,162 56.3   21.2
Independent M. Burns 902 43.7   3.7
Majority 260 6.6 N/A
Turnout 2,064 57.7   2.5
Registered electors 5,077
Labour gain from Independent Swing   8.7

Source:[2][3]

Bothwell and Uddingston North

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Bothwell and Uddingston North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. Maxwell 911 45.5   1.5
Labour S. Sloss 653 32.6   5.3
Conservative J. Bain 440 22.0 New
Majority 258 12.9   6.8
Turnout 2,004 57.8   4.2
Registered electors 3,487
Liberal hold Swing   3.4

Source:[2][3]

Bothwell and Uddingston South

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Bothwell and Uddingston South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal T. Grieve 1,501 60.9   7.2
Conservative A. Thomson 669 27.2   13.7
Labour J. Weir 293 11.9   0.2
Majority 832 33.7   20.9
Turnout 2,463 62.3   4.3
Registered electors 3,964
Liberal hold Swing   10.4

Source:[2][3]

High Blantyre

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High Blantyre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Swinburne 1,290 53.2   2.5
SNP D. Crawford 1,133 46.8   2.5
Majority 157 6.4   5.0
Turnout 2,423 51.5   0.5
Registered electors 4,710
Labour hold Swing   2.5

Source:[2][3]

Blantyre

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Blantyre
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M. D. Tremble 1,608 61.2   4.9
SNP J. Waugh 1,019 38.8   4.9
Majority 589 22.4   9.8
Turnout 2,627 55.5   0.6
Registered electors 4,784
Labour hold Swing   4.9

Source:[2][3]

Stonefield

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Stonefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. McInally 1,679 67.3   6.1
SNP E. Stewart 814 32.7   0.7
Majority 865 34.6   6.8
Turnout 2,493 56.2   1.5
Registered electors 4,469
Labour hold Swing   6.1

Source:[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ "Formation Electoral Arrangements". Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Botchel, J. M.; Denver, D. T. (1977). The Scottish District Elections 1977: Results and Statistics (PDF). Dundee: Election Studies, University of Dundee. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Botchel, J. M.; Denver, D. T. (1975). The Scottish Local Government Elections 1974: Results and Statistics (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. Retrieved 6 January 2024.