North Down


Map and graph by Conal Kelly

This constituency takes in the northern part of North Down and Ards District Council. The member of parliament is Alex Easton (Independent Unionist); in 2024 he replaced Stephen Farry (Alliance), who had been elected in 2019. The previous MP was Sylvia Hermon (Independent - she left the UUP in early 2010) who retired, having represented North Down since the 2001 election. Standing as a UUP candidate, she had defeated the UKUP leader, Bob McCartney, who himself had first won the seat in a 1995 by-election caused by the death of Sir James Kilfedder, the leader of the Ulster Popular Unionist Party, who had represented North Down since the 1970s.

At the Assembly Alliance hold two seats here, and the DUP and UUP one each, with the last won by Independent Alex Easton (formerly of the DUP). See 1983-1995 North Down results, 1973-82 North Down results and 1950-1970 North Down results.

The new boundaries saw North Down take in a small sliver of Strangford and a larger sliver of East Belfast.

2024 Westminster election

Alex Easton (Ind U) 20,913 (48.3%)
Stephen Farry (Alliance) 13,608 (31.4%, -13.4%)
Tim Collins (UUP) 6,754 (15.6%, +3.7%)
Barry McKee (Green) 1,247 (2.9%)
Déirdre Vaughan (SDLP) 657 (1.5%)
Chris Carter (Ind) 117 (0.3%)

Electorate: 73,885; total vote 43,464 (58.8%); valid vote 43,296; invalid 168 (0.4%)

Impressive performance by Alex Easton, who had topped the last five Assembly polls here, but this time running as an independent; he clearly took votes from Alliance as well as from other Unionists.

If these votes were cast in a five-seat Assembly election (which they wouldn't be), Easton would win three of them and Alliance two.

2019 Westminster notional result on new boundaries:

Alliance 19,182 (44.9%)
DUP 16,541 (38.7%)
UUP 5,075 (11.9%)
Conservative 1,959 (4.6%)

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".

		DUP	UUP	Cons	Alliance
2019 actual		15,390	4,936	1,959	18,358
		37.9%	12.1%	4.8%	45.2%
From North Down	To North Down	15,390	4,936	1,959	18,358
From East Belfast	To North Down	1,148	138	0	823
From Strangford	To North Down	3	1	0	2
2019 notional		16,541	5,075	1,959	19,182
		38.7%	11.9%	4.6%	44.9%
		0.8%	-0.3%	-0.2%	-0.3%

Recent election results

	DUP	UUP	Cons	Oth U	Alliance	Green	Oth	SDLP	SF
2024w		15.6%		48.3%	31.4%	2.9%	0.3%	1.5%
2022a	19.9%	12.4%	0.6%	26.7%	28.9%	6.5%	1.6%	1.7%	1.6%
2019w	37.9%	12.1%	4.8%		45.2%
2019lg	29.5%	19.8%	2.1%	0.9%	25.6%	14.4%	7.3%	0.1%	0.3%
2017w	38.1%		2.4%	41.2%	9.3%	6.5%	0.1%	1.0%	1.4%
2017a	37.5%	21.5%	1.7%		18.6%	13.7%	3.6%	1.8%	1.6%
2016a	41.7%	15.5%	2.1%	4.0%	16.8%	12.7%	4.9%	1.3%	1.0%
2015w	23.6%		4.4%	55.2%	8.6%	5.4%	0.9%	1.0%	0.8%
2014lg	31.9%	17.3%	3.4%	7.5%	15.1%	7.9%	14.6%	2.3%	0.0%
2011a	44.2%	10.4%		8.9%	18.6%	7.9%	6.3%	2.7%	1.0%
2011lg	38.8%	14.3%	2.6%	2.0%	17.9%	6.8%	13.5%	1.2%
2010w		20.4%		68.2%	5.6%	3.1%		2.0%	0.8%
2007a	34.1%	23.7%	2.8%	7.1%	10.2%	9.2%	8.0%	3.6%	1.3%
2005w	35.1%	50.4%	2.5%		7.6%		0.7%	3.1%	0.6%
2005lg	34.3%	22.8%	1.1%	4.3%	15.4%	8.2%	12.2%	1.6%

NB that the UUP supported a Conservative candidate in 2010, and the Conservatives supported the UUP in the 2011 Assembly election.

2022 Assembly election (five seats)

@Alex Easton (Ind U) 9,568 (22.9%)
@Andrew Muir (Alliance) 6,838 (16.4%)
@Stephen Dunne (DUP) 6,226 (14.9%)
Connie Egan (Alliance) 5,224 (12.5%)
@Alan Chambers (UUP) 3,825 (9.2%)
@Rachel Woods (Green) 2,734 (6.5%)
Jennifer Gilmour (DUP) 2,068 (5.0%)
John Gordon (TUV) 1,574 (3.8%)
Naomi McBurney (UUP) 1,342 (3.2%)
Déirdre Vaughan (SDLP) 727 (1.7%)
Therese McCartney (SF) 687 (1.6%)
Ray McKimm (Ind) 604 (1.4%)
Matthew Robinson (Con) 254 (0.6%)
Chris Carter (Ind) 72 (0.2%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

Alliance 12,062 (28.9%, +10.3%) 2 seats
Ind U 9,568 (22.9%) 1 seat
DUP 8,294 (19.9%, -17.6%) 1 seat
UUP 5,167 (12.4%, -9.1%) 1 seat
Green 2,734 (6.5%, -7.2%) (-1)
TUV 1,574 (3.8%)
SDLP 727 (1.7%, -0.1%)
SF 687 (1.6%, ±0%)
Ind 676 (1.6%)
Con 254 (0.6%, -1.1%)

Electorate: 70,176
Votes cast: 42,198 (60.1%, +0.9%), spoilt votes 455 (1.1%)
Valid votes: 41,743, quota 6,958

For the fifth Assembly election in a row, Alex Easton topped the poll in North Down. This time, however, he was standing as an Independent Unionist, having parted ways with the DUP and thereby denying them their second seat. Alliance took the Green Party seat by 2,500.82 votes, with 848 Unionist surplus votes and 11.76 surplus Alliance votes which would have made little difference; one of two seats gained by Alliance from the Greens in this election (the other being South Belfast).

2019 Westminster election

@Stephen Farry (Alliance) 18,358 (45.2%, +35.9%)
@Alex Easton (DUP) 15,390 (37.9%, -0.3%)
@Alan Chambers (UUP) 4,936 (12.1%, +12.1%)
Matthew Robinson (Cons) 1,959 (4.8%, +2.4%)

@ member of the Assembly.

Electorate: 67,099; Total Poll: 40,842 (60.9%); Invalid Votes: 199 (0.5%); Valid Votes: 40,643

In the surprise result of the election, Farry managed to inherit Lady Hermon's support base while also benefiting from the absence of the Greens, the SDLP and SF. This was Alliance's highest ever vote share in a Westminster election. This was also the Conservatives best result in Northern Ireland. In a five-seat Assembly election, these votes would give Alliance and the DUP two seats each. The last seat would be between the UUP and a third Alliance, with the UUP slightly ahead.

2019 local government election

From the 2011 census, North Down includes:

DUP 8,411 (29.5%)
Alliance 7,296 (25.6%)
UUP 5,634 (19.8%)
Green 4,089 (14.4%)
Inds 2,086 (7.3%)
Cons 610 (2.1%)
UKIP 250 (0.9%)
SF 74 (0.3%)
SDLP 22 (0.1%)
PUP 4 (0.01%)

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

2017 Westminster election

*Sylvia Hermon (Ind) 16,148 (41.2%, -8.0%)
@Alex Easton (DUP) 14,940 (38.1%, +14.5%)
Andrew Muir (Alliance) 3.639 (9.3%, +0.7%)
@Steven Agnew (Green) 2,549 (6.5%, +1.1%)
Frank Shivers (Con) 941 (2.4%, -2.0%)
Therese McCartney (SF) 531 (1.4%, +0.6%)
Caoímhe McNeill (SDLP) 400 (1.0%, ±0)
Gavan Reynolds (Ind) 37 (0.1%)

* outgoing MP.
@ member of the Assembly.

Electorate: 64,334; Total Poll: 39,268 (61.0%); Invalid Votes: 83 (0.2%); Valid Votes: 39,185

Hermon's narrowest squeak since she was first elected, with the DUP snapping ever closer at her heels. In a five-seat Assembly election, these votes would give her two seats, the DUP two and probably Alliance the last one.

2017 Assembly election (five seats)

@Alex Easton (DUP) 8,034 (21.3%)
@Alan Chambers (UUP) 7,151 (18.9%)
@Stephen Farry (Alliance) 7,014 (18.6%)
@Gordon Dunne (DUP) 6,118 (16.2%)
@Steven Agnew (Green) 5,178 (13.7%)
Melanie Kennedy (Ind) 1,246 (3.3%)
William Cudworth (UUP) 964 (2.6%)
Caoímhe McNeill (SDLP) 679 (1.8%)
Frank Shivers (Con) 641 (1.7%)
Kieran Maxwell (SF) 591 (1.6%)
Chris Carter (Ind) 92 (0.2%)
Gavan Reynolds (Ind) 31 (0.1%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

DUP 14,152 (37.5%, -4.2%) 2 seats (-1)
UUP 8,115 (21.5%, +6.0%) 1 seat
Alliance 7,014 (18.6%, +1.8%) 1 seat
Green 5,178 (13.7%, +1.0%) 1 seat
Ind 1,369 (3.6%)
SDLP 679 (1.8%, +0.5%)
Con 641 (1.7%, -0.4%)
SF 591 (1.6%, +0.6%)

Electorate: 64,461
Votes cast: 38,174 (59.2%, +9.2%), spoilt votes 435 (1.1%)
Valid votes: 37,739, quota 6,290

Five of the six incumbent MLAs stood here (the sixth having moved next door to Strangford) and all five were comfortably returned, the last being Steven Agnew of the Greens, who on the last count had 6,160.50 votes to 3,058.06 for Cudworth (UUP), 1,596.88 for Kennedy (Ind) and 1,202.88 for McNeill (SDLP).

2016 Brexit referendum

Total electorate: 65,660
Turnout: 44,211 (67.3%), 2/18.
Invalid votes: 34 (0.08%), highest in Northern Ireland.
Votes to REMAIN: 23,131 (52.4% )
Votes to LEAVE: 21,046 (47.6%).
Ninth highest REMAIN vote share in Northern Ireland.

2016 Assembly election (six seats)

@Alex Easton (DUP) 6,357 (19.7%)
@Gordon Dunne (DUP) 4,004 (12.4%)
@Steven Agnew (Green) 4,109 (12.7%)
Alan Chambers (UUP) 3,275 (10.2%)
@Peter Weir (DUP) 3,085 (9.6%)
@Stephen Farry (Alliance) 3,012 (9.3%)
Andrew Muir (Alliance) 2,387 (7.4%)
Carl McClean (UUP) 1,495 (4.6%)
Brian Wilson (Independent) 1,415 (4.4%)
Bill Piper (UKIP) 681 (2.1%)
Frank Shivers (Conservatives) 672 (2.1%)
John Brennan (TUV) 610 (1.9%)
Conal Browne (SDLP) 426 (1.3%)
Therese McCartney (Sinn Féin) 307 (1.0%)
Chris Eisenstadt (UUP) 217 (0.7%)
Maria Lourenco (NI Labour) 177 (0.5%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

DUP 13,446 (41.7%, -2.5%) 3 seats
Alliance 5,399 (16.8%, -1.8%) 1 seat
UUP 4,987 (15.5%, +5.1%) 1 seat
Green 4,109 (12.7%, +4.8%) 1 seat
Independent 1,415 (4.4%)
UKIP 681 (2.1%, -0.1%)
Conservatives 672 (2.1%)
TUV 610 (1.9%)
SDLP 426 (1.3%, -1.4%)
Sinn Féin 307 (1.0%, no change)
NI Labour 177 (0.5%)

Electorate 65,760
Votes cast 32,597 (50.0%); spoilt votes 368 (1.1%)
Valid votes 32,229; quota 4,605

All incumbents comfortably held on, former independent councillor Alan Chambers taking over the UUP seat. Stephen Farry's initial 625 vote lead over Alliance running-mate Andrew Muir had widened to 973.16 by the last count.

2015 Westminster election

*Sylvia Hermon (Independent) 17,689 (49.2%, -14.1%)
Alex Easton (DUP) 8,487 (23.6%)
Andrew Muir (Alliance) 3,086 (8.6%, +3.0%)
Steven Agnew (Green) 1,958 (5.4%, +2.3%)
Mark Brotherston (Conservative) 1,593 (4.4%)
Jonny Lavery (UKIP) 1,482 (4.1%)
William Cudworth (TUV) 686 (1.9%, -3.0%)
Tom Woolley (SDLP) 355 (1.0%, -1.0%)
Glenn Donnelly (Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol) 338 (0.9%)
Therese McCartney (SF) 273 (0.8%, ±0.0%)
Electorate: 64,207; Total Poll: 36,041 (56.1%); Invalid Votes: 97 (0.3%); Valid Votes: 35,944

Hermon's vote dropped considerably due to tactical unwind from the 2010 election, but she was still returned by a decent margin.

If cast in a six-seat Assembly election, these votes would have given her three seats, the DUP two and Alliance one.

2014 local government election

From the 2011 census, North Down includes:

The entire North Down and Ards DEA of Bangor Central
The entire North Down and Ards DEA of Bangor East and Donaghadee
The entire North Down and Ards DEA of Bangor West
The entire North Down and Ards DEA of Holywood and Clandeboye
11% of the North Down and Ards DEA of Ards Peninsula
and
1% of the Belfast DEA of Ormiston

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

DUP 8249 (32%)
UUP 4483 (17%)
Alliance 3910 (15%)
Inds 2451 (9%)
Green 2031 (8%)
TUV 1159 (4%)
NI21 924 (4%)
Cons 888 (3%)
UKIP 759 (3%)
SDLP 592 (2%)
Community Partnership 399 (2%)
PUP 7 (0.03%)
SF 6 (0.02%)

If cast in a six-seat STV election, those votes would certainly give the DUP two seats and the UUP and Alliance one each. The last two would be most likely to go to the Greens and the third DUP candidate, depending on balancing.

2011 Assembly election (six seats)

@Alex Easton (DUP) 5,175 (18.4%)
Gordon Dunne (DUP) 3,741 (13.3%)
@Peter Weir (DUP) 3,496 (12.4%)
@Stephen Farry (Alliance) 3,131 (11.1%)
Steven Agnew (Green) 2,207 (7.9%)
Anne Wilson (Alliance) 2,100 (7.5%)
@Alan McFarland (Independent) 1,879 (6.7%)
Alan Chambers (Independent) 1,765 (6.3%)
Leslie Cree (UUP) 1,585 (5.6%)
Colin Breen (UUP) 1,343 (4.8%)
Liam Logan (SDLP) 768 (2.7%)
Fred McGlade (UKIP) 615 (2.2%)
Conor Keenan (SF) 293 (1.0%)

@ member of the Assembly when it was dissolved.

DUP 12,412 (44.2%, +10.1%) 3 seats (+1)
Alliance 5,231 (18.6%, +8.4%) 1 seat
Independents 3,624 (13.0%)
UUP 2,928 (10.4%, -13.3%) 1 seat (-1)
Green 2,207 (7.9%, -1.4%) 1 seat
SDLP 768 (2.7%, -0.9%)
UKIP 615 (2.2%)
SF 293 (1.0%, -0.3%)

Electorate 62,170
Votes cast 28,528 (45.9%); spoilt votes 430 (1.5%)
Valid votes 28,098; quota 4,015

Agnew held the Green seat by 99 votes ahead of Alliance's Anne Wilson, with 62 votes of Stephen Farry's surplus undistributed, which makes this realistically an even tighter result than Fermanagh-South Tyrone. Wilson had survived elimination on a previous round by being 45 votes ahead of Alan McFarland, though probably her votes would not have changed the final result; McFarland had been 95 votes ahead of Chambers in a previous round. DUP gain from UUP, with the UUP vote utterly splintered and devastated, in a seat which they held at Westminster until their MP's resignation from the party only a year or so before.

2011 local government election

The constituency comprises the whole of North Down Council and 3 of the 6 wards of the Ards East DEA of Ards Council (Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South and Millisle). My projection of votes cast in 2011 is:

DUP 10,867 (38.8%)
Alliance 5,022 (17.9%)
UUP 4,014 (14.3%)
Green 1,915 (6.8%)
Community Partnership 800 (2.9%)
Cons 727 (2.6%)
UKIP 427 (1.5%)
SDLP 338 (1.2%)
TUV 144 (0.5%)
Independents 3,783 (13.5%)

In a six-seat STV election, these votes would have given the DUP three seats and Alliance and the UUP one each, with the last between an independent, a Green, and possibly a fortunate second Alliance candidate.

2010 Westminster election (one seat)

*Sylvia Hermon (Independent) 21,181 (63.3%)
Ian Parsley (UCUNF) 6,817 (20.4%, -32.5%)
@Stephen Farry (Alliance) 1,876 (5.6%, -2.0%)
Mary Kilpatrick (TUV) 1,634 (4.9%)
Steven Agnew (Green) 1,043 (3.1%)
Liam Logan (SDLP) 680 (2.0%, -1.1%)
Vincent Parker (Sinn Féin) 250 (0.8%, +0.2%)

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

A storming performance by incumbent Sylvia Hermon, who clearly took votes from all her political party rivals; she was helped by the DUP's decision not to contest but I think would have narrowly beaten them anyway even if she had stood. North Down was already unusual as the only constituency where different parties topped the poll in 2005 and 2007; it was remarkable that neither of those parties had its own candidate here in 2010, Parsley being one of two Conservatives in the UCUNF alliance. If this had been an Assembly election, Lady Hermon would have won four seats on her own, the UCUNF one, and the last one between Lady Hermon's fifth self, a second UCUNF candidate and Alliance.

2007 Assembly Election (7 March, six seats)

Full details of each count are available here.

*Alex Easton (DUP) 4946 (16.1%)
*Peter Weir (DUP) 3376 (11.0%)
Stephen Farry (Alliance) 3131 (10.2%)
*Leslie Cree (UUP) 2937 (9.6%)
Brian Wilson (Green) 2839 (9.2%)
*Alan McFarland (UUP) 2245 (7.3%)
Alan Graham (DUP) 2147 (7.0%)
Marion Smith (UUP) 2098 (6.8%)
*Robert McCartney (UKUP) 1806 (5.9%)
Brian Rowan (Independent) 1194 (3.9%)
Alan Chambers (Independent Unionist) 1129 (3.7%)
William Logan (SDLP) 1115 (3.6%)
James Leslie (Conservative) 864 (2.8%)
Deaglan Page (SF) 390 (1.3%)
Elaine Martin (PUP) 367 (1.2%)
Christopher Carter (Independent) 123 (0.4%)

*Elected in 2003 from North Down

DUP 10,469 (34.1%, +10.6%) 2 seats
UUP 7,280 (23.7%, -8.4%) 2 seats
Alliance 3,131 (10.2%, +1.6%) 1 seat
Green 2,839 (9.2%, +6.9%) 1 seat (+1)
UKUP 1,806 (5.9%, -5.7%) (-1)
Rowan 1,194 (3.9%)
Chambers 1,129 (3.7%, +0.2%)
SDLP 1,115 (3.6%, -1.3%)
Conservative 864 (2.8%, +1.2%)
SF 390 (1.3%, +0.4%)
PUP 367 (1.2%, +0.2%))
Carter 123 (0.4%, +0.05%)

Electorate 57,525
Votes cast 30,930 (53.8%); spoilt votes 223 (0.7%)
Valid votes 30,707; quota 4,387

An impressive gain for the Green Party, eliminating Robert McCartney's UKUP from the political scene after twelve years. Graham (DUP) was 731 votes behind McFarland (UUP) on the final count, with undistributed surpluses of 300 from the UUP, 185 from the Green Party and 79 from Alliance, all of which had originated with Smith of the UUP and would therefore have increased the margin. Smith was the UUP's only female candidate in this entire election.

2005 Westminster election (5 May, 1 seat)

*Lady Sylvia Hermon (UUP) 16,268 (50.4% -5.6%)
@Peter Weir (DUP) 11,324 (35.1%)
David Alderdice (Alliance) 2,451 (7.6%)
Liam Logan (SDLP) 1,009 (3.1% -0.3%)
Julian Robertson (Conservative) 822 (2.5% +0.3%)
Chris Carter (Independent) 211 (0.7%)
Janet McCrory (Sinn Fein) 205 (0.6% -0.2%)

* outgoing MP.
@ Member of the Assembly.

A big relief for the UUP who would otherwise have been left with no Westminster seats - but Lady Hermon clearly owes her victory to Alliance tactical votes. These results, projected to a six-seat STV election, would give the UUP three and the DUP two, with the last probably going to Alliance.

2005 Local Government Election

The constituency comprises the whole of North Down Council and 3 of the 6 wards of the Ards East DEA of Ards Council (Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South and Millisle). Votes cast in 2005 were:

DUP 11,034 (34.3%)
UUP 7,343.5 (22.8%)
Alliance 4,958 (15.4%)
Independent 3,180 (9.9%)
Green 2,639 (8.2%)
Women's Coalition 738 (2.3%)
UKUP 734 (2.3%)
PUP 651 (2.0%)
SDLP 526 (1.6%)
Conservative 353 (1.1%)

If these votes were cast in a six-seat STV election, the DUP would have two seats and the UUP and Alliance one each; the last two would be most likely to go to the UUP and the Green Party.

2003 Assembly election (26 November; six seats)

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

Leslie Cree (UUP) 3900 (12.6%)
*Peter Weir (DUP) 3675 (11.9%)
Alex Easton (DUP) 3570 (11.6%)
*Alan McFarland (UUP) 3421 (11.1%)
*Robert McCartney (UKUP) 3374 (10.9%)
Diana Peacocke (UUP) 2566 (8.3%)
*Eileen Bell (Alliance) 1951 (6.3%)
Liam Logan (SDLP) 1519 (4.9%)
Brian Wilson (Ind) 1350 (4.4%)
*Jane Morrice (NIWC) 1181 (3.8%)
Alan Chambers (Ind) 1077 (3.5%)
John Barry (Green) 730 (2.4%)
Stephen Farry (Alliance) 704 (2.3%)
Julian Robertson (Cons) 491 (1.6%)
Alan Field (Ind) 428 (1.4%)
David Rose (PUP) 316 (1.0%)
Maria George (SF) 264 (0.9%)
Tom Sheridan (UKUP) 209 (0.7%)
Chris Carter (Ind) 109 (0.4%)

UUP 9,887 (32.1%, -0.5%) 2 seats
DUP 7,245 (23.5%, +16.6%) 2 seats
UKUP 3,583 (11.6%, -10.8%) 1 seat Best result for UKUP in Northern Ireland
Inds 2,964 (9.6%, +6.0%)
Alliance 2,655 (8.6%, -5.8%) 1 seat
SDLP 1,519 (4.9%, -0.6%)
NIWC 1,181 (3.8%, -1.0%)
Green 730 (2.4%) Best result for Greens in Northern Ireland
Cons 491 (1.6%, +0.7%) Best result for Conservatives in Northern Ireland
PUP 316 (1.0%, -2.7%)
SF 264 (0.9%)

Electorate 57,422
Votes cast 31,316 (54.5%); spoilt votes 481 (1.5%)
Valid votes 30,835; quota 4,406

The DUP made two gains here, one from the UUP (almost inevitable with Peter Weir's defection) and the other from the NIWC. Eileen Bell benefited from transfers from the Greens, NIWC, SDLP, and independent Brian Wilson; the final margin between the DUP's Easton and the UUP's Peacocke was 421 votes.

North Down had lost 10.96% of its electorate in the great electoral register shake-out, varying from 8.84% in the Harbour ward of North Down to 7.50% in the Donaghadee North ward of Ards. 11 constituencies lost fewer voters, 6 lost more.

2001 Westminster Election (7 June; 1 seat)

Lady Sylvia Hermon (UUP) 20,833 (56.0%)
*@Robert McCartney (UKUP) 13,509 (36.3%)
Marietta Farrell (SDLP) 1,275 (3.4%)
Julian Robertson (Cons) 815 (2.2%) Best result in Northern Ireland
Chris Carter (Ind) 444 (1.2%)
Eamon McConvey (Sinn Fein) 313 (0.8%)

Electorate: 63,212; votes cast: 37,377 (59.1%); spoilt votes: 188 (0.5%)
Valid votes: 37,189; UUP majority 7,324

* outgoing MP
@ member of the Assembly

This eagerly anticipated gain for the UUP was facilitated by the decision of Alliance candidate Stephen Farry to withdraw from the race in order to help defeat McCartney. If this had been a six-seat Assembly election, the UUP would have won four and UKUP two.
I received the news that McCartney had lost in a small radio studio packed with guests of varying political hues, all of whom were delighted. Danny Morrison commented that he had never thought the day would come that he would be cheering on the wife of the former Chief Constable of the RUC.

2001 Local Government Election (7 June)

The constituency comprises all 25 wards in North Down and 3 of the 23 wards in Ards (3 of the 6 wards in the Ards East DEA). However in 2001 only six candidates were nominated in Ards East, and they were declared elected without a vote. The first preference votes cast in the North Down District in 2001 were as follows:

UUP 8883 (27%)
Alliance 5718 (18%)
DUP 4631 (14%)
UKUP 3034 (9%) Best equivalent result in Northern Ireland
PUP 1167 (4%)
NIWC 1166 (4%) Best equivalent result in Northern Ireland
Conservatives 551 (2%) Best equivalent result in Northern Ireland
NIUP 188 (1%)
Independents 7159 (22%)

Including notional votes from Ards East would boost the UUP and DUP fractionally and diminish the votes for the others a little less. The UUP should win two seats in an STV election, and Alliance and the DUP one each. The last two are anybody's.

1998 Assembly Election (25 June; six seats)

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

*Robert McCartney (UKU) 8,188
#Sir John Gorman (UUP) 4,719
*Alan McFarland (UUP) 4,653
#Eileen Bell (Alliance) 3,669
*Peter Weir (UUP) 2,775
Marietta Farrell (SDLP) 2,048
Jane Morrice (NIWC) 1,808
Gavin Walker (Alliance) 1,699
Alan Graham (DUP) 1,558
Alan Chambers (Ulster Ind) 1,382
Stewart Currie (PUP) 1,376
Brian Wilson (Ind) 1,327
*St Clair McAlister (DUP) 1,013
Leonard Fee (C) 337
Tom Lindsay (UDP) 265
Vanessa Baird-Gunning (Lab) 212
Elizabeth Roche (UKU) 173
Christopher Carter (Ulster's Independent Voice) 72
Andrea Gribben (NLP) 39 UUP 12,147 (32.55%) 3 seats
Best result for UUP in Northern Ireland
UKU 8,361 (22.41%) 1 seat
Alliance 5,368 (14.39%) 1 seat
DUP 2,571 (6.89%)
SDLP 2,048 (5.49%)
NIWC 1,808 (4.85%) 1 seat
Ulster Ind 1,382 (3.70%)
PUP 1,376 (3.69%)
Ind 1,327 (3.56%)
C 337 (0.90%)
UDP 265 (0.71%)
Lab 212 (0.57%)
UIV 72 (0.19%)
NLP 39 (0.10%)
Electorate: 62,942
Votes cast: 37,874 (60.2%); spoilt votes: 561 (1.5%)
Valid votes 37,313; quota: 5,331

* elected in 1996 Forum/talks election from North Down
# elected in 1996 Forum/talks election as a 'top-up' candidate.

The poor performance of the DUP, as well as the success of the Women's Coalition and the UUP's third seat, were all major surprises here in perhaps the most volatile constituency in Northern Ireland. The SDLP's good performance was not enough to prevent them being eliminated; their transfers pulled Jane Morrice of the Women's Coalition ahead of the DUP. The last seat went to Peter Weir of the UUP, who finished with 4,751 votes to Alan Graham's 4,443 (Sir John Gorman's undistributed surplus of 15 votes would have slightly widened the gap.)

1997 Local Government Election

Ulster Unionist Party 5,273.6 (25%)
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 4,460 (21%) Best equivalent result for Alliance in Northern Ireland
Democratic Unionist Party 2,228.8 (11%)
United Kingdom Unionist Party 1,865.6 (9%)
Conservative Party 1,372 (7%)
Progressive Unionist Party 871 (4%)
Ulster Democratic Party 131 (1%)
Others 4,633 (22%)
Total valid 20,835 (33.19% of electorate)

1997 Westminster Election (one seat)

*ƒ Robert McCartney (United Kingdom Unionist Party) 12,817 (35%)
ƒ Alan McFarland (Ulster Unionist Party) 11,368 (31%)
ƒ Sir Oliver Napier (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 7,554 (21%)
Leonard Fee (Conservative Party) 1,810 (5%)
Marietta Farrell (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 1,602 (4%)
Jane Morrice (Northern Ireland Women's Coalition) 1,240 (3%)
Tom Mullins (Natural Law Party) 108 (0.30%)
Robert Mooney (Northern Ireland Party) 57 (0.16%)
Turnout 36,556 (58.02%)

ƒ member of the Forum

1996 Forum Election (five seats)

Also available: full list of 1996 candidates

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 9,270 (26%) 2 seats (Peter Weir, Alan McFarland elected)
United Kingdom Unionist Party (UKUP) 7,579 (21%) 1 seat (Robert McCartney elected)
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) 6,699 (18%) 1 seat (St Clair McAlister elected)
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) 6,186 (17%) 1 seat (Sir Oliver Napier elected)
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) 1,798 (5%)
Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) 1,694 (5%)
Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) 651 (2%)
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (NIWC) 496 (1%)
Conservative Party (Con) 444 (1%)
Independent Chambers 334 (1%)
Green Party 283 (1%)
Sinn Féin (SF) 275 (1%)
Labour (Lab) 171 (0.47%)
Independent Democratic Unionist Party 97 (0.27%)
Democratic Left (DL) 95 (0.26%)
Workers Party (WP) 60 (0.17%)
Ulster Independence Movement (UIM) 49 (0.14%)
Ulster's Independent Voice (UIV) 49 (0.14%)
Natural Law Party (NLP) 15 (0.04%)

Electorate: 62,810; votes cast: 36,271 (57.7%); spoilt votes: 26 (0.0%); valid votes: 36,245

Napier had been elected to the 1973 Assembly, the 1975 Convention and the 1982 Assembly from East Belfast; McCartney was elected in 1982 for North Down.

Results 1996-2007

	DUP	UKUP	UUP	Cons	Oth U	Alliance	NIWC	Green	Oth	SDLP	SF
2007a	34%	6%	24%	3%	4%	10%		9%	4%	4%	1%
2005w	35%		50%	3%		8%			1%	3%	1%
2005lg	34%	2%	23%	1%	2%	15%	2%	8%	10%	2%
2003a	23%	12%	32%	2%	5%	9%	4%	2%	10%	5%	1%
2001w		36%	56%	2%					1%	3%	1%
2001lg*	14%	9%	27%	2%	4%	17%			22%
1998a	7%	22%	33%	1%	8%	14%	5%		4%	5%
1997lg	11%	9%	25%	7%	5%	21%			22%
1997w		35%	31%	5%		21%	3%		0%	4%
1996f	18%	21%	26%	1%	8%	17%	1%	1%	2%	5%	1%

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.

The Author | What's New | Your Comments

Disclaimer:� Nicholas Whyte 1998-2015