# 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.
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.
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

1977 Hamilton District Council election result :
| Party | 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 | Total | 20 | | | | | | 40,621 | |
Source:

## Ward results
### Hillhouse

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

### Udston

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

### Wellhall North

Wellhall North :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 262 | 15.2 | 5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,724 | 53.8 | 7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,207 | | |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | 2.8 | |
Source:

### Central

Central :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 65 | 4.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,323 | 54.9 | 0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,411 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 6.3 | |
Source:

### Burnbank

Burnbank :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 494 | 26.3 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,881 | 47.2 | 3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,989 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.2 | |
Source:

### Bent

Bent :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 479 | 27.7 | 21.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,730 | 55.2 | 1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,138 | | |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | 12.1 | |
Source:

### Fairhill

Fairhill :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 319 | 12.4 | 5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,574 | 50.9 | 0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,077 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.3 | |
Source:

### Wellhall South

Wellhall South :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 23 | 1.4 | 27.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,589 | 51.2 | 1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,105 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 25.8 | |
Source:

### Low Waters

Low Waters :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 1,049 | 40.1 | 6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,619 | 56.2 | 0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,665 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 6.3 | |
Source:

### Cadzow

Cadzow :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 155 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,924 | 51.5 | 3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,693 | | |
| | SNP gain from Labour | SNP gain from Labour | Swing | 34.5 | |
Source:

### Dalserf

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

### Machan

Machan :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 332 | 15.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,079 | 47.4 | 6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,389 | | |
| | SNP gain from Labour | SNP gain from Labour | Swing | 11.8 | |
Source:

### Avonholm

Avonholm :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 169 | 11.5 | 9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,471 | 50.1 | 7.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,948 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 8.1 | |
Source:

### Strutherhill

Strutherhill :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 360 | 24.7 | 20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,459 | 56.8 | 5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,583 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 10.3 | |
Source:

### Stonehouse

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

### Bothwell and Uddingston North

Bothwell and Uddingston North :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 258 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,004 | 57.8 | 4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,487 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | 3.4 | |
Source:

### Bothwell and Uddingston South

Bothwell and Uddingston South :
| Party | 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 | Majority | Majority | 832 | 33.7 | 20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,463 | 62.3 | 4.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,964 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | 10.4 | |
Source:

### High Blantyre

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

### Blantyre

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

### Stonefield

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