May Beattie

Born in Carrickfergus, Beattie became involved in politics by assisting the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) during elections. She became a party member in the early 1990s,^[1] and first stood for election to Carrickfergus Borough Council at the 1993 Northern Ireland local elections.^[2]

Although unsuccessful, she was elected for the DUP in East Antrim at the Northern Ireland Forum election in 1996, and sat on the forum's health committee.^[1][3] She gained a seat on Carrickfergus council in 1997, and held this in 2001, 2005 and 2011.^[2] She was Mayor of Carrickfergus in 2003–4 and sits on a large number of committees. She is currently^[when?] an alderman.^[4]

Beattie has also been secretary for the DUP's East Antrim branch and for the East Antrim Imperial Association, and was previously a member of the Association of Loyal Orangewomen of Ireland.^[1]

In the 2019 Northern Ireland local elections, she unsuccessfully ran as a Traditional Unionist Voice candidate in the Knockagh ward for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council^[5]