Frequently Asked Questions — West Dorset Constituency

Who won the West Dorset constituency election in 2005?

Conservative held West Dorset constituency at the 5 May 2005 General Election. Conservative won with a majority of 2,461 votes (4.6%). Turnout was 76.3%.

What does swing mean in UK elections?

Swing measures how much support has shifted between two parties compared to a previous election. The Butler swing formula — used in British election reporting since the 1950s — takes the average of the gain in the winner's vote share and the loss in the runner-up's. A 5% swing is considered large at ward level; anything above 10% is exceptional. The swing figure for West Dorset in 2005 is shown in the statistics above.