1982 Shetland Islands Area Council election

An election to Shetland Islands Council was held on 6 May 1982 as part of the Scottish local Regional elections, 1982 and yielded a swing to candidates supportive of Home Rule for the islands. Whilst no candidates appeared on the ballot as members of the Shetland Movement (all Shetland candidates were independents), the Shetland Movement did publish a list of candidates supportive of Shetland Home Rule. Ultimately of the 25 members of the Shetland council, 14 were supporters of the movement.

Supporters of Island Autonomy similarly contested the elections in neighboring Orkney.

The councils for the Shetland Islands, Orkney, and the Western Isles operated as combined authorities, meaning that instead of having both regional and district governance, the Islands had a single level combined of governance. These councils were elected at the same time as Scottish regional councils.

Aggregate results

Shetland Islands Council election, 1982

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Independent	24
	Labour	1

Ward results

2nd, Lerwick-Clickimin

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas M. Y. Manson	121
	Independent	Cecil B. Eunson	112
	Independent	Ian Burne	109
Majority			9
Turnout
	Independent hold		Swing

3rd, Lerwick-North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Leonard G. Groat	211
	Labour	R. Rae Tulloch	195
Majority			17
Turnout
	Independent hold		Swing

8th, Unst

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Alan B. Fraser	157
	Independent	Karl M. Gray	148
	Independent	William Playfair	77
Majority			9
Turnout
	Independent hold		Swing

11th, Northmavine

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Christopher D. Dowie	222
	Independent	Gilbert J. Mowat	127
	Independent	William J. Beattie	49
Majority			95
Turnout
	Independent hold		Swing