# 1945 Northern Ireland general election

The 1945 Northern Ireland general election was held on 14 June 1945. The election saw significant losses for the Ulster Unionist Party, though they retained their majority.
20 MPs were elected unopposed (38%), the vast majority of whom were Ulster Unionists. Four MPs affiliated with the labour movement were elected, a new record that would not be surpassed until 1958.

## Results

| 33 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| UUP | Nationalist | L | IU | Oth |
1945 Northern Ireland general election :
| Party | Party | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Votes | Votes | Votes |
| Party | Party | Stood | Elected | Gained | Unseated | Net | % of total | % | No. | Net % |
| | UUP | 41 | 33 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 63.5 | 50.4 | 180,342 | -6.4 |
| | NI Labour | 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3.8 | 18.5 | 66,053 | +12.8 |
| | Nationalist | 11 | 10 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 19.2 | 9.1 | 32,546 | +4.2 |
| | Commonwealth Labour | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 1.9 | 7.8 | 28,079 | N/A |
| | Ind. Unionist | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 17,906 | -1.8 |
| | Communist (NI) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3.5 | 12,456 | N/A |
| | Independent Labour | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 9,872 | +1.1 |
| | Socialist Republican | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 5,497 | N/A |
| | Federation of Labour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 1.1 | 3,912 | N/A |
| | Independent | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 1,219 | -1.9 |
Electorate: 845,964 (509,098 in contested seats); Turnout: 70.3% (357,882).

### Votes summary

Popular vote
Ulster Unionist
50.39%
Labour
18.46%
Nationalist Party
9.09%
Commonwealth Labour
7.85%
Independent Unionist
5.00%
Communist
3.48%
Independent Labour
2.76%
Socialist Republican
1.54%
Federation of Labour
1.09%
Independent
0.34% :

### Seats summary

Parliamentary seats
Ulster Unionist
63.46%
Nationalist Party
19.23%
Independent Unionist
3.85%
Labour
3.85%
Independent Labour
1.92%
Commonwealth Labour
1.92%
Socialist Republican
1.92%
Independent
3.85% :

### Contested seats

Only 32 of the 52 seats (62%) were actually contested.
1945 Northern Ireland general election (contested seats) :
| Party | Party | Popular vote | Popular vote | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Stood | Elected | % |
| | Ulster Unionist | 180,342 | 50.4 | 28 | 20 | 62.5 |
| | Labour | 66,053 | 18.5 | 15 | 2 | 6.3 |
| | Nationalist | 32,546 | 9.1 | 5 | 4 | 12.5 |
| | Commonwealth Labour | 28,079 | 7.8 | 6 | 1 | 3.1 |
| | Ind. Unionist | 17,906 | 5.0 | 4 | 1 | 3.1 |
| | Communist | 12,456 | 3.5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| | Ind. Labour | 9,872 | 2.8 | 2 | 1 | 3.1 |
| | Socialist Republican | 5,497 | 1.5 | 2 | 1 | — |
| | Federation of Labour | 3,912 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| | Independent | 1,219 | 0.3 | 2 | 2 | 6.3 |
| Total | Total | 357,882 | 70.3 | 68 | 32 | — |

### Uncontested seats

In 20 of the 52 seats (38%), only one candidate stood and they were elected unopposed without any votes cast. The vast majority of the MPs elected without a contest were Ulster Unionists.
1945 Northern Ireland general election (uncontested seats) :
| Party | Party | Popular vote | Popular vote | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Stood | Elected | % |
| | Ulster Unionist | Unopposed | Unopposed | 13 | 13 | 65.0 |
| | Nationalist | Unopposed | Unopposed | 6 | 6 | 30.0 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Unopposed | Unopposed | 1 | 1 | 5.0 |
| Total | Total | | | 20 | 20 | 100 |