Voters in the two wards went to the polls on Thursday.
The by-elections were called following SNP council chief John Alexander’s decision to quit politics and the death of Labour’s Charlie Malone earlier this year.
Labour had been hopeful of securing a double Dundee victory, building on a closely fought Westminster election which saw them lose out to the SNP by just 675 votes.
But it proved to be a disappointing night for the party, who failed to win either ward.
The SNP subsequently increased their majority on the local authority. The nationalists now have 16 seats – up from the 15 they won at the last council election.
by backupJM
2 comments
Figures from [Ballot Box Scotland](https://x.com/BallotBoxScot/status/1841972481533329462?s=19):
>Strathmartine (Dundee) by-election, first preferences:
> – SNP: 1188 (35%, -10.3)
> – Lib Dem: 912 (26.9%, +8.2)
> – Labour: 911 (26.9%, +4.0)
> – Conservative: 143 (4.2%, -1.7)
> – Green: 121 (3.6%, +0.2)
> – TUSC: 116 (3.4%, +2.7)
>SNP elected stage 6; hold their Dundee majority.
[Lochee (Dundee) by-election (first prefs)](https://x.com/BallotBoxScot/status/1841980980887699622?s=19)
> – SNP: 1203 (37.3%, -5.9)
> – Labour: 1148 (35.6%, -0.2)
> – Conservative: 219 (6.8%, -1.6)
> – Alba: 178 (5.5%, +2.4)
> – Green: 176 (5.5%, +1.3)
> – Lib Dem: 156 (4.8%, +1.7)
> – Workers: 143 (4.4%, new)
>SNP elected stage 7.
In response to the results, they also [said](https://x.com/BallotBoxScot/status/1841981194688196801?s=19):
>Pretty surprised by this one I have to say; this should have been Labour’s to win based on 2022 results and shifts since. SNP started the day at risk of losing their Dundee [council] majority, and have ended up growing it instead.
However, turnout for both by-elections was less than 25%.
Hard to look too much into a local council by-elections. Turnouts are notoriously low, so we tend to see even unpopular parties retaining seats in these instances. Even the Tories managed it in places shortly before they were booted out.