Southwest () is one of the six multi-member constituencies of the Althing, the national legislature of Iceland. The constituency was established in 2003 following the re-organisation of constituencies across Iceland when the Reykjanes constituency was split between the new South and Southwest constituencies. Southwest is conterminous with the Capital region but excludes ReykjavÃÂk Municipality which has its own constituencies, ReykjavÃÂk North and ReykjavÃÂk South. The constituency currently elects 12 of the 63 members of the Althing using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2024 parliamentary election it had 79,087 registered electors.
History
In September 1997 Prime Minister DavÃÂð Oddsson appointed a committee headed by Friðrik Klemenz Sophusson to review the division of constituencies in Iceland and the organisation of elections. The committee's report was published in October 1998 and recommended, amongst other things, that the number of constituencies be reduced and that they be more equal in population size. The Althing passed an amendment to the constitution in June 1999 which removed the reference to specific eight constituencies contained within Article 31 and instead simply stated that there would be six or seven constituencies and that the Althing would determine the boundaries between the constituencies. The amendment also required that if, following an election to Althing, the number of registered electors per seat (including compensatory seats) in any constituency is less than half of that in another constituency, the National Electoral Commission shall change the allocation of seats so as to reduce the imbalance.
Southwest was one of six constituencies () established by the "Elections to the Althing Act no. 24/2000" () passed by the Althing in May 2000. The Act initially allocated 11 seats to the constituency - nine constituency seats and two compensatory seats. The number of seats allocated to Southwest was increased to 12 (ten constituency and two compensatory) in May 2003, 13 (11 constituency and two compensatory) in May 2013 and 14 (12 constituency and two compensatory) in October 2021.
Electoral system
Southwest currently elects 12 of the 63 members of the Althing using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. Constituency seats are allocated using the D'Hondt method. Compensatory seats (equalisation seas) are calculated based on the national vote and are allocated using the D'Hondt method at the constituency level. Only parties that reach the 5% national threshold compete for compensatory seats.
Election results
Summary
<small>(Excludes compensatory seats.)</small>
Detailed
2020s
2024
Results of the 2024 parliamentary election held on 30 November 2024:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - Alma Möller (S), 12,217.17 votes; Bergþór ÃÂlason (M), 7,580.00 votes; Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 14,451.88 votes; BryndÃÂs Haraldsdóttir (D), 11,324.75 votes; EirÃÂkur Björn Björgvinsson (C), 8,579.67 votes; Guðmundur Ari Sigurjónsson (S), 10,272.83 votes; Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson (F), 7,008.00 votes; Nanna Margrét Gunnlaugsdóttir (M), 5,786.50 votes; Sigmar Guðmundsson (C), 10,640.50 votes; ÃÂórdÃÂs Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir (D), 12,660.50 votes; ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (C), 12,698.83 votes; and ÃÂórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir (S), 8,166.00 votes.
- Compensatory seats - JónÃÂna Björk ÃÂskarsdóttir (F), 5,262.00 votes; and Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir (D), 9,373.62 votes.
2021
Results of the 2021 parliamentary election held on 25 September 2021:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - ÃÂgúst Bjarni Garðarsson (B), 6,377.75 votes; Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 17,548.75 votes; BryndÃÂs Haraldsdóttir (D), 13,301.38 votes; Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson (V), 7,035.33 votes; Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson (F), 4,431.00 votes; Jón Gunnarsson (D), 15,421.50 votes; ÃÂli Björn Kárason (D), 11,089.00 votes; Willum ÃÂór ÃÂórsson (B), 8,508.50 votes; ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (C), 6,582.25 votes; ÃÂórhildur Sunna ÃÂvarsdóttir (P), 4,833.00 votes; and ÃÂórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir (S), 4,683.33 votes.
- Compensatory seats - GÃÂsli Rafn ÃÂlafsson (P), 3,639.50 votes; and Sigmar Guðmundsson (C), 5,032.00 votes.
2010s
2017
Results of the 2017 parliamentary election held on 28 October 2017:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 16,738.00 votes; BryndÃÂs Haraldsdóttir (D), 15,056.75 votes; Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson (M), 5,184.00 votes; Guðmundur Andri Thorsson (S). 6,759.67 votes; Jón Gunnarsson (D), 12,851.50 votes; Jón ÃÂór ÃÂlafsson (P), 4,624.00 votes; ÃÂlafur ÃÂór Gunnarsson (V), 5,672.75 votes; ÃÂli Björn Kárason (D), 10,784.12 votes; Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttir (V), 7,580.75 votes; Willum ÃÂór ÃÂórsson (B), 4,405.67 votes; and ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (C), 5,116.25 votes.
- Compensatory seats - Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson (F), 3,611.33 votes; and Jón Steindór Valdimarsson (C), 3,972.25 votes.
2016
Results of the 2016 parliamentary election held on 29 October 2016:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 17,778.60 votes; BryndÃÂs Haraldsdóttir (D), 16,152.90 votes; Eygló Harðardóttir (B), 3,894.67 votes; Jón Gunnarsson (D), 14,342.70 votes; Jón ÃÂór ÃÂlafsson (P), 7,211.00 votes; ÃÂli Björn Kárason (D), 12,603.90 votes; ÃÂttarr Proppé (A), 5,449.00 votes; Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttir (V), 6,373.67 votes; Vilhjálmur Bjarnason (D), 10,771.90 votes; ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (C), 6,300.50 votes; and ÃÂórhildur Sunna ÃÂvarsdóttir (P), 5,412.00 votes.
- Compensatory seats - Jón Steindór Valdimarsson (C), 5,268.25 votes; and Theodóra S. ÃÂorsteinsdóttir (A), 4,090.00 votes.
2013
Results of the 2013 parliamentary election held on 27 April 2013:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - ÃÂrni Páll ÃÂrnason (S), 6,843.8 votes; Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 14,868.7 votes; Eygló Harðardóttir (B), 10,879.2 votes; Guðmundur SteingrÃÂmsson (A), 4,664.7 votes; Jón Gunnarsson (D), 12,470.0 votes; KatrÃÂn JúlÃÂusdóttir (S), 5,201.5 votes; ÃÂgmundur Jónasson (V), 3,901.3 votes; Ragnheiður RÃÂkharðsdóttir (D), 13,969.2 votes; Vilhjálmur Bjarnason (D), 10,751.8 votes; Willum ÃÂór ÃÂórsson (B), 9,098.5 votes; and ÃÂorsteinn B. Sæmundsson (B), 7,307.7 votes.
- Compensatory seats - Birgitta Jónsdóttir (ÃÂ), 2,527.7 votes; and ElÃÂn Hirst (D), 9,142.7 votes.
2000s
2009
Results of the 2009 parliamentary election held on 25 April 2009:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - ÃÂrni Páll ÃÂrnason (S), 15,243.9 votes; Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 13,075.1 votes; GuðfrÃÂður Lilja Grétarsdóttir (V), 8,304.7 votes; KatrÃÂn JúlÃÂusdóttir (S), 13,561.4 votes; ÃÂgmundur Jónasson (V), 6,285.5 votes; Ragnheiður RÃÂkharðsdóttir (D), 9,965.1 votes; Siv Friðleifsdóttir (B), 5,259.0 votes; ÃÂór Saari (O), 4,410.0 votes; ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (D), 10,900.6 votes; and ÃÂórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir (S), 10,859.1 votes.
- Compensatory seats - Jón Gunnarsson (D), 8,460.6 votes; and Magnús Orri Schram (S), 9,930.9 votes.
2007
Results of the 2007 parliamentary election held on 12 May 2007:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - ÃÂrmann Kr. ÃÂlafsson (D), 15,978.8 votes; Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 17,473.7 votes; Gunnar Svavarsson (S), 12,712.1 votes; Jón Gunnarsson (D), 14,476.1 votes; KatrÃÂn JúlÃÂusdóttir (S), 11,224.4 votes; ÃÂgmundur Jónasson (V), 5,199.0 votes; Ragnheiður ElÃÂn ÃÂrnadóttir (D), 12,896.4 votes; Siv Friðleifsdóttir (B), 3,169.0 votes; ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (D), 19,133.2 votes; and ÃÂórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir (S), 9,623.2 votes.
- Compensatory seats - ÃÂrni Páll ÃÂrnason (S), 8,047.2 votes; and Ragnheiður RÃÂkharðsdóttir (D), 11,222.3 votes.
2003
Results of the 2003 parliamentary election held on 10 May 2003:
The following candidates were elected:
- Constituency seats - ÃÂrni Mathiesen (D), 16,147.7 votes; Gunnar Birgisson (D), 14,289.2 votes; Guðmundur ÃÂrni Stefánsson (S), 13,791.0 votes; KatrÃÂn JúlÃÂusdóttir (S), 8,814.4 votes; Rannveig Guðmundsdóttir (S), 12,268.9 votes; SigrÃÂður Anna ÃÂórðardóttir (D), 13,080.9 votes; Siv Friðleifsdóttir (B), 6,298.0 votes; ÃÂorgerður KatrÃÂn Gunnarsdóttir (D), 11,589.9 votes; and ÃÂórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir (S), 10,534.0 votes.
- Compensatory seats - Bjarni Benediktsson (D), 9,923.4 votes; and Gunnar ÃÂrn ÃÂrlygsson (F), 2,868.0 votes.
Notes
References