2023 Mid and East Antrim District Council election

Last updated
2023 Mid and East Antrim District Council election
Flag placeholder.svg
  2019 18 May 20232027 

All 40 council seats
21 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Jeffrey Donaldson election infobox.jpg
Doug Beattie.png
Naomi Long 2021.png
Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Doug Beattie Naomi Long
Party DUP UUP Alliance
Last election1577
Seats won1487
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 1Steady2.svg 0
Popular vote15,6278,7649,571
Percentage30.9%17.3%18.9%
SwingDecrease2.svg1.1%Decrease2.svg 0.9%Increase2.svg 3.1%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
JimAllister (cropped).jpg
Michelle O'Neill (cropped from Martin McGuinness, Michelle O'Neill, Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams).jpg
Leader Jim Allister Michelle O'Neill [n 1] None
Party TUV Sinn Féin Independent
Last election523
Seats won542
Seat changeSteady2.svg 0Increase2.svg 2Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote8,0504,7002,205
Percentage15.9%9.3%4.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg 0.7%Increase2.svg 2.9%Decrease2.svg 3.8%

Mid and East Antrim District Council Election 2023.svg

Council control before election

No overall control

Council control after election

Democratic Unionist Party

The 2023 election to Mid and East Antrim District Council was held on 18 May 2023, alongside other local elections in Northern Ireland, two weeks after local elections in England. [1] The Northern Ireland elections were delayed by 2 weeks to avoid overlapping with the coronation of King Charles III. [2]

Contents

They returned 40 members to the council via Single Transferable Vote.

Controversies

Tyler Hoey was selected as a DUP candidate to contest the 2023 Mid and East Antrim Council elections. In 2020, Hoey 'liked' a social media post commemorating the Greysteel massacre, which stated, "On this day 27 years ago, An Ulster Freedom Fighters Active Service Unit from North Antrim-Londonderry Brigade 'Trick or Treated' its way into the republican Rising Sun bar in Greysteel in order to gain revenge for the Shankill Bombing. Spirit of '93". [3] Following this revelation, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said that Hoey "deeply regrets some of the things that he said in the past" and that he is "entitled to a second chance." [4]

Election results

Mid and East Antrim District Council Election Result 2023
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  DUP 1401Decrease2.svg 132.5030.9015,627Decrease2.svg1.08
  UUP 810Increase2.svg 120.0017.338,764Decrease2.svg 0.91
  Alliance 700Steady2.svg 017.5018.939,571Increase2.svg 3.11
  TUV 500Steady2.svg 012.5015.928,050Increase2.svg 0.70
  Sinn Féin 420Increase2.svg 210.009.294,700Increase2.svg 2.89
  Independent 201Decrease2.svg 15.004.362,205Decrease2.svg 3.89
  SDLP 001Decrease2.svg 10.002.011,016Increase2.svg 0.20
  Green (NI) 000Steady2.svg 00.000.92464Increase2.svg 0.37
  PUP 000Steady2.svg 00.000.32164Decrease2.svg 0.33
Total4050,571

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

Results of the 2023 Mid and East Antrim District Council election
by district
District Electoral Area (DEA) %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
Total
cllrs
DUP UUP Alliance TUV Sinn Féin SDLP Independents and others
Ballymena23.092Steady2.svg13.281Increase2.svg 112.291Steady2.svg13.581Steady2.svg12.691Increase2.svg 111.030 Decrease2.svg 114.041Decrease2.svg 17
Bannside23.852Steady2.svg10.741Steady2.svg8.750 Steady2.svg39.542Steady2.svg14.721Steady2.svg2.400 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg6
Braid35.312Decrease2.svg 118.681Steady2.svg10.741Steady2.svg21.512Steady2.svg13.761Increase2.svg 10.00 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg7
Carrick Castle39.222Steady2.svg23.302Steady2.svg25.701Steady2.svg6.990 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg4.790 Steady2.svg5
Coast Road32.652Steady2.svg13.31Steady2.svg26.231Steady2.svg5.790 Steady2.svg20.081Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg1.950 Steady2.svg5
Knockagh31.992Steady2.svg19.041Steady2.svg25.531Steady2.svg5.370 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg18.071Steady2.svg5
Larne Lough32.152Steady2.svg25.271Steady2.svg32.562Steady2.svg6.670 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg0.00 Steady2.svg3.350 Steady2.svg5
Total30.9014Decrease2.svg 117.338Increase2.svg 118.937Steady2.svg15.925Steady2.svg9.294Increase2.svg 22.010Decrease2.svg 15.602Decrease2.svg 140

District results

Ballymena

2019: 2 x DUP, 2 x Independent, 1 x TUV, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance

2023: 2 x DUP, 1 x TUV, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent

2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin and UUP gain from SDLP and Independent

Ballymena - 7 seats [5]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234
Independent Rodney Quigley*14.02%1,023   
TUV Matthew Armstrong*13.58%991   
UUP Colin Crawford 13.28%969   
Sinn Féin Bréanainn Lyness12.69%926   
DUP Reuben Glover12.51%913   
Alliance John Hyland*12.29%897913.80  
DUP Lawrie Philpott6.33%462514.64 831.80 906.90
SDLP Eugene Reid*11.03%805816.62 820.04 822.84
DUP Andrew Wright4.25%310337.58   
Electorate: 16,173  Valid: 7,296 (45.11%)  Spoilt: 40  Quota: 913  Turnout: 7,336 (45.55%)  

    Bannside

    2019: 2 x TUV, 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Sinn Féin

    2023: 2 x TUV, 2 x DUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP

    2019–2023 Change: No change

    Bannside - 6 seats [5]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456
    TUV Timothy Gaston*16.72%1,468     
    TUV Stewart McDonald*16.42%1,442     
    Sinn Féin Ian Friary*14.72%1,292     
    DUP Thomas Gordon*14.31%1,256     
    DUP Tyler Hoey9.54%838865.45 867.45 892.28 892.43 1,295.83
    UUP Jackson Minford10.74%943957.1 965.1 983.69 984.14 1,238.67
    Alliance Jack Gibson8.75%768773.25 961.25 965.02 994.63 1,015.02
    TUV Anna Henry6.40%562727.75 728.9 862.54 862.75  
    SDLP Morgan Murphy2.40%211211.15     
    Electorate: 15,197  Valid: 8,780 (57.77%)  Spoilt: 82  Quota: 1,255  Turnout: 8,862 (58.31%)  

      Braid

      2019: 3 x DUP, 2 x TUV, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance

      2023: 2 x DUP, 2 x TUV, 1 x UUP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance

      2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from DUP

      Braid - 7 seats [5]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345678
      Sinn Féin Archie Rae13.76%1,302       
      DUP Beth Adger*13.17%1,246       
      DUP William McCaughey*12.93%1,224       
      TUV Christopher Jamieson*12.63%1,195       
      UUP Alan Barr11.18%1,0581,059.4 1,612.4     
      Alliance Chelsea Harwood10.74%1,0161,121.6 1,146.1 1,232.1    
      TUV Matthew Warwick8.88%840840.5 940.5 1,128.5 1,134.95 1,146.95 1,152.17 1,162.63
      DUP Julie Philpott9.21%872872.2 893.2 1,045.2 1,098.6 1,120.6 1,150.87 1,152.04
      UUP Keith Turner*7.50%710710.9       
      Electorate: 17,809  Valid: 9,463 (53.14%)  Spoilt: 89  Quota: 1,183  Turnout: 9,552 (53.64%)  

        Carrick Castle

        2019: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance

        2023: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance

        2019–2023 Change: No change

        Carrick Castle - 5 seats [5]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1234567
        Alliance Lauren Gray*25.70%1,607      
        DUP Cheryl Brownlee*18.45%1,154      
        DUP Billy Ashe*16.47%1,0301,047.48     
        UUP Robin Stewart*12.01%751874.50 883.50 926.39 1,021.01 1,048.01 
        UUP Bethany Ferris11.29%706813.92 823.91 849.54 936.77 973.77 1,070.67
        TUV Frances Henderson6.99%437446.1 455.57 501.56 611.29 617.29 629.07
        Green (NI) Jenny Hutchinson2.17%136420.62 421.88 425.87 426.97   
        DUP John McDermott*4.30%269272.04 337.83 373.08    
        PUP Jim McCaw2.62%164169.32 175.44     
        Electorate: 13,886  Valid: 6,254 (45.04%)  Spoilt: 71  Quota: 1,043  Turnout: 6,325 (45.54%)  

          Coast Road

          2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP

          2023: 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP

          2019–2023 Change: No change

          Coast Road - 5 seats [5]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          12345678
          Sinn Féin James McKeown*20.08%1,180       
          DUP Andrew Clarke*18.90%1,111       
          Alliance Gerardine Mulvenna*18.61%1,094       
          DUP Angela Smyth*13.75%808808.42 905.33 912.76 914.06 977.37 1,199.37 
          UUP Maureen Morrow*7.78%457463.93 477.02 489.49 493.69 705.44 828.91 1,006.91
          Alliance Niamh Spurle7.62%448587.65 588.31 678 776.9 795.02 800.35 801.35
          TUV Wesley Stevenson5.79%340340.21 347.36 351.99 352.19 383.74   
          UUP Olivia Swan5.55%326326.63 329.38 337.38 339.68    
          Green (NI) Eddie Alcorn1.92%113159.83 160.49      
          Electorate: 12,799  Valid: 5,877 (45.92%)  Spoilt: 60  Quota: 980  Turnout: 5,937 (46.39%)  

            Knockagh

            2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent

            2023: 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent

            2019–2023 Change: No change

            Knockagh - 5 seats [5]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345
            Independent Bobby Hadden*18.22%1,182    
            DUP Peter Johnston*17.64%1,144    
            DUP Marc Collins*14.35%931957.19 1,191.19  
            UUP Andrew Wilson*12.21%792809.19 868.19 1,266.15 
            Alliance Aaron Skinner13.92%903917.58 919.67 954.67 1,075.81
            Alliance Noel Williams*11.61%753763.53 770.89 788.67 856.48
            UUP Gary McCabe6.68%433446.23 478.23   
            TUV James Strange5.37%348358.53    
            Electorate: 13,223  Valid: 6,486 (49.05%)  Spoilt: 59  Quota: 1,082  Turnout: 6,545 (49.50%)  

              Larne Lough

              2019: 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x UUP

              2023: 2 x Alliance, 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP

              2019–2023 Change: No change

              Larne Lough - 5 seats [5]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              123456
              Alliance Maeve Donnelly*21.69%1,389     
              DUP Gregg McKeen*18.69%1,197     
              UUP Roy Beggs Jr 17.78%1,139     
              Alliance Robert Logan*10.87%696996.15 1,165.15   
              DUP Paul Reid*13.46%862864.53 867.76 972.26 975.26 1,224.26
              UUP James Carson7.49%480485.06 500.90 506.70 563.70 692.70
              TUV Ronnie Donnell6.67%427427.23 433.69 441.69 444.69  
              Green (NI) Philip Randle3.36%215223.51     
              Electorate: 13,744  Valid: 6,405 (46.60%)  Spoilt: 108  Quota: 1,068  Turnout: 6,513 (47.39%)  

                Changes during the term

                † Co-options

                Date co-optedElectoral AreaPartyOutgoingCo-opteeReason
                8 September 2023Ballymena Alliance John HylandJack GibsonHyland resigned. [6]
                3 October 2023Carrick Castle DUP Cheryl Brownlee David ClarkeBrownlee was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly. [7]
                23 July 2024Bannside TUV Timothy Gaston Anna HenryGaston was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly. [8]
                13 August 2024Ballymena UUP Colin Crawford Brian ThompsonCrawford was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly. [9]

                ‡ Changes in affiliation

                DateElectoral AreaNamePrevious affiliationNew affiliationCircumstance
                19 January 2024Carrick CastleDavid Clarke DUP Independent Left the DUP following claims of bullying. [10]
                15 March 2024Carrick CastleDavid Clarke Independent TUV Joined the TUV. [11]

                Notes

                1. The leader of Sinn Féin is Mary Lou McDonald, who sits as a TD in the Irish Dáil Éireann for Dublin Central. O'Neill is the leader of the party in Northern Ireland.

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                References

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                2. "NI council election moved to avoid coronation clash". BBC News. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
                3. Patricia Devlin [@trishdevlin] (March 18, 2023). "I wrote about DUP candidate Tyler Hoey almost three years ago. The only thing that is new is the fact he's been selected to run for the DUP in the council elections" (Tweet). Retrieved April 27, 2023 via Twitter.
                4. "DUP candidate's social media posts 'indefensible but in the past' – Donaldson– BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". BelfastTelegraph . 20 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
                5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Northern Ireland council election: List of all the candidates in the May 2023 poll". Belfast Live. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
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                8. "New Councillor - Bannside District Electoral Area".
                9. "New Councillor - Ballymena District Electoral Area".
                10. Hughes, Brendan. "DUP councillor David Clarke quits party over bullying claims". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
                11. Breen, Suzanne (15 March 2024). "Ex-councillor who quit DUP over 'bullying' says he's proud to join the TUV claims". Belfast Telegraph . Retrieved 15 March 2024.