1986 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election

The 1986 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election was one of the fifteen 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections held on 23 January 1986, to fill vacancies in the Parliament of the United Kingdom caused by the resignation in December 1985 of all sitting Unionist Members of Parliament (MPs). The MPs, from the Ulster Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Popular Unionist Party, did this to highlight their opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Each of their parties agreed not to contest seats previously held by the others, and each outgoing MP stood for re-election.

1986 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election

← 1983 23 January 1986 1987 →

Constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Turnout80.4% (Decrease 8.2%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
UUP
SF
Candidate Ken Maginnis Owen Carron Austin Currie
Party UUP Sinn Féin SDLP
Popular vote 27,857 15,278 12,081
Percentage 49.7% 27.2% 21.5%
Swing Increase 2.1% Decrease 7.6% Increase 5.0%

MP before election

Ken Maginnis
UUP

Elected MP

Ken Maginnis
UUP

The Ulster Unionist candidate Ken Maginnis was able to survive with less than 50% of the vote due to a split Nationalist vote.

1986 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Ken Maginnis 27,857 49.7 +2.1
Sinn Féin Owen Carron 15,278 27.2 −7.6
SDLP Austin Currie 12,081 21.5 +5.0
Workers' Party David Kettyles 864 1.5 −0.4
Majority 12,579 22.5 +9.7
Turnout 56,080 80.4 −8.2
Registered electors 69,767
UUP hold Swing

References

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Other References

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