1982 Portuguese local elections

Local elections were held in Portugal on 12 December 1982. They were the third local elections in Portugal since the democratic revolution of 1974 introduced the concept of democratic local power.

The elections consisted of three separate elections in the 305 Portuguese municipalities that existed at the time, the election for the Municipal Chambers, another election for the Municipal Assembly and a last one for the lower-level Parish Assembly, whose winner is elected parish president, this last was held separately in the more than 4,000 parishes around the country.

The Socialist Party finished once more on the top of the results table, increasing its share by 4 points, however that was because the coalition between the two major right-wing parties, the Democratic and Social Center and the Social Democratic Party, the Democratic Alliance, did not participate in all Municipalities and Parishes, being the parties which composed it, separated in many Municipalities. This right wing coalition did, however, lose some voting in relation to the previous election.

The left-wing United People Alliance dominated the election in the municipalities of the South of the country, gathering more than 60 percent of the votes and achieving its best result ever with 20.7 percent and 55 mayors.

Despite the victory of the Democratic Alliance, the then PSD leader and Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemão considered the results a disappointment, citing divisions with his own party and the alliance, and resigned from both posts. This decision led to a snap general election in April 1983.

Background

Electoral system

All 305 municipalities are allocated a certain number of councilors to elect corresponding to the number of registered voters in a given municipality. Each party or coalition must present a list of candidates. The winner of the most voted list for the municipal council is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP). The lists are closed and the seats in each municipality are apportioned according to the D'Hondt method.

By-elections (1979–1982)

During the normal three-year term of local governments, nine municipal council by-elections were held: In the municipality of Corvo on 18 May 1980; In the municipality of Vila do Porto on 20 July 1980; In the municipality of Aguiar da Beira on 27 July 1980; In the municipality of Mealhada on 23 November 1980; In the municipality of Murça on 31 May 1981; In the municipality of Nazaré on 14 June 1981; In the municipality of Valpaços on 13 September 1981; In the municipality of Loures on 11 October 1981; In the municipality of Praia da Vitória on 14 February 1982, adding to this, ninety-seven parishes also held a by-election for parish assemblies.

Parties

The main political forces involved in the election were:

• Democratic Alliance (AD) (only in some municipalities)
• Democratic and Social Center (CDS) (only in some municipalities)
• Socialist Party (PS)
• Social Democratic Party (PSD) (only in some municipalities)
• United People Alliance (APU)

Results

Municipal Councils

National summary of votes and seats

|- ! rowspan="2" colspan=2 style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Parties ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|±pp swing ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Candidacies ! colspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Councillors ! colspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Mayors |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Total ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|± ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Total ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|± |- | |align=right| 1,547,664 |align=right| 31.18 |align=right|2.9 |align=right| |align=right| 619 |align=right|103 |align=right| 83 |align=right|23 |- | |align=right| 1,038,033 |align=right| 20.91 |align=right|1.0 |align=right| |align=right| 316 |align=right| 0 |align=right| 55 |align=right|5 |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor=#2A52BE align="center" | |align=left|Democratic Alliance |align=right| 988,347 |align=right| 19.91 |align=right|3.6 |align=right| |align=right| 322 |align=right|104 |align=right| 49 |align=right|24 |- | |align=right| 745,048 |align=right| 15.01 |align=right|1.3 |align=right| |align=right| 439 |align=right|36 |align=right| 88 |align=right|13 |- | |align=right| 369,263 |align=right| 7.44 |align=right|0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 185 |align=right|29 |align=right| 27 |align=right|7 |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor= align="center" | |align=left|People's Democratic Union |align=right| 31,567 |align=right| 0.64 |align=right|0.6 |align=right| |align=right| 3 |align=right|0 |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor=#FF66FF align="center" | |align=left|Socialist / UEDS |align=right| 31,251 |align=right| 0.63 |align=right|— |align=right| |align=right| 11 |align=right|— |align=right| 1 |align=right|— |- | |align=right| 15,315 |align=right| 0.31 |align=right|0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |- | |align=right| 11,149 |align=right| 0.22 |align=right|0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 5 |align=right|1 |align=right| 1 |align=right|0 |- | |align=right| 5,684 |align=right| 0.11 |align=right|0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |- | |align=right| 4,236 |align=right| 0.09 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 7 |align=right| — |align=right| 1 |align=right|— |- | |align=right| 3,840 |align=right| 0.08 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 2 |align=right|— |align=right| 0 |align=right|— |- | |align=right| 1,388 |align=right| 0.03 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right|— |align=right| 0 |align=right|— |- | |align=right| 855 |align=right| 0.02 |align=right|0.2 |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |align=right| 0 |align=right|0 |- |colspan=2 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total valid |width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,785,586 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|96.40 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1.2 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|— |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1,909 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|9 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|305 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|0 |- |colspan=2|Blank ballots |87,381||1.76||0.8||colspan=6 rowspan=4| |- |colspan=2|Invalid ballots |91,403||1.84||0.4 |- |colspan=2 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total |width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,964,370 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|100.00 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| |- |colspan=2|Registered voters/turnout ||6,987,106||71.05||0.7

Municipality map

City control

The following table lists party control in all district capitals, highlighted in bold, as well as in municipalities above 100,000 inhabitants. Population estimates from the 1981 Census.

Municipal Assemblies

National summary of votes and seats

|- ! rowspan="2" colspan=2 style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Parties ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|±pp swing ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Candidacies ! colspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Mandates |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Total ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|± |- | |align=right| 1,583,804 |align=right| 31.23 |align=right|3.3 |align=right| |align=right| 3,182 |align=right|496 |- | |align=right| 1,070,247 |align=right| 21.10 |align=right|0.6 |align=right| |align=right| 1,763 |align=right|17 |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor=#2A52BE align="center" | |align=left|Democratic Alliance |align=right| 990,315 |align=right| 19.53 |align=right|4.1 |align=right| |align=right| 1,625 |align=right|497 |- | |align=right| 717,131 |align=right| 14.14 |align=right|2.6 |align=right| |align=right| 2,148 |align=right|82 |- | |align=right| 379,833 |align=right| 7.49 |align=right|0.6 |align=right| |align=right| 1,003 |align=right|171 |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor= align="center" | |align=left|People's Democratic Union |align=right| 35,128 |align=right| 0.70 |align=right|0.6 |align=right| |align=right| 21 |align=right|37 |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor=#FF66FF align="center" | |align=left|Socialist / UEDS |align=right| 31,481 |align=right| 0.63 |align=right|0.6 |align=right| |align=right| 52 |align=right|— |- | |align=right| 30,707 |align=right| 0.61 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 40 |align=right| — |- | |align=right| 10,314 |align=right| 0.21 |align=right|0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 28 |align=right|2 |- | |align=right| 7,120 |align=right| 0.14 |align=right|0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 1 |align=right|1 |- | |align=right| 3,858 |align=right| 0.08 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 32 |align=right| — |- | |align=right| 2,499 |align=right| 0.05 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right| — |- | |align=right| 847 |align=right| 0.02 |align=right| 0.0 |align=right| |align=right| 2 |align=right| 2 |- | |align=right| 526 |align=right| 0.01 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right| — |- |colspan=2 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total valid |width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,865,027 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|95.93 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|1.4 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|— |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|9,897 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|194 |- |colspan=2|Blank ballots |115,352||2.27||1.0||colspan=6 rowspan=4| |- |colspan=2|Invalid ballots |91,128||1.80||0.4 |- |colspan=2 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total |width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|5,071,507 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|100.00 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| |- |colspan=2|Registered voters/turnout ||7,114,983||71.28||0.6

Parish Assemblies

National summary of votes and seats

|- ! rowspan="2" colspan=2 style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left|Parties ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|% ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|±pp swing ! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Candidacies ! colspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Mandates ! colspan="2" style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Presidents |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Total ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|± ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|Total ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align="center"|± |- | |align=right| 1,527,322 |align=right| 31.03 |align=right| 3.2 |align=right| |align=right| 12,803 |align=right| 2,190 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 1,071,831 |align=right| 21.76 |align=right| 1.3 |align=right| |align=right| 4,997 |align=right|265 |align=right| |align=right| |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor=#2A52BE align="center" | |align=left|Democratic Alliance |align=right| 905,696 |align=right| 18.40 |align=right| 4.4 |align=right| |align=right| 7,684 |align=right| 2,101 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 760,847 |align=right| 15.46 |align=right| 1.3 |align=right| |align=right| 9,499 |align=right|52 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 381,150 |align=right| 7.74 |align=right| 0.7 |align=right| |align=right| 4,837 |align=right|176 |align=right| |align=right| |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor=gray align="center" | |align=left|Independents |align=right| 65,865 |align=right| 1.34 |align=right| 0.2 |align=right| |align=right| 1,038 |align=right|331 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 29,284 |align=right| 0.59 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 342 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| — |- |style="width: 9px" bgcolor=#FF66FF align="center" | |align=left|Socialist / UEDS |align=right| 25,265 |align=right| 0.51 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 258 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| — |- |style="width: 10px" bgcolor= align="center" | |align=left|People's Democratic Union |align=right| 24,799 |align=right| 0.50 |align=right|0.4 |align=right| |align=right| 30 |align=right|25 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 6,261 |align=right| 0.13 |align=right|0.0 |align=right| |align=right| 99 |align=right|21 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 5,023 |align=right| 0.10 |align=right|0.0 |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right|3 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 2,768 |align=right| 0.06 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 49 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| — |- | |align=right| 856 |align=right| 0.02 |align=right|0.0 |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right|1 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 482 |align=right| 0.00 |align=right| 0.1 |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right| 26 |align=right| |align=right| |- | |align=right| 444 |align=right| 0.00 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| 0 |align=right| — |align=right| |align=right| — |- |colspan=2 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total valid |width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,738,913 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|96.28 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|0.9 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|— |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|41,636 |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|— |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| |width="45" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|— |- |colspan=2|Blank ballots |87,935||1.79||0.5||colspan=6 rowspan=4| |- |colspan=2|Invalid ballots |95,380||1.94||0.4 |- |colspan=2 align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total |width="65" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|4,922,228 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|100.00 |width="40" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"| |- |colspan=2|Registered voters/turnout ||7,073,336||69.59||1.1

Maps

Notes

• The source of the voting data is the Portuguese Electoral Commission

Further Notes:

• Democratic Alliance (AD) was composed by the Democratic Social Center (CDS), the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM).
• Although the PSD, the CDS and the PPM were united in the Democratic Alliance, they appear in the scorecard because they ran separated in several municipalities.
• The Democratic Union (UD) was composed only by the Democratic Social Center (CDS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD)
• United People Alliance (APU) was composed by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Portuguese Democratic Movement (MDP/CDE).
• The number of candidacies expresses the number of municipalities or parishes in which the party or coalition presented lists.
• The number of mandates expresses the number of municipal deputies in the Municipal Assembly election and the number of parish deputies in the Parish Assembly election.
• The turnout varies because one may choose not to vote for all the organs.

See also

• Politics of Portugal
• List of political parties in Portugal
• Elections in Portugal

References

External links

• Portuguese Electoral Commission