This was the first all-Cardiff elections for six years, due to the occurrence of 1914-18 Great War.[1] The previous elections were in November 1913 and the next annual all-Cardiff elections were to take place as normal on 1 November 1920.
Cardiff County Borough Council had been created in 1889. Cardiff became a city in 1905. Elections to the local authority were held annually, though not all council seats were included in each contest, because the three councillors in each ward stood down for election in three-yearly rotation.
The council consisted of 30 councillors who were elected by the town's voters and ten aldermen who were elected by the councillors.[2] Ten seats were up for election in November 1919.
Contests took place in all ten of the Cardiff electoral wards in November 1919. In addition to candidates standing under the Conservative, Liberal and Labour tickets, there were men standing from discharged soldiers' organisations, as Ex-Service men candidates.[3] Press interest was also raised by a 'lady candidate' in the Roath ward, who was standing for the Women's Council. Mrs Janet Price Williams was unsuccessful in her bid to be Cardiff's first woman councillor.[4]
The election news was dominated by the successes of the Labour and Ex-Servicemen candidates in South Wales. Four Labour and three Ex-Servicemen won seats in Cardiff.[4][1]
The composition of the council immediately prior to these elections as Conservatives 20, Liberals 19, Independent 1. Following the November 1919 election the balance had changed, to 17 Liberal, 15 Conservative, 4 Labour, 3 Ex-Servicemen, 1 Independent.[5]
^ abcdefghi"In South Wales - Labour Successes - Woman Candidate Defeated - Cardiff - Seven Seats Go To Labour And Ex-Service Men". The Western Mail. 3 November 1919. p. 7.
^"Cardiff Council - Balance Of Power Transferred". South Wales Echo. 3 November 1919. p. 5.
