249:
80:
41:
711:
575:. However, the Alliance Party was also critical of the poll. While it supported the holding of periodic plebiscites on the constitutional link with Great Britain, the party felt that to avoid the border poll becoming a "sectarian head count", it should ask other relevant questions such as whether the people supported the UK's white paper on Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, on 5 February 1973, the party's chairman,
828:, claimed the result left "no doubt in any one's mind what the wishes of Ulster's people are. Despite an attempted boycott by some, almost 600,000 electors voted for the maintenance of the union with Great Britain". He also claimed that the poll showed that a "quarter of the Catholic population who voted ... voted for the maintenance of the union" and that the result was a "blow ... against
579:, stated that "Support for the position of Northern Ireland as an integral part of the United Kingdom is a fundamental principle of the Alliance Party, not only for economic reasons but also because we firmly believe that a peaceful solution to our present tragic problems is only possible within a United Kingdom context. Either a Sinn Féin all-Ireland republic or a
794:
801:
The vote resulted in an overwhelming majority of those who voted stating they wished to remain in the UK. The nationalist boycott contributed to a turnout of only 58.7% of the electorate. In addition to taking a majority of votes cast, the UK option received the support of 57.5% of the total
606:
The civil authorities were prepared for violence on polling day. They had put in place mobile polling stations which could be rushed into use if there was bomb damage to scheduled poll buildings. Two days before the referendum a
British soldier, Guardsman Anton Brown of the 2nd Battalion,
555:. It was the first time that a major referendum had been held in any region of the United Kingdom. The referendum was boycotted by nationalists and resulted in a conclusive victory for remaining in the UK. On a
1490:
1495:
276:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1535:
1530:
1525:
1520:
1515:
1510:
1505:
1500:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
449:
1581:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1404:
370:
1031:
1601:
814:
took no action on receipt of the referendum result, as the result was in favour of the status quo (Northern
Ireland remaining part of the UK). It was followed by an
415:
1586:
385:
1606:
594:, urging its members on 23 January 1973 "to ignore completely the referendum and reject this extremely irresponsible decision by the British Government".
1132:
976:
248:
1591:
1024:
518:
355:
1196:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1137:
1127:
815:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1273:
434:
1265:
559:
of 58.7 percent, 98.9 percent voted to remain in the United
Kingdom, meaning the outcome would not have been impacted without the boycott.
1017:
580:
325:
295:
825:
587:
572:
841:
829:
615:
230:
645:
As a political response to the referendum, the
Provisional Irish Republican Army also planted four car bombs in London that day,
611:
was shot dead in
Belfast as the army searched for weapons and explosives which could be used to disrupt the upcoming referendum.
400:
340:
310:
1207:
240:
1048:
618:
exploded several bombs across
Northern Ireland and shot dead a British soldier guarding a polling station in the area of the
1318:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
79:
1040:
568:
903:
811:
627:
511:
1576:
1152:
793:
945:
Lost Lives: The
Stories of the Men, Women and Children who Died as a Result of the Northern Ireland Troubles
646:
635:
504:
17:
1142:
1596:
619:
548:
730:
Do you want
Northern Ireland to be joined with the Republic of Ireland outside the United Kingdom?
639:
1009:
885:
802:
electorate. According to the BBC, less than 1% of the
Catholic population turned out to vote.
710:
608:
614:
Violence by both
Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries still took place on polling day. The
631:
591:
540:
875:
93:
598:, leader of the SDLP, said he had organised a boycott to stop an escalation in violence.
957:
821:
552:
544:
235:
1570:
556:
943:
Brian Feeney, Seamus Kelters, David McKittrick, David McVea and Chris Thornton,
576:
595:
536:
218:
904:"BBC ON THIS DAY | 9 | 1973: Northern Ireland votes for union"
623:
543:
on 8 March 1973 on whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the
714:
Do you want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom?
583:-style Ulster republic would lead to disaster for all our people."
103:
Northern Ireland remains a constituent part of the United Kingdom
680: Leaving the UK and joining the Republic of Ireland (0.62%)
1013:
638:
was also raided by Loyalist paramilitaries who stole several
567:
The Unionist parties supported the 'UK' option, as did the
1413:
1392:
1264:
1206:
1151:
1120:
1047:
634:. A polling station in East Belfast guarded by the
107:
99:
89:
84:
Northern Ireland within Great Britain & Ireland
927:
925:
219:Results of the "Border Poll" Referendum of 1973
1582:Constitutional referendums in Northern Ireland
947:(Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing Company),339
1041:Elections and referendums in Northern Ireland
1025:
630:abducted and killed a Catholic civilian from
512:
8:
32:
18:1973 Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum
649:, causing one death and injuring over 200.
1032:
1018:
1010:
519:
505:
226:
873:"Many errors in poll vote applications".
792:
691:
113:
1602:March 1973 events in the United Kingdom
853:
229:
879:. Belfast. 6 February 1973. p. 5.
31:
898:
896:
7:
1587:1973 elections in the United Kingdom
977:"8 Get Life Terms in London Blasts"
371:NI Good Friday Agreement referendum
356:Greater London Authority referendum
27:Referendum held in Northern Ireland
1607:1973 elections in Northern Ireland
975:Eder, Richard (16 November 1973).
826:Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
668: Remaining in the UK (57.45%)
588:Social Democratic and Labour Party
573:Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
25:
842:Referendums in the United Kingdom
616:Provisional Irish Republican Army
231:National and regional referendums
148:Join with the Republic of Ireland
131:Remain part of the United Kingdom
883:"Vote in Border Poll-Alliance".
812:Government of the United Kingdom
779:
762:
751:
740:
709:
435:Scottish independence referendum
386:NE England devolution referendum
247:
78:
39:
1592:1973 in international relations
590:(SDLP), however, called for a
326:Scottish devolution referendum
296:Scottish devolution referendum
1:
889:. 5 February 1973. p. 3.
569:Northern Ireland Labour Party
482:* UK-wide referendums in bold
533:Northern Ireland border poll
262:Northern Ireland border poll
33:Northern Ireland border poll
686: Invalid votes (0.58%)
674: Did not vote (41.44%)
417:Alternative Vote referendum
401:Welsh devolution referendum
341:Welsh devolution referendum
311:Welsh devolution referendum
1623:
781:Registered voters/turnout
628:Ulster Defence Association
703:
700:
697:
592:boycott of the referendum
215:
200:Registered voters/turnout
124:
121:
112:
77:
53:
37:
824:, who had been the last
451:EU membership referendum
278:EC membership referendum
1049:NI Parliament elections
753:Invalid or blank votes
636:Ulster Defence Regiment
171:Invalid or blank votes
798:
796:
647:two of which went off
241:constituent countries
1414:UK general elections
694:
693:Referendum results
640:self-loading rifles
549:Republic of Ireland
34:
1208:European elections
1153:Assembly elections
981:The New York Times
799:
692:
488:
472:
457:
440:
423:
406:
391:
376:
361:
346:
331:
316:
301:
284:
267:
1564:
1563:
962:cain.ulster.ac.uk
886:Belfast Telegraph
863:, 16 January 1973
818:on 28 June 1973.
816:Assembly election
797:Referendum result
791:
790:
609:Coldstream Guards
547:or join with the
529:
528:
495:
494:
484:
225:
224:
211:
210:
68:
67:
16:(Redirected from
1614:
1577:1973 referendums
1121:Ad-hoc elections
1034:
1027:
1020:
1011:
1004:
998:
992:
991:
989:
987:
972:
966:
965:
954:
948:
941:
935:
929:
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919:
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900:
891:
890:
880:
870:
864:
858:
731:
713:
695:
685:
679:
673:
667:
541:Northern Ireland
521:
514:
507:
489:
480:
473:
458:
441:
424:
407:
392:
377:
362:
347:
332:
317:
302:
285:
268:
258:
257:
251:
234:held within the
227:
221:
201:
114:
82:
73:
72:
55:
54:
49:
48:
44:
43:
42:
35:
21:
1622:
1621:
1617:
1616:
1615:
1613:
1612:
1611:
1567:
1566:
1565:
1560:
1409:
1388:
1266:Local elections
1260:
1202:
1147:
1116:
1043:
1038:
1008:
1007:
1003:, 12 March 1973
999:
995:
985:
983:
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973:
969:
956:
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951:
942:
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923:
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902:
901:
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882:
876:The News Letter
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456:
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405:
390:
375:
360:
345:
330:
315:
300:
283:
266:
238:
233:
217:
199:
119:
94:Majority voting
85:
71:
70:
69:
47:
46:
45:
40:
38:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1604:
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1579:
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1463:
1458:
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1443:
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1433:
1428:
1423:
1417:
1415:
1411:
1410:
1408:
1407:
1402:
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1394:
1390:
1389:
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1371:
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1223:
1218:
1212:
1210:
1204:
1203:
1201:
1200:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1157:
1155:
1149:
1148:
1146:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1117:
1115:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1053:
1051:
1045:
1044:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1029:
1022:
1014:
1006:
1005:
993:
967:
949:
936:
934:, 6 March 1973
921:
910:. 9 March 1973
892:
865:
852:
851:
849:
846:
845:
844:
837:
834:
822:Brian Faulkner
807:
804:
789:
788:
785:
782:
778:
777:
772:
767:
761:
760:
757:
754:
750:
749:
746:
743:
739:
738:
735:
732:
726:
725:
720:
715:
706:
705:
702:
699:
682:
676:
670:
664:
658:
657:
656:
654:
651:
603:
600:
564:
561:
553:united Ireland
545:United Kingdom
527:
526:
524:
523:
516:
509:
501:
498:
497:
493:
492:
490:
485:
477:
476:
474:
469:
465:
464:
459:
454:
446:
445:
442:
437:
431:
430:
425:
420:
412:
411:
408:
403:
397:
396:
393:
388:
382:
381:
378:
373:
367:
366:
363:
358:
352:
351:
348:
343:
337:
336:
333:
328:
322:
321:
318:
313:
307:
306:
303:
298:
292:
291:
286:
281:
273:
272:
269:
264:
256:
253:
252:
244:
243:
236:United Kingdom
223:
222:
213:
212:
209:
208:
205:
202:
196:
195:
190:
185:
179:
178:
175:
172:
168:
167:
164:
161:
157:
156:
153:
150:
144:
143:
138:
133:
127:
126:
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120:
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110:
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101:
97:
96:
91:
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83:
75:
74:
66:
65:
63:
58:
51:
50:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1619:
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1524:
1522:
1519:
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1514:
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1509:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1499:
1497:
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1492:
1489:
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1482:
1479:
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1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
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1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1422:
1419:
1418:
1416:
1412:
1406:
1403:
1401:
1398:
1397:
1395:
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1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
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1350:
1347:
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1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1271:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1213:
1211:
1209:
1205:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1154:
1150:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1125:
1123:
1119:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1050:
1046:
1042:
1035:
1030:
1028:
1023:
1021:
1016:
1015:
1012:
1002:
997:
994:
982:
978:
971:
968:
963:
959:
953:
950:
946:
940:
937:
933:
928:
926:
922:
909:
905:
899:
897:
893:
888:
887:
878:
877:
869:
866:
862:
857:
854:
847:
843:
840:
839:
835:
833:
831:
827:
823:
819:
817:
813:
805:
803:
795:
786:
783:
780:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
758:
755:
752:
747:
744:
741:
736:
733:
728:
727:
724:
721:
719:
716:
712:
708:
707:
696:
663:
662:
652:
650:
648:
643:
641:
637:
633:
629:
625:
621:
617:
612:
610:
601:
599:
597:
593:
589:
584:
582:
578:
574:
570:
563:Party support
562:
560:
558:
557:voter turnout
554:
550:
546:
542:
538:
534:
522:
517:
515:
510:
508:
503:
502:
500:
499:
491:
486:
483:
479:
478:
475:
470:
467:
466:
463:
460:
455:
453:
452:
448:
447:
443:
438:
436:
433:
432:
429:
426:
421:
419:
418:
414:
413:
409:
404:
402:
399:
398:
394:
389:
387:
384:
383:
379:
374:
372:
369:
368:
364:
359:
357:
354:
353:
349:
344:
342:
339:
338:
334:
329:
327:
324:
323:
319:
314:
312:
309:
308:
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293:
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275:
274:
270:
265:
263:
260:
259:
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228:
220:
214:
206:
203:
198:
197:
194:
191:
189:
186:
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181:
180:
176:
173:
170:
169:
165:
162:
159:
158:
154:
151:
149:
146:
145:
142:
139:
137:
134:
132:
129:
128:
116:
115:
111:
106:
102:
98:
95:
92:
90:Voting system
88:
81:
76:
64:
62:
59:
57:
56:
52:
36:
30:
19:
1597:Border polls
1399:
1195:
1000:
996:
986:27 September
984:. Retrieved
980:
970:
961:
952:
944:
939:
931:
912:. Retrieved
907:
884:
874:
868:
860:
856:
832:mythology".
820:
809:
800:
774:
769:
764:
742:Valid votes
722:
717:
660:
659:
644:
613:
605:
585:
566:
532:
530:
481:
461:
450:
427:
416:
288:
277:
261:
192:
187:
182:
160:Valid votes
147:
140:
135:
130:
61:8 March 1973
60:
29:
1393:Referendums
765:Total votes
661:Vote shares
632:Ballymurphy
577:Jim Hendron
183:Total votes
1571:Categories
1496:1974 (Oct)
1491:1974 (Feb)
848:References
784:1,030,084
620:Falls Road
596:Gerry Fitt
551:to form a
537:referendum
204:1,029,544
1001:The Times
932:The Times
861:The Times
806:Reactions
914:11 March
908:BBC News
836:See also
745:598,283
602:Violence
581:Vanguard
571:and the
539:held in
239:and its
216:Source:
163:597,743
770:604,256
718:591,820
698:Choice
624:Belfast
207:58.64%
193:100.00%
188:603,716
166:99.01%
136:591,280
108:Results
100:Outcome
958:"CAIN"
787:58.66
775:100.00
756:5,973
748:99.01
734:6,423
701:Votes
684:
678:
672:
666:
653:Result
626:. The
535:was a
177:0.99%
174:5,973
155:1.08%
152:6,463
141:98.92%
122:Votes
118:Choice
759:0.99
737:1.10
723:98.90
1556:2024
1551:2019
1546:2017
1541:2015
1536:2010
1531:2005
1526:2001
1521:1997
1516:1992
1511:1987
1506:1983
1501:1979
1486:1970
1481:1966
1476:1964
1471:1959
1466:1955
1461:1951
1456:1950
1451:1945
1446:1935
1441:1931
1436:1929
1431:1924
1426:1923
1421:1922
1405:1998
1400:1973
1384:2023
1379:2019
1374:2014
1369:2011
1364:2005
1359:2001
1354:1997
1349:1993
1344:1989
1339:1985
1334:1981
1329:1977
1324:1973
1319:1967
1314:1964
1309:1961
1304:1958
1299:1955
1294:1952
1289:1949
1284:1946
1279:1936
1274:1924
1256:2019
1251:2014
1246:2009
1241:2004
1236:1999
1231:1994
1226:1989
1221:1984
1216:1979
1197:Next
1191:2022
1186:2017
1181:2016
1176:2011
1171:2007
1166:2003
1161:1998
1143:1996
1138:1982
1133:1975
1128:1973
1112:1969
1107:1965
1102:1962
1097:1958
1092:1953
1087:1949
1082:1945
1077:1938
1072:1933
1067:1929
1062:1925
1057:1921
988:2016
916:2012
810:The
586:The
531:The
462:2016
444:2014
428:2011
410:2011
395:2004
380:1998
365:1998
350:1997
335:1997
320:1979
305:1979
289:1975
271:1973
830:IRA
622:in
1573::
979:.
960:.
924:^
906:.
895:^
881:;
704:%
642:.
125:%
1033:e
1026:t
1019:v
990:.
964:.
918:.
520:e
513:t
506:v
20:)
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