2023 Mid and East Antrim District Council election
18 May 2023
All 40 council seats
21 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Doug Beattie.png
Naomi Long 2021.png
Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Doug Beattie Naomi Long
Party DUP Ulster Unionist Alliance
Last election 15 7 7
Seats won 14 8 7
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1 Steady 0
Popular vote 15,627 8,764 9,571
Percentage 30.9% 17.3% 18.9%
Swing Decrease 1.1% Decrease 0.9% Increase 3.1%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
JimAllister (cropped).jpg
Leader Jim Allister Michelle O'Neill[n 1] None
Party TUV Sinn Féin Independent
Last election 5 2 3
Seats won 5 4 2
Seat change Steady 0 Increase 2 Decrease 1
Popular vote 8,050 4,700 2,205
Percentage 15.9% 9.3% 4.4%
Swing Increase 0.7% Increase 2.9% Decrease 3.8%
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]

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
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  DUP 14 0 1 Decrease 1 32.50 30.90 15,627 Decrease 1.08
  Ulster Unionist 8 1 0 Increase 1 20.00 17.33 8,764 Decrease 0.91
  Alliance 7 0 0 Steady 0 17.50 18.93 9,571 Increase 3.11
  TUV 5 0 0 Steady 0 12.50 15.92 8,050 Increase 0.70
  Sinn Féin 4 2 0 Increase 2 10.00 9.29 4,700 Increase 2.89
  Independent 2 0 1 Decrease 1 5.00 4.36 2,205 Decrease 3.89
  SDLP 0 0 1 Decrease 1 0.00 2.01 1,016 Increase 0.20
  Green (NI) 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.00 0.92 464 Increase 0.37
  PUP 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.00 0.32 164 Decrease 0.33
Total 40 50,571

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
Ballymena 23.09 2 Steady 13.28 1 Increase 1 12.29 1 Steady 13.58 1 Steady 12.69 1 Increase 1 11.03 0 Decrease 1 14.04 1 Decrease 1 7
Bannside 23.85 2 Steady 10.74 1 Steady 8.75 0 Steady 39.54 2 Steady 14.72 1 Steady 2.40 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 6
Braid 35.31 2 Decrease 1 18.68 1 Steady 10.74 1 Steady 21.51 2 Steady 13.76 1 Increase 1 0.0 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 7
Carrick Castle 39.22 2 Steady 23.30 2 Steady 25.70 1 Steady 6.99 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 4.79 0 Steady 5
Coast Road 32.65 2 Steady 13.3 1 Steady 26.23 1 Steady 5.79 0 Steady 20.08 1 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 1.95 0 Steady 5
Knockagh 31.99 2 Steady 19.04 1 Steady 25.53 1 Steady 5.37 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 18.07 1 Steady 5
Larne Lough 32.15 2 Steady 25.27 1 Steady 32.56 2 Steady 6.67 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 3.35 0 Steady 5
Total 30.90 14 Decrease 1 17.33 8 Increase 1 18.93 7 Steady 15.92 5 Steady 9.29 4 Increase 2 2.01 0 Decrease 1 5.60 2 Decrease 1 40

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      
Ulster Unionist Colin Crawford 13.28% 969      
Sinn Féin Bréanainn Lyness 12.69% 926      
DUP Reuben Glover 12.51% 913      
Alliance John Hyland* † 12.29% 897 913.80    
DUP Lawrie Philpott 6.33% 462 514.64 831.80 906.90
SDLP Eugene Reid* 11.03% 805 816.62 820.04 822.84
DUP Andrew Wright 4.25% 310 337.58    
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 Hoey 9.54% 838 865.45 867.45 892.28 892.43 1,295.83
    Ulster Unionist Jackson Minford 10.74% 943 957.1 965.1 983.69 984.14 1,238.67
    Alliance Jack Gibson 8.75% 768 773.25 961.25 965.02 994.63 1,015.02
    TUV Anna Henry 6.40% 562 727.75 728.9 862.54 862.75  
    SDLP Morgan Murphy 2.40% 211 211.15        
    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 Rae 13.76% 1,302              
      DUP Beth Adger* 13.17% 1,246              
      DUP William McCaughey* 12.93% 1,224              
      TUV Christopher Jamieson* 12.63% 1,195              
      Ulster Unionist Alan Barr 11.18% 1,058 1,059.4 1,612.4          
      Alliance Chelsea Harwood 10.74% 1,016 1,121.6 1,146.1 1,232.1        
      TUV Matthew Warwick 8.88% 840 840.5 940.5 1,128.5 1,134.95 1,146.95 1,152.17 1,162.63
      DUP Julie Philpott 9.21% 872 872.2 893.2 1,045.2 1,098.6 1,120.6 1,150.87 1,152.04
      Ulster Unionist Keith Turner* 7.50% 710 710.9            
      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% 1,030 1,047.48          
        Ulster Unionist Robin Stewart* 12.01% 751 874.50 883.50 926.39 1,021.01 1,048.01  
        Ulster Unionist Bethany Ferris 11.29% 706 813.92 823.91 849.54 936.77 973.77 1,070.67
        TUV Frances Henderson 6.99% 437 446.1 455.57 501.56 611.29 617.29 629.07
        Green (NI) Jenny Hutchinson 2.17% 136 420.62 421.88 425.87 426.97    
        DUP John McDermott* 4.30% 269 272.04 337.83 373.08      
        PUP Jim McCaw 2.62% 164 169.32 175.44        
        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% 808 808.42 905.33 912.76 914.06 977.37 1,199.37  
          Ulster Unionist Maureen Morrow* 7.78% 457 463.93 477.02 489.49 493.69 705.44 828.91 1,006.91
          Alliance Niamh Spurle 7.62% 448 587.65 588.31 678 776.9 795.02 800.35 801.35
          TUV Wesley Stevenson 5.79% 340 340.21 347.36 351.99 352.19 383.74    
          Ulster Unionist Olivia Swan 5.55% 326 326.63 329.38 337.38 339.68      
          Green (NI) Eddie Alcorn 1.92% 113 159.83 160.49          
          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% 931 957.19 1,191.19    
            Ulster Unionist Andrew Wilson* 12.21% 792 809.19 868.19 1,266.15  
            Alliance Aaron Skinner 13.92% 903 917.58 919.67 954.67 1,075.81
            Alliance Noel Williams* 11.61% 753 763.53 770.89 788.67 856.48
            Ulster Unionist Gary McCabe 6.68% 433 446.23 478.23    
            TUV James Strange 5.37% 348 358.53      
            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          
              Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs Jr 17.78% 1,139          
              Alliance Robert Logan* 10.87% 696 996.15 1,165.15      
              DUP Paul Reid* 13.46% 862 864.53 867.76 972.26 975.26 1,224.26
              Ulster Unionist James Carson 7.49% 480 485.06 500.90 506.70 563.70 692.70
              TUV Ronnie Donnell 6.67% 427 427.23 433.69 441.69 444.69  
              Green (NI) Philip Randle 3.36% 215 223.51        
              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-opted Electoral Area Party Outgoing Co-optee Reason
                8 September 2023 Ballymena Alliance John Hyland Jack Gibson Hyland resigned.[6]
                3 October 2023 Carrick Castle DUP Cheryl Brownlee David Clarke Brownlee was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly.[7]

                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.

                References

                1. ↑ "Local government elections in Northern Ireland". www.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
                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.
                6. ↑ "New Councillor - Ballymena District Electoral Area".
                7. ↑ "New Councillor - Carrick Castle DEA".
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