Fermanagh and South Tyrone


Map and graph by Conal Kelly

This constituency takes in the largely rural south-western corner of Northern Ireland, including the Fermanagh part of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and the Dungannon end of Mid Ulster District Council. The local MP is Pat Culle (SF); in 2024 she replaced Michelle Gildernew (also SF) who had held it since 2001, apart from the 2015-17 period when it was held by Tom Elliott of the UUP. Previously the MP had been Ken Maginnis (UUP) since he defeated Owen Carron (SF) in 1983, but he retired (and received a life peerage) before the 2001 election. SF hold three of the Assembly seats here, with the UUP and the DUP on one each. See 1983-1992 Fermanagh and South Tyrone results, 1973-1982 Fermanagh and South Tyrone results and the 1950-1970 Fermanagh and South Tyrone results.

2024 Westminster election

Pat Cullen (SF) 24,844 (48.6%, +6.1%)
Diana Armstrong (UUP) 20,273 (39.7%, -1.9%)
Eddie Roofe (Alliance) 2,420 (4.7%, -0.6%)
Paul Blake (SDLP) 2,386 (4.7%, -2.5%)
Gerry Cullen (CCLA) 624 (1.2%)
Carl Duffy (Aontú) 529 (1.0%)

Electorate 77,828; total vote 51,340 (66.0%), valid vote 51,076; invalid 264 (0.5%)

Much excited chatter on election night suggested that SF might be in trouble, but in the end (as with all of their seats) they consolidated their position.

If cast in a five-seat Assembly election, these votes would give SF three seats and the UUP two.

2019 Westminster notional result on new boundaries:

SF 21,986 (42.5%)
UUP 21,458 (41.6%)
SDLP 3,717 (7.2%)
Alliance 2,784 (5.4%)
Ind 751 (1.5%)
DUP 896 (1.7%)
Aontu 61 (0.1%)

		DUP	UUP	Alliance	Ind	SDLP	SF	Aontu
2019 actual			21,929	2,650	751	3,446	21,986
		0.0%	43.2%	5.2%	1.5%	6.8%	43.3%	0.0%
From Fermanagh and South Tyrone	To Fermanagh and South Tyrone		22,722	2,761	751	3,608	23,017
From Fermanagh and South Tyrone	To Mid Ulster		-793	-111		-162	-1031
From Newry and Armagh	To Fermanagh and South Tyrone	760	290	201		353	757	61
From Mid Ulster	To Fermanagh and South Tyrone	136	32	44		79	255
2019 notional		896	21,458	2,784	751	3,717	21,968	61
		1.7%	41.6%	5.4%	1.5%	7.2%	42.5%	0.1%
		1.7%	-1.6%	0.2%	0.0%	0.4%	-0.8%	0.1%

See spreadsheets from the 2011 Assembly election, the 2010 Westminster election, the 2007 Assembly election, the 2005 Westminster election, the 2003 Assembly election, the 2001 Westminster election, the 1998 Assembly election, the 1997 Westminster election and the 1996 Forum/talks election. See also the detailed guide from 2007 by "Sammy Morse".

Results of recent elections

	DUP	UUP	Oth U	Alliance	Oth	SDLP	SF
2024w		39.7%		4.7%	2.2%	4.7%	48.6%
2022a	17.7%	15.5%	5.8%	4.8%	4.4%	7.1%	44.7%
2019w		43.2%		5.2%	1.5%	6.8%	43.3%
2019lg	22.8%	18.6%	2.1%	2.5%	11.6%	11.9%	30.8%
2017w		45.5%		1.7%	0.8%	4.8%	47.2%
2017a	29.8%	11.6%	1.6%	2.7%	2.3%	9.8%	42.1%
2016a	32.6%	12.8%	2.5%	1.1%	2.5%	8.5%	39.9%
2015w		46.4%		1.3%	1.5%	5.4%	45.4%
2014lg	18.1%	24.4%	4.6%	0.6%	8.1%	12.4%	31.8%
2011a	24.4%	19.3%	2.6%	1.8%	2.1%	9.6%	40.3%
2011lg	21.4%	23.1%	1.5%	0.7%	7.5%	12.7%	33.1%
2010w			45.5%	0.9%	0.4%	7.6%	45.5%
2007a	25.5%	19.7%	0.8%	1.1%	2.7%	14.0%	36.2%
2005w	28.8%	18.2%				14.8%	38.2%
2005lg	25.0%	21.7%			1.2%	17.2%	34.9%

NB that the figures for elections before 2010 are projections.

2022 Assembly election (five seats)

@Jemma Dolan (SF) 9,067 (16.9%)
@Colm Gildernew (SF) 7,562 (14.1%)
@Aine Murphy (SF) 7,379 (13.7%)
Tom Elliott (UUP) 5,442 (10.1%)
@Deborah Erskine (DUP) 5,272 (9.8%)
Paul Bell (DUP) 4,255 (7.9%)
Adam Gannon (SDLP) 3,836 (7.1%)
Alex Elliott (TUV) 3,091 (5.8%)
@Rosemary Barton (UUP) 2,912 (5.4%)
Matthew Beaumont (Alliance) 2,583 (4.8%)
Denise Mullen (Aontú) 927 (1.7%)
Donal O'Cofaigh (CCLA) 602 (1.1%)
Kellie Turtle (Green) 335 (0.6%)
Emma DeSouza (Ind) 249 (0.5%)
Derek Backhouse (Ind) 128 (0.2%)
Emmett Kilpatrick (PBP) 103 (0.2%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

SF 24,008 (44.7%, +2.6%) 3 seats
DUP 9,527 (17.7%, -12.1%) 1 seat
UUP 8,354 (15.5%, +3.9%) 1 seat
SDLP 3,836 (7.1%, -2.7%)
TUV 3,091 (5.8%, +4.3%)
Alliance 2,583 (4.8%, +2.1%)
Aontú 927 (1.7%)
CCLA 602 (1.1%, -0.1%)
Ind 377 (0.7%)
Green 335 (0.6%, -0.5%)
PBP 103 (0.2%)

Electorate: 78,963
Votes cast: 54,560 (69.1%, -3.5%), spoilt votes 817 (1.5%)
Valid votes: 53,743, quota 8,958

No change to the seat allocations in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Outgoing UUP MLA Rosemary Barton lost out to running-mate (and former MP) Tom Elliott. In the fifth closest result of the election, the last seat was decided by a 508.12 vote margin between the two DUP candidates, favoring Deborah Erskine; undistributed SF surpluses of 466.60 would have made little difference. Fermanagh and South Tyrone had the second highest turnout of the election at 69.1%.

2019 Westminster election

*Michelle Gildernew (SF) 21,986 (43.3%, -3.9%)
Tom Elliott (UUP) 21,929 (43.2%, -2.3%)
Adam Gannon (SDLP) 3,446 (6.8%, +2.0%)
Matthew Beaumont (Alliance) 2,650 (5.2%, +3.6%)
Caroline Wheeler (Ind) 751 (1.5%, +1.5%)

* outgoing MP.

Electorate: 72,848; Total Poll: 51,087 (70.1%); Invalid Votes: 325 (0.6%); Valid Votes: 50,762

In another photo-finish, Gildernew was returned once more. A massive two-party squeeze normally means those in the middle losing votes, but here the opposite applied, with the SDLP gaining from SF and Alliance gaining from both SF and the UUP. In the end the squeeze was not quite enough for the UUP to regain the seat, their best shot of the day, and SF held it by a mere 57 votes. In a five-seat Assembly election, these votes would give SF and the UUP two seats each, with the last seat likely going to the SDLP.

2019 local government election

From the 2011 census, Fermanagh and South Tyrone includes:

The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Enniskillen
The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Erne East
The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Erne North
The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Erne West
and
The entire Mid Ulster DEA of Dungannon
93% of the Mid Ulster DEA of Clogher Valley
and
4% of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon DEA of Portadown.

With some adjustment for voter community background, I project the 2019 results as:

SF 14,297 (30.8%)
DUP 10,585 (22.8%)
UUP 8,636 (18.6%)
SDLP 5,518 (11.9%)
Inds 4,920 (10.6%)
Alliance 1,179 (2.5%)
TUV 985 (2.1%)
Aontú 174 (0.4%)
Green 136 (0.3%)

If cast in a five-seat STV election, those votes would likely give SF two seats, and the DUP, UUP and SDLP one each.

2017 Westminster election

@Michelle Gildernew (SF) 25,230 (47.2%, +1.8%)
*Tom Elliott (UUP) 24,355 (45.5%, -0.9%)
Mary Garrity (SDLP) 2,587 (4.8%, -0.6%)
Noreen Campbell (Alliance) 886 (1.7%, +0.4%)
Tanya Jones (Green) 423 (0.8%, -1.7%)

* outgoing MP.
@ member of the Assembly

Electorate: 70,601; Total Poll: 53,714 (76.1%); Invalid Votes: 226 (0.4%); Valid Votes: 53,488

SF's vote rose rather less here than elsewhere, presumably because of the effectiveness of the squeeze in previous years, but it was enough to restore Gildernew to the seat that she had lost in 2015. In a five-seat Assembly election, these votes would give SF three seats and the UUP two (but of course there was no DUP candidate).

2017 Assembly election (five seats)

@Arlene Foster (DUP) 8,479 (16.2%)
@Michelle Gildernew (SF) 7,987 (15.3%)
Jemma Dolan (SF) 7,767 (14.9%)
@[Lord] Maurice Morrow (DUP) 7,102 (13.6%)
@Seán Lynch (SF) 6,254 (12.0%)
@Rosemary Barton (UUP) 6,060 (11.6%)
@Richie McPhillips (SDLP) 5,134 (9.8%)
Noreen Campbell (Alliance) 1,437 (2.7%)
Alex Elliott (TUV) 780 (1.5%)
Donal O'Cofaigh (Cross Comm Lab Alt) 643 (1.2%)
Tanya Jones (Green) 550 (1.1%)
Richard Dunn (Con) 70 (0.1%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

SF 22,008 (42.1%, +2.2%) 3 seats (+1)
DUP 15,581 (29.8%, -2.8%) 1 seat (-1)
UUP 6,060 (11.6%, -1.2%) 1 seat
SDLP 5,134 (9.8%, +1.4%) 0 seats (-1)
Alliance 1,437 (2.7%, 1.6%)
TUV 780 (1.5%, -1.0%)
Cross Comm Lab Alt 643 (1.2%)
Green 550 (1.1%, -0.8%)
Con 70 (0.1%)

Electorate: 73,100
Votes cast: 53,075 (72.6%, +8.0%), spoilt votes 812 (1.5%)
Valid votes: 52,263, quota 8,711

A remarkable (though not unexpected) gain for SF in the context of the overall number of seats decreasing. Despite a minor uptick in vote share, Richie McPhilips of the SDLP was eliminated by a margin of a mere 62 votes behind Sean Lynch of SF on the second count; he would still have needed SF transfers to pull ahead of the Unionists for the last seat. The 6276 SDLP transfers went 2898 to SF, 1834 non-transferable, and a massive 1471 to the UUP and only 73 to the DUP, pulling Barton well ahead of Morrow, who lost to Lynch on the final count by 306 votes.

2016 Brexit referendum

Total electorate: 71,051
Turnout: 48,187 (67.8%), highest in Northern Ireland.
Invalid votes: 29 (0.06%)
Votes to REMAIN: 28,200 (58.6%);
Votes to LEAVE: 19,958 (41.4%).
Eighth highest REMAIN vote share in Northern Ireland.

2016 Assembly election (six seats)

@Arlene Foster (DUP) 8,801 (18.7%)
@[Lord] Maurice Morrow (DUP) 6,602 (14.1%)
Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin) 6,614 (14.0%)
@Seán Lynch (Sinn Féin) 4,782 (10.1%)
Richie McPhillips (SDLP) 4,014 (8.5%)
John Feely (Sinn Féin) 4,002 (8.5%)
Rosemary Barton (UUP) 3,018 (6.4%)
@Alastair Patterson (UUP) 3,010 (6.4%)
@Phil Flanagan (Sinn Féin) 3,449 (7.3%)
Donald Crawford (TUV) 1,164 (2.5%)
Tanya Jones (Green (NI)) 897 (1.9%)
Kerri Blyberg (Alliance) 539 (1.1%)
Damien Harris (NI Labour) 285 (0.6%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

Sinn Féin18,847 (39.9%, -0.4%) 2 seats (-1)
DUP 15,403 (32.6%, +8.2%) 2 seats
UUP 6,028 (12.8%, -6.5%) 1 seat
SDLP 4,014 (8.5%, -1.1%) 1 seat (+1)
TUV 1,164 (2.5%, -0.1%)
Green 897 (1.9%)
Alliance 539 (1.1%, -0.7%)
NI Labour 285 (0.6%)

Electorate: 74,257
Turnout: 47,934 (64.6%); spoilt votes 757 (1.6%)
Valid votes: 47,177; quota: 6,740

A critical result for the SDLP, their only gain of the election, where despite fewer first preferences McPhilips benefited from 990 transfers from the UUP in the last two counts to finish 516.86 votes ahead of Phil Flanagan of SF. I was personally surprised that the UUP fell back significantly, despite their Westminster success, and their sitting MLA lost his seat to his running-mate.

2015 Westminster election

Tom Elliott (UUP) 23,608 (46.4%)
*Michelle Gildernew (SF) 23,078 (45.4%, -0.1%)
John Coyle (SDLP) 2,732 (5.4%, -2.3%)
Tanya Jones (Green) 788 (1.5%)
Hannah Su (Alliance) 658 (1.3%, +0.4%)
Electorate: 70,108; Total Poll: 51,152 (73.0%); Invalid Votes: 286 (0.6%); Valid Votes: 50,864

A dramatic victory for the UUP, adding to their recapture of South Antrim - the first time that a Nationalist-held seat has been captured by Unionists since 1983. I confess that I did not see it coming.

If cast in a six-seat Assembly election, these votes would give the UUP and SF three seats each.

2014 local government election

From the 2011 census, Fermanagh and South Tyrone includes:

The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Enniskillen
The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Erne East
The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Erne North
The entire Fermanagh and Omagh DEA of Erne West
and
The entire Mid Ulster DEA of Dungannon
93% of the Mid Ulster DEA of Clogher Valley
and
4% of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon DEA of Portadown.

With some adjustment for voter community background, I project the 2014 results as:

SF 13831 (32%)
UUP 10594 (24%)
DUP 7861 (18%)
SDLP 5396 (12%)
Inds 2966 (7%)
TUV 1624 (4%)
Fermanagh Against Fracking 555 (1%)
UKIP 339 (1%)
Alliance 242 (1%)
PUP 28 (0.1%)
NI21 4 (0.01%)

If cast in a six-seat STV election, those votes would likely give SF and the UUP two seats each and the DUP and SDLP one each.

2011 Assembly election (six seats)

@Michelle Gildernew MP (SF) 9,110 (19 .0%)
@Tom Elliott (UUP) 6,896 (14.4%)
@Arlene Foster (DUP) 6,876 (14.3%)
Sean Lynch (SF) 5,146 (10.7%)
Phil Flanagan (SF) 5,082 (10.6%)
@[Lord] Maurice Morrow (DUP) 4,844 (10.1%)
@Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 4,606 (9.6%)
Kenny Donaldson (UUP) 2,366 (4.9%)
Alex Elliott (TUV) 1,231 (2.6%)
Pat Cox (Independent) 997 (2.1%)
Hannah Su (Alliance) 845 (1.8%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

SF 19,338 (40.3%, +4.0%) 3 seats (+1)
DUP 11,720 (24.4%, -1.1%) 2 seats
UUP 9,262 (19.3%, -0.4%) 1 seat
SDLP 4,606 (9.6%, -4.4%) (-1)
TUV 1,231 (2.6%)
Cox 997 (2.1%)
Alliance 845 (1.8%, +0.6%)

Electorate: 70,985
Turnout: 48,949 (69.0%); spoilt votes 950 (1.9%)
Valid votes: 47,999; quota: 6,858

An impressive result for SF, who managed to largely contnue their squeeze on the SDLP from the previous year and took the SDLP seat here, Phil Flanagan a crucial 62 votes ahead of Tommy Gallagher on the last count (with the constituency providing the closest result of the 18 for the second time in a row).

2011 local government election

Votes cast in Fermanagh District Council and three DEAs of Dungannon and South Tyrone:

SF 15,884 (33.1%)
UUP 11,101 (23.1%)
DUP 10,247 (21.4%)
SDLP 6,101 (12.7%)
TUV 717 (1.5%)
Alliance 325 (0.7%)
Socialist 248 (0.5%)
Green 63 (0.1%)
Inds 3,272 (6.8%)

These votes, cast in a six-seat STV constituency, would probably have given SF and the UUP two seats, and the DUP and SDLP one seat each.

2010 Westminster election (one seat)

*@Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin) 21,304 (45.5%, +7.3%)
Rodney Connor (Independent) 21,300 (45.5%)
Fearghal McKinney (SDLP) 3,574 (7.6%, -7.2%)
Vasundhara Kamble (Alliance) 437 (0.9%)
John Stevenson (Independent) 188 (0.4%)
Electorate: 67,908; Total poll: 47,066 (69.3%); Invalid Votes: 263 (0.6%); Valid Votes: 46,803

* incumbent
@ elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly from this constituency

An extraordinary result, the closest in the UK, with Gildernew retaining her seat by a mere four votes (the next smallest majority was Glenda Jackson's victory in Hampstead and Kilburn, by 42 over the Conservatives). Gildernew effectively squeezed the SDLP vote by almost half, and it would appear that Connor was not able to move quite enough supporters of the two main Unionist parties to come out on the day. If these votes were cast in an Assembly election, Connor's supporters would win three seats, and so would Sinn F�in.

2007 Assembly Election (7 March, six seats)

Full details of each count are available from the Electoral Office (in PowerPoint format) here.

*Arlene Foster (DUP) 7138 (15.4%)
*Michelle Gildernew MP (SF) 7026 (15.1%)
*Tom Elliott (UUP) 6603 (14.2%)
*Gerry McHugh (SF) 5103 (11.0%)
Sean Lynch (SF) 4704 (10.1%)
*Maurice [Lord] Morrow (DUP) 4700 (10.1%)
*Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 4440 (9.6%)
Kenneth Donaldson (UUP) 2531 (5.4%)
Vincent Currie (SDLP) 2043 (4.4%)
Gerry McGeough (Independent) 814 (1.8%)
Allan Leonard (Alliance) 521 (1.1%)
Michael McManus (Independent) 431 (0.9%)
^Robert McCartney (UKUP) 388 (0.8%)

*Elected in 2003 from Fermanagh-South Tyrone
^Elected in 2003 from North Down

SF 16,833 (36.2%, +1.8%) 2 seats
DUP 11,838 (25.5%, +4.6%) 2 seats (+1)
UUP 9,134 (19.7%, -9.0%) 1 seat (-1)
SDLP 6,483 (14.0%, -2.3%) 1 seat
Inds 1,245 (2.7%)
Alliance 521 (1.1%, +0.6%)
UKUP 388 (0.8%)

Electorate 65,826
Votes cast 46,845 (71.1%); spoilt votes 403 (0.9%)
Valid votes 46,442; quota 6,636

DUP consolidated their gain through defection from the UUP. On the last count McHugh (SF) was 588 votes ahead of his party colleague Lynch, with undistributed surpluses of 379 from the DUP and 5 from the SDLP. McHugh subsequently resigned from SF and sat as an Independent member of the Assembly.

2005 Westminster election (5 May, 1 seat)

*@Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Fein) 18,638 (38.2% +4.1%)
@Arlene Foster (DUP) 14,056 (28.8%)
@Tom Elliot (UUP) 8,869 (18.2% -15.8%)
@Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 7,230 (14.8% -3.9%)

* outgoing MP.
@ Member of the Assembly

Given the continuing split between the Unionist candidates, Sinn Fein were always likely to hold this seat. These votes, if cast in a six-seat STV election, would give Sinn Fein and the DUP two seats each, and the UUP and SDLP one each.

2005 Local Government Election (5 May)

The constituency comprises all 23 wards in Fermanagh and 16 of 22 wards in Dungannon (all 5 wards in the Blackwater DEA, all 5 wards in the Clogher Valley DEA, and all 6 wards in the Dungannon Town DEA. First preference votes cast were as follows:

Sinn Fein 16954 (34.9%)
DUP 12162 (25.0%)
UUP 10534 (21.7%)
SDLP 8336 (17.2%)
Socialist Party 406 (0.8%)
Green 79 (0.2%)
Independent 115 (0.2%)

If cast in a six-seat STV election, these votes would elect two each from SF and the DUP, and one each from the UUP and the SDLP.

2003 Assembly election (26 November; six seats)

Also available: details of each count with analysis of surplus transfers.

*Michelle Gildernew (SF) 6489 (14.1%)
Tom Elliott (UUP) 6181 (13.4%)
*Maurice Morrow (DUP) 5536 (12.0%)
Tom O'Reilly (SF) 5019 (10.9%)
Arlene Foster (UUP) 4938 (10.7%)
*Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 4735 (10.3%)
*Gerry McHugh (SF) 4393 (9.5%)
Bert Johnston (DUP) 3094 (6.7%)
Frank Britton (SDLP) 2772 (6.0%)
Robert Mulligan (UUP) 2110 (4.6%)
Eithne McNulty (NIWC) 650 (1.4%)
Linda Cleland (Alliance) 243 (0.5%)

SF 15,901 (34.4%, +7.5%)
UUP 13,229 (28.7%, +4.1%)
DUP 8,630 (18.7%, +4.8%)
SDLP 7,507 (16.3%, -5.3%)
NIWC 650 (1.4%, -2.0%)
Alliance 243 (0.5%, -0.7%)

Electorate 64,336
Votes cast 46,873 (72.9%); spoilt votes 713 (1.5%)
Valid votes 46,160; quota 6,595

Initial reaction: No change in party strength, though Gerry McHugh lost his seat to running mate Tom O'Reilly.

Subsequent developments: Foster resigned from the UUP on 18 December 2003 and later joined the DUP. Morrow was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Morrow of Clogher Valley in June 2006

Fermanagh-South Tyrone had lost 7.95% of its electorate in the great electoral register shake-out, less than any constituency except Mid Ulster, varying from 13.11% in the Drumglass ward of Dungannon to 2.31% in the Tempo ward of Fermanagh.

2001 Westminster Election (7 June; 1 seat)

@Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Fein) 17,739 (34.1%)
James Cooper (UUP) 17,686 (34.0%)
@Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 9,706 (18.7%)
Jim Dixon (Independent) 6,843 (13.2%)

Electorate: 66,640; votes cast: 52,667 (79.0%); spoilt votes: 693 (1.3%)
Valid votes: 51,974; SF majority 53

@ member of the Assembly

One of SF's two dramatic gains in the election, though the margin was so narrow that the defeated UUP were threatening a court case. A six-seat Assembly election, based on these votes, would give SF and the UUP two seats each, and one each to the SDLP and Dixon.

2001 Local Government Election (7 June)

SF 16193 (31%)
UUP 15385 (30%)
SDLP 9560 (18%)
DUP 8502 (16%)
UKUP 182 (0.4%)
Independents 1969 (4%)
Total valid votes 51791

These votes would have given the UUP and SF two seats each, and the SDLP and DUP one each.

1998 Assembly Election (25 June; six seats)

Also available: details of each count with analysis of surplus transfers.

*Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 8,135
*Sam Foster (UUP) 5,589
*Gerry McHugh (SF) 5,459
Michelle Gildernew (SF) 4,703
Joan Carson (UUP) 4,400
Jim Dixon (UKU) 4,262
*Maurice Morrow (DUP) 3,987
Pat Treanor (SF) 3,552
Bert Johnston (DUP) 3,095
Olive Mullen (SDLP) 2,872
Bertie Kerr (UUP) 2,583
Marie Crawley (NIWC) 1,729
Stephen Farry (All) 614
Simeon Gillan (NLP) 63

SF 13,714 votes (26.87%) 2 seats
UUP 12,572 votes (24.63%) 2 seats
SDLP 11,007 votes (21.56%) 1 seat
DUP 7,082 votes (13.87%) 1 seat
UKUP 4,262 votes (8.35%)
WC 1,729 votes (3.39%)
Alliance 614 votes (1.2%)
NLP 63 votes (0.12%)

Electorate 65,383
Votes cast: 51,923 (79.4%); spoilt votes: 880 (1.7%)
Valid votes: 51,043; quota 7,292

* elected in 1996 Forum/talks election from Fermanagh-South Tyrone

No big surprise here as Sinn Féin consolidated their lead over the SDLP for the Nationalist vote. The UKUP started in sixth place, but were overtaken by the DUP's Maurice Morrow when his running-mate was eliminated. The UUP's Joan Carson took the last seat with 6,582 votes to Jim Dixon's 5,001, and Foster's undistributed surplus of 203 would have widened the gap. Dixon was to wreak revenge in 2001.

1997 Local Government Election

First preference votes cast in the whole of the Fermanagh council area and three Dungannon electoral areas were as follows:

Ulster Unionist Party 17,875 votes (39%)
Sinn Fein 10,413 votes (23%)
Social Democratic and Labour Party 8,329 votes (18%)
Democratic Unionist Party 5,563 votes (12%)
Non Party 1250 votes (3%)
Independent Nationalist 909 votes (2%)
Progressive Socialist 581 votes (1%)
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 523 votes (1%)
Democratic Left 412 votes (1%)
Women's Coalition 319 votes (1%)
Total valid votes 46,174 (71.24% of electorate)

1997 Westminster Election

*ƒ Ken Maginnis (Ulster Unionist Party) 24,862 (51%)
ƒ Gerry McHugh (Sinn Féin) 11,174 (23%)
ƒ Tommy Gallagher (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 11,060 (23%)
Stephen Farry (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 977 (2%)
Simeon Gillan (Natural Law Party) 217 (0.45%)
Turnout 48,290 (74.75%)

* outgoing MP
ƒ member of the Forum

1996 Forum election

Also available: full list of 1996 candidates

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 15,542 (32%) Ken Maginnis, Sam Foster elected
Sinn Féin (SF) 11,666 (24%); Gerry McHugh elected
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) 10,399 (22%); Tommy Gallagher elected
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) 6,589 (14%); Maurice Morrow elected
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) 831 (2%)
United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) 468 (1%)
Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) 464 (1%)
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (NIWC) 461 (1%)
Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) 410 (1%)
Labour (Lab) 297 (1%)
Green Party 208 (0.43%)
Workers Party (WP) 199 (0.41%)
Ulster Independence Movement (UIM) 189 (0.39%)
Democratic Left (DL) 128 (0.27%)
Independent McMullan 118 (0.25%)
Conservative Party (Con) 113 (0.23%)
Independent Chambers 36 (0.07%)
Natural Law Party (NLP) 23 (0.05%)

Electorate: 63,716; votes cast: 48,355 (75.8%); spoilt votes: 214 (0.4%); valid votes: 48,141

Maginnis had been elected to the 1982 Assembly for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

Results 1996-2007

	DUP	UUP	Oth U	Alliance	Oth	SDLP	SF
2007a	26%	20%	1%	1%	3%	14%	36%
2005w	29%	18%				15%	38%
2005lg	25%	22%			1%	17%	35%
2003a	19%	29%		1%	1%	16%	34%
2001w		34%	13%			19%	34%
2001lg	16%	30%	0%		4%	18%	31%
1998a	14%	25%	8%	1%	4%	22%	27%
1997lg	12%	39%		1%	8%	18%	23%
1997w		51%		2%	0%	23%	23%
1996f	14%	32%	3%	2%	3%	22%	24%

Other sites based at ARK: ORB (Online Research Bank) | CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) | Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey

Your comments, please! Send an email to me at nicholas.whyte@gmail.com.

This page has been developed with the support of a project grant from the New Initiatives Fund of the Electoral Commission. However, any views expressed on this page or, in particular, other pages of this website are those of the author and not necessarily shared by The Electoral Commission.

Nicholas Whyte, 3 June 1998; last updated 7 May 2022 by Conal Kelly.

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