1937 Irish general election

1937 Irish general election
← 1933 1 July 1937 1938 →
138 seats in Dáil Éireann[a]
70 seats needed for a majority
Turnout76.2% Decrease 5.1pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
De Valera, 1939 (cropped).jpg
W. T. Cosgrave, circa 1930 (cropped).jpg
William Norton circa 1927 to 1932.png
Leader Éamon de Valera W. T. Cosgrave William Norton
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour
Leader since 26 March 1926 September 1934 19 July 1932
Leader's seat Clare Cork Borough Carlow–Kildare
Last election 77 seats, 49.7% 59 seats, 39.6%[b] 8 seats, 5.7%
Seats won 69 48[b] 13
Seat change Decrease8 Decrease11 Increase5
Popular vote 599,040 461,171 135,758
Percentage 45.2% 34.8% 10.3%
Swing Decrease4.5% Decrease4.8% Increase4.6%
Percentage of seats gained by each of the three major parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.
President of the Executive Council before election

Éamon de Valera
Fianna Fáil

President of the Executive Council after election

Éamon de Valera
Fianna Fáil

The 1937 Irish general election to the 9th Dáil was held on Thursday, 1 July, following the dissolution of the 8th Dáil on 14 June by Ceann Comhairle Frank Fahy on the direction of the Executive Council. The general election took place in 34 parliamentary constituencies throughout the Irish Free State for 138 seats in Dáil Éireann. The number of seats in the Dáil was reduced by 15, from 153 to 138 seats, under the Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935.

A plebiscite on whether to approve the new Constitution of Ireland was held on the same day. It was approved with the support of 56.5% of voters and would come into operation on 29 December 1937.

The 9th Dáil met at Leinster House on 21 July 1937 to elect the President of the Executive Council and approve the appointment of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State. Outgoing president Éamon de Valera was re-elected leading a single-party Fianna Fáil government.

  1. ^ Constitution (Amendment No. 2) Act 1927, s. 1: Re-election at general election of outgoing Chairman of Dáil Eireann (No. 6 of 1927, s. 1). Enacted on 19 March 1927. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  2. ^ Electoral (Amendment) Act 1927, s. 2: Re-election of outgoing Ceann Comhairle (No. 21 of 1927, s. 2). Enacted on 22 May 1927. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  3. ^ Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935, s. 4: Constituency of the Ceann Comhairle (No. 5 of 1935, s. 4). Enacted on 27 February 1935. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  4. ^ "9th Dáil 1937: Galway East". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 3 July 2022.


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