Deirdre O Meara The Northern Ireland Council Election has seen the first councillors elected, with Sinn Féin making a strong start as results are declared across the country. Sinn Féin’s Gary McCleave was the first to gain a seat with 1,958 first preference votes in the Killutagh DEA in Lisburn & Castlereagh Council, while the party saw its first-ever councillor elected in Lisburn city, with Paul Burke leading the Lisburn North first preference vote on 1,239. Among the first 60 councillors elected, Sinn Féin led the way with 30 councillors ahead of the DUP with 17 seats, the Alliance Party with six seats, UUP with three and the SDLP with two seats along with two independents.
The general pattern around voter turnout appeared to be up slightly in areas which would be regarded as predominantly nationalist/republican and down slightly in areas viewed as unionist majority.
In Belfast, Sinn Fein claimed the council’s first seat with Geraldine McAteer elected in Balmoral with 2,037 first preference votes. Eleven councillors have been elected so far in the city, with seven Sinn Féin seats and four DUP. The city’s Lord Mayor, Sinn Fein’s Tina Black has been re-elected in Court, but the DUP topped the poll with two councillors elected on the first count.
Counting is underway at all 11 count centres on Friday. The elections use the single transferable vote system where voters rank candidates in order of preference. Speaking to Belfast Telegraph from the Lagan Valley Leisureplex, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was in good spirits, saying the party was “polling well”.
Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O’Neill said: “It’s very early in the day but I think it’s clear that the public have come out in large numbers and have endorsed the Sinn Féin message of positivity, of looking towards the future, getting the Executive up and running and to elect hard-working councillors.”
Voters went to the polls on Thursday to decide who would represent them on the 11 councils. The final results are not expected to be confirmed until Saturday. Sinn Fein’s Annie O’Lone, Lucille O’Hagan, and Henry Cushnahan celebrated being elected for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council at the Valley Leisure Centre count in Newtownabbey. Sinn Fein’s Geraldine McAteer is the first councillor elected to Belfast City Council. The DUP’s Alison Bennington, Jeannie Archibald, and South Antrim MP Paul Girvan were present at the Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey as the votes were counted. Neil Kelly of the Alliance Party also celebrated being elected for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council at the Valley Leisure Centre count in Newtownabbey.
The voter turnout was up from 2019, with the general pattern showing a slight increase in areas regarded as predominantly nationalist/republican and a slight decrease in areas viewed as unionist majority. The elections use the single transferable vote system where voters rank candidates in order of preference.
The Northern Ireland Council Election is still ongoing, and the final results are not expected to be confirmed until Saturday. It is clear that Sinn Féin has made a strong start, with the party leading the way with 30 councillors elected so far. The DUP follows with 17 seats, the Alliance Party with six seats, UUP with three, and the SDLP with two seats along with two independents. The public has come out in large numbers, and the Sinn Féin message of positivity has been endorsed.
