# East Down (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

54°23′10″N 5°25′52″W﻿ / ﻿54.386°N 5.431°W﻿ / 54.386; -5.431
East Down was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

## Boundaries

East Down was a county constituency comprising the towns of Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Crossgar, Downpatrick, Dunmore, Killinchy, Killyleagh, Kilmore, Saintfield and Strangford, all in the former Down District Council. It was created in 1929 as one of the eight seats replacing the former Down constituency when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first past the post elections throughout Northern Ireland. The constituency survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

## Politics

East Down had a unionist majority, and consistently elected Ulster Unionist Party members. On occasions, however, it was contested by members of the Ulster Liberal Party, and various nationalist candidates who usually received over 40% of the votes cast.

## Members of Parliament

| Elected | Party | Party | Name |
| 1929 | | UUP | Sir Alexander Robert Gisborne Gordon |
| 1949 | | UUP | Brian Faulkner |

## Elections

General Election 1929: East Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Alexander Gordon | 6,553 | 56.4 | |
| | Ulster Liberal | David Johnston | 5,057 | 43.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,496 | 12.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,610 | 74.1 | |
| | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) |
At the 1933 Northern Ireland general election, Alexander Gordon was elected unopposed.
General Election 1938: East Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Alexander Gordon | 4,989 | 55.2 | N/A |
| | Progressive Unionist | W. J. Price | 4,050 | 44.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 939 | 10.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,039 | 57.8 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
At the 1945 Northern Ireland general election, Alexander Gordon was elected unopposed.
General Election 1949: East Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Brian Faulkner | 8,132 | 59.7 | N/A |
| | Nationalist | E.K McGrady | 5,480 | 40.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,652 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,612 | 79.9 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
At the elections of 1953, 1958 and 1962 Northern Ireland general elections, Brian Faulkner was elected unopposed.
General Election 1965: East Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Brian Faulkner | 8,362 | 62.6 | N/A |
| | National Democratic | Daniel Rice | 4,995 | 37.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,367 | 25.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,357 | 73.7 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
General Election 1969: East Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Brian Faulkner | 8,136 | 51.5 | N/A |
| | National Democratic | Eddie McGrady | 6,427 | 40.6 | +3.2 |
| | Ind. Unionist | D. A. Rowan-Hamilton | 1,248 | 7.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,709 | 10.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,811 | 86.7 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
* Parliament prorogued 30 March 1972 and abolished 18 July 1973