An election to the Aberdeen Corporation was held on 1 May 1956, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. 12 of the corporation's 37 seats were up for election, although only 6 were contested.
This election set a record for low turnout rate for the third year in a row, with turnout dropping to below 20% for the first time ever.[1][2] While just shy of 13,000 electors voted in this election, the estimated attendance at the Aberdeen F.C. match just three days prior was 16,000.[1] From 1952 to 1955, the Scottish nationalist vote was captured by the Scottish Self-Government Party. In this election, members and former candidates switched to supporting either the Scottish National Party or the Scottish National Congress.[3] These new affiliations and record low turnout resulted in a much closer race in the St. Nicholas ward, with Labour's majority dropping from 921 to 366.
