2023 Ards and North Down Borough Council election

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The 2023 election to Ards and North Down Borough 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]

Quick facts All 40 council seats 21 seats needed for a majority, First party ...
2023 Ards and North Down Borough Council election
← 2019
18 May 2023
2027 →
All 40 council seats
21 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Naomi Long Doug Beattie
Party DUP Alliance UUP
Seats before 14 10 8
Seats won 14 12 8
Seat change Steady 0 Increase 2 Steady 0
Popular vote 16,522 15,137 9,393
Percentage 29.0% 26.6% 16.5%
Swing Decrease 4.4% Increase 4.4% Decrease 1.3%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
GPNI
Leader Mal O'Hara Colum Eastwood
Party Independent Green (NI) SDLP
Seats before 3 3 1
Seats won 3 2 1
Seat change Steady 0 Decrease 1 Steady 0
Popular vote 6,351 3,381 2,115
Percentage 11.2% 5.9% 3.7%
Swing Increase 2.6% Decrease 4.3% Increase 0.5%
Ards and North Down 2023 Council Election Results by DEA (Shaded by plurality of FPVs)
Council control before election

No overall control

 Council control after election

TBC

Close

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

Background

Ards and North Down is the only council in Northern Ireland on which Sinn Féin have never won a seat.[3]

Election results

More information Party, Seats ...
2023 Ards and North Down Borough Council election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  DUP 14 1 1 Steady 0 35.00 29.02 16,522 Decrease 4.36
  Alliance 12 3 1 Increase 2 30.00 26.59 15,137 Increase 4.36
  UUP 8 0 0 Steady 0 20.00 16.50 9,393 Decrease 1.31
  Independent 3 1 1 Steady 0 7.50 11.16 6,351 Increase 2.55
  Green (NI) 2 0 1 Decrease 1 5.00 5.94 3,381 Decrease 4.23
  SDLP 1 0 0 Steady 0 2.50 3.72 2,115 Increase 0.49
  TUV 0 0 1 Decrease 1 0.00 4.83 2,748 Increase 3.45
  Sinn Féin 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.00 1.66 945 Increase 1.13
  NI Conservatives 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.00 0.59 337 Decrease 0.72
Total 40 56,929
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Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

District summary

More information District Electoral Area (DEA), % ...
Results of the 2023 Ards and North Down Borough Council election by District Electoral Area
District Electoral Area (DEA) %
Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
 Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
 Total
cllrs
DUP Alliance UUP Green SDLP TUV Sinn Féin Independents and others
Ards Peninsula 44.71 3 Steady 13.78 1 Steady 8.05 1 Steady 1.62 0 Steady 13.93 1 Steady 6.45 0 Steady 10.29 0 Steady 1.18 0 Steady 6
Bangor Central 16.73 1 Decrease 1 28.75 2 Increase 1 14.55 1 Steady 6.90 0 Decrease 1 0.00 0 Steady 5.37 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 27.69 2 Increase 1 6
Bangor East and Donaghadee 23.39 2 Steady 23.90 2 Increase 1 34.18 2 Steady 4.18 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 14.35 0 Decrease 1 6
Bangor West 25.72 2 Increase 1 30.09 1 Decrease 1 13.33 1 Steady 11.33 1 Steady 4.57 0 Steady 5.09 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 9.87 0 Steady 5
Comber 38.48 2 Steady 28.83 2 Increase 1 19.31 1 Steady 2.72 0 Steady 0.0 0 Steady 5.61 0 Decrease 1 0.00 0 Steady 5.00 0 Steady 5
Holywood and Clandeboye 19.81 1 Steady 41.03 2 Steady 12.80 1 Steady 14.67 1 Steady 6.97 0 Steady 4.71 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 5
Newtownards 32.38 3 Steady 23.51 2 Steady 13.54 1 Steady 2.43 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 6.44 0 Steady 0.00 0 Steady 21.70 1 Steady 7
Total 29.02 14 Steady 26.59 12 Increase 2 16.50 8 Steady 5.94 2 Decrease 1 3.72 1 Steady 4.83 0 Decrease 1 1.66 0 Steady 11.75 3 Steady 40
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District results

Ards Peninsula

2019: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance

2023: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance

2019–2023 Change: No change

More information Party, Candidate ...
Ards Peninsula - 6 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
DUP Robert Adair* 21.33% 1,959        
Alliance Lorna McAlpine* 13.78% 1,266 1,273.92 1,383.92    
SDLP Joe Boyle* 13.93% 1,279 1,288.24 1,308.57 1,314.57  
DUP Nigel Edmund* 6.89% 633 996.99 1,003.32 1,174.22 1,675.22
DUP Davy Kerr 9.00% 827 990.68 1,014.99 1,165.61 1,314.61
UUP Pete Wray 8.05% 739 773.98 810.31 949.27 1,069.06
Sinn Féin Noel Sands 10.29% 945 946.65 963.65 964.65 965.65
DUP Eddie Thompson* 7.48% 687 720.00 725.33 852.62  
TUV Tom Thompson 6.45% 592 616.09 628.09    
Green (NI) Gilian McNaull 1.62% 149 149.99      
Independent Boyd Ireland 1.18% 108 111.63      
Electorate: 19,000   Valid: 9,184 (48.34%)   Spoilt: 111   Quota: 1,313   Turnout: 9,925 (52.24%)  
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Bangor Central

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

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

2019–2023 Change: Alliance and Independent gain from DUP and Green

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bangor Central - 6 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123456789
Alliance Karen Douglas* † 16.31% 1,378                
Independent Wesley Irvine* 16.20% 1,369                
DUP Alistair Cathcart* 12.46% 1,053 1,053.84 1,061.84 1,091.36 1,107.68 1,397.68      
UUP Craig Blaney* 10.85% 917 920.48 935.48 965.96 1,205.28 1,225.28      
Alliance Chris McCracken 7.88% 666 699.24 705.36 707.16 718.76 719.88 722.76 1,154.88 1,436.88
Independent Ray McKimm* † 10.47% 885 891.48 906.48 933.84 958.52 962.36 975.8 1,003.44 1,218.44
TUV Peter Wilson 5.37% 454 454.36 463.48 492.88 505.36 552.2 712.52 713.52 729.52
Green (NI) Stephen Dunlop* 6.90% 583 598.84 600.84 605.4 615.88 622.48 631.12 666  
Alliance Alex Harbinson 4.56% 385 485.92 492.04 494.44 503.92 504.16 507.04    
DUP Dean McSorley 4.27% 361 361.12 366.12 381.84 388.16        
UUP Rachel McCord 3.70% 313 315.76 328.76 341.12          
NI Conservatives Tim Mullen 1.02% 86 86.36              
Electorate: 19,376   Valid: 8,450 (43.61%)   Spoilt: 105   Quota: 1,208   Turnout: 8,555 (44.15%)  
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Bangor East and Donaghadee

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

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

2019–2023 Change: Alliance gain from Independent

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bangor East and Donaghadee - 6 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
UUP Mark Brooks* 23.21% 1,972              
Alliance Hannah Irwin* † 17.01% 1,445              
DUP James Cochrane 15.01% 1,275              
UUP David Chambers* 10.97% 932 1,323.95            
Alliance Gillian McCollum † 6.89% 585 630.63 839.59 864.14 1,110.04 1,128.24 1,208.73 1,208.85
DUP Janice MacArthur* † 8.38% 712 816.52 817.64 837.20 853.25 901.13 1,062.63 1,110.67
Independent Bill Keery* 7.54% 641 668.30 671.66 697.22 731.42 751.58 1,019.71 1,021.15
Independent Tom Smith* 5.41% 460 590.26 592.34 612.46 646.29 669.67    
Green (NI) Ciara Henry 4.18% 355 394.30 408.25          
NI Conservatives Paul Leeman 1.40% 119 132.65 133.13          
Electorate: 18,066   Valid: 8,496 (47.03%)   Spoilt: 94   Quota: 1,214   Turnout: 8,590 (47.55%)  
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Bangor West

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

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

2019–2023 Change: DUP gain from Alliance

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bangor West - 5 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678910
Alliance Christine Creighton † 18.06% 1,175                  
DUP Jennifer Gilmour* 15.88% 1,033 1,063 1,063.77 1,068.77 1,205.77          
UUP Stephen Hollywood † 13.33% 867 902 903.75 911.96 976.10 996.12 1,003.33 1,185.33    
DUP Peter Martin † 9.84% 640 649 649.35 650.35 732.42 828.88 830.95 1,045.93 1,113.13  
Green (NI) Barry McKee* 11.33% 737 752 758.23 880.63 884.77 884.77 913.47 978.61 1,002.97 1,019.77
Alliance Alison McWhinney 5.96% 388 392 440.02 548.91 551.91 551.91 961.60 997.02 1,005.42 1,008.78
Independent Susan Prentice 7.84% 510 522 522.77 529.77 585.77 589.41 598.48      
Alliance Huw Stacy 6.07% 395 398 417.67 460.81 460.81 460.81        
TUV John Gordon 5.09% 331 348 348.35 350.35             
SDLP Tony McCann 4.57% 297 298 301.92              
NI Conservatives Colin Breen 2.03% 132                  
Electorate: 14,486   Valid: 6,505 (44.91%)   Spoilt: 83   Quota: 1,085   Turnout: 6,588 (45.48%)  
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Comber

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

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

2019–2023 Change: Alliance gain from TUV

More information Party, Candidate ...
Comber - 5 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
DUP Libby Douglas [5] 20.60% 1,501        
UUP Philip Smith* 19.31% 1,407        
DUP Trevor Cummings* 17.88% 1,303        
Alliance Patricia Morgan* 14.84% 1,081 1,087.38 1,127.54 1,204.6 1,219.6
Alliance Rachel Ashe 13.99% 1,019 1,032.64 1,074.72 1,160.8 1,215.2
TUV Sam Patterson 5.61% 409 595.56 651.24 677.36 922.12
Independent Stephen Cooper* 4.42% 322 374.14 399.58 452.36  
Green (NI) Cory Quinn 2.72% 197 207.56 219.56    
Independent John Sloan 0.58% 47 52.5 66.42    
Electorate: 15,112   Valid: 7,286 (48.21%)   Spoilt: 95   Quota: 1,215   Turnout: 7,381 (48.84%)  
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Holywood and Clandeboye

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

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

2019–2023 Change: No change

More information Party, Candidate ...
Holywood and Clandeboye - 5 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
DUP Alan Graham 14.39% 1,112 1,300      
UUP Linzi McLaren † 12.80% 989 1,056 1,344    
Alliance Martin McRandal* 15.81% 1,222 1,226 1,237 1,385  
Green (NI) Rachel Woods* † 14.67% 1,134 1,144 1,186 1,361  
Alliance David Rossiter † 13.90% 1,074 1,076 1,083 1,179 1,256.39
Alliance Helen Corbett 11.32% 875 891 900 1,004 1,021.75
SDLP Déirdre Vaughan 6.97% 539 541 549    
DUP Carl McClean* 5.42% 419 483      
TUV Diane Adams 4.71% 364        
Electorate: 15,973   Valid: 7,728 (48.38%)   Spoilt: 87   Quota: 1,289   Turnout: 7,815 (48.93%)  
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Newtownards

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

2023: 3 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent

2019–2023 Change: No change

More information Party, Candidate ...
Newtownards - 7 seats[4]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
Independent Steven Irvine* 15.76% 1,463              
DUP Naomi Armstrong* 14.75% 1,370              
UUP Richard Smart* 13.54% 1,257              
Alliance Alan McDowell* 13.31% 1,236              
DUP Stephen McIlveen* 11.38% 1,057 1,111.78 1,154.98 1,161.98        
Alliance Vicky Moore* 10.20% 947 959.32 961.42 1,126.21 1,159.33 1,230.97    
DUP Colin Kennedy* 6.25% 580 628.4 764.75 768.49 797.83 798.25 801.43 981.25
TUV Eddie Allen 6.44% 598 670.16 681.26 686.68 700.36 700.72 702.4 872.68
Independent Ian Cox 5.68% 527 618.3 625.5 672.21 685.08 685.56 701.16  
Green (NI) Maurice Macartney 2.43% 226 233.04 234.39          
Independent Ben King 0.26% 24 36.54 36.84          
Electorate: 21,723   Valid: 9,285 (42.74%)   Spoilt: 167   Quota: 1,161   Turnout: 9,452 (43.51%)  
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Changes during the term

† Co-options

More information Date co-opted, Electoral Area ...
Date co-opted Electoral Area Party Outgoing Co-optee Reason
25 September 2023 Bangor Central Alliance Karen Douglas Alex Harbinson Douglas resigned.[6]
30 October 2023 Holywood and Clandeboye Green (NI) Rachel Woods Lauren Kendall Woods resigned.[7]
24 April 2024 Bangor East and Donaghadee DUP Janice MacArthur Eddie Thompson MacArthur resigned.[8]
31 July 2024 Bangor West DUP Peter Martin Carl McClean Martin was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly.[9]
14 October 2024 Holywood and Clandeboye Alliance David Rossiter Gillian McCollum Rossiter resigned.[10]
15 October 2024 Bangor East and Donaghadee Alliance Gillian McCollum John Hennessy McCollum was co-opted to Holywood and Clandeboye.[11]
21 October 2024 Bangor West Alliance Christine Creighton Naomi McBurney Creighton resigned.[12]
3 June 2025 Bangor Central Independent Ray McKimm Tom Brady McKimm resigned.[13]
14 November 2025 Holywood and Clandeboye UUP Linzi McLaren Stephen Hollywood McLaren resigned.[14]
9 December 2025 Bangor West UUP Stephen Hollywood Katherine Newman Hollywood was co-opted to Holywood and Clandeboye.[15]
1 April 2026 Bangor East and Donaghadee Alliance Hannah Irwin Rosaleen Quinn Irwin resigned.[16]
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Notes

References

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