1974 Western Isles Islands Council election

1974 Western Isles Islands Council election
7 May 1974 (1974-05-07) 1978 →
All 30 seats to Western Isles Council
16 seats needed for a majority
  First party
 
Leader Donald Macauley
Party Independent
Leader's seat Uig West
Seats won 30
Popular vote 6,430
Percentage 100.0%
Council Convener after election

Donald Macauley
Independent

The first election to the Western Isles Islands Council was held on 7 May 1974 as part of the wider 1974 Scottish regional elections. All candidates stood as Independents, and 16 candidates were elected unopposed.[1]

Several members of political parties ran as independent candidates. This included Roderick MacLeod in Shawbost, who had contested the Western Isles constituency for the Conservatives in 1970, and Mary McCormack, election agent for Labour candidate Andrew Wilson in February 1974, both of whom were unsuccessful.[2]

After the election, Reverend Donald Macaulay and Stornoway Provost Sandy Matheson were tied in a 15-15 vote among councillors to become the council's first convener. Macaulay was elected upon the drawing of a lot.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ScottishElections was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Lively Election Scene". West Highland Free Press. 19 April 1974.
  3. ^ Western Isles Islands Council Minutes. 16 May 1974.