Strangford (Assembly constituency)

Strangford
County Constituency for the Northern Ireland Assembly
Strangford shown within Northern Ireland
Districts	Ards, Castlereagh, Down
Current constituency
Created	1996
Assembly Members	Jonathan Bell Simon Hamilton Kellie Armstrong Michelle McIlveen Philip Smith Mike Nesbitt

Strangford is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly.

For Assembly elections before 1996, the constituency was largely part of the North Down constituency with smaller sections being added from Belfast East constituency and Belfast South constituency. Since 1997, it has shared boundaries with the Strangford UK Parliament constituency.

For further details of the history and boundaries of the constituency, see Strangford (UK Parliament constituency).

Members

Northern Ireland Forum (1996)

In the 1996 election to the Northern Ireland Peace Forum, 5 Forum members were elected from Strangford. They were as follows:

Election	Name (Party)		Name (Party)		Name (Party)		Name (Party)		Name (Party)
1996		Kieran McCarthy (Alliance Party)		Tom Benson (UUP)		John Taylor (UUP)		Jim Shannon (DUP)		Iris Robinson (DUP)

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Northern Ireland Assembly (1998–present)

Election	MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)
1998		Kieran McCarthy (Alliance Party)		Tom Benson (UUP)		Jim Shannon (DUP)		John Taylor (UUP)		Iris Robinson (DUP)		Cedric Wilson (UK Unionist)
January 2001 co-option				Tom Hamilton (UUP)
2003				David McNarry (UUP/UKIP)								George Ennis (DUP)
2007								Simon Hamilton (DUP)				Michelle McIlveen (DUP)
January 2010 co-option										Jonathan Bell (DUP)
August 2010 co-option						Simpson Gibson (DUP)
2011						Mike Nesbitt (UUP)
October 2012 defection
2016		Kellie Armstrong (Alliance Party)		Philip Smith (UUP)

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Elections

Northern Ireland Assembly

2016

Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2016: Strangford - 6 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10
	UUP	Mike Nesbitt	14.3	4,673
	DUP	Michelle McIlveen	14.3	4,663
	DUP	Jonathan Bell	10.4	3,393	3,411	3,416	3,517	3,540	3,774	5,164
	DUP	Simon Hamilton	12.1	3,964	3,994	3,996	4,099	4,129	4,468	4,983
	Alliance	Kellie Armstrong	10.7	3,499	3,563	3,656	3,720	4,313	4,368	4,393	4,412.84	4,643.46	4,662.46
	UUP	Philip Smith	5.2	1,694	1,805	1,805	1,905	1,963	2,335	2,475	2,904,04	3,676.88	3,957.88
	SDLP	Joe Boyle	8.3	2,724	2,738	3,152	3,176	3,276	3,293	3,311	3,320.30	3,367.92	3,387.92
	Independent	Jimmy Menagh	5.6	1,840	1,898	1,905	1,972	2,048	2,249	2,276	2,312.58
	DUP	Harry Harvey	6.2	2,017	2,031	2,033	2,067	2,072	2,226
	TUV	Stephen Cooper	4.3	1,407	1,418	1,419	1,590	1,606
	Green (NI)	Georgia Grainger	2.8	924	946	993	1,043
	UKIP	Stephen Crosby	2.3	759	796	807
	Sinn Féin	Dermot Kennedy	2.0	661	662
	NI Conservatives	Bill McKendry	1.0	314
	Independent	Rab McCartney	0.3	107
Electorate: 65,695   Valid: 32,639   Spoilt: 375 (1.14%)   Quota: 4,663   Turnout: 50.25

2011

2011 Assembly Election: Strangford - 6 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6
	DUP	Michelle McIlveen	15.4	4,573
	Alliance	Kieran McCarthy	14.4	4,284
	DUP	Jonathan Bell	14.4	4,265
	DUP	Simon Hamilton	11.6	3,456	3,672.58	3,778.93	3,960.40	5,745.40
	UUP	Mike Nesbitt	11.0	3,273	3,286.93	3,371.93	3,595.28	3,780.92	4,069.92
	UUP	David McNarry	9.3	2,773	2,790.01	2,875.29	3,076.43	3,259.88	3,766.88
	SDLP	Joe Boyle	8.5	2,525	2,527.03	2,579.03	3,245.24	3,281.36	3,308.36
	DUP	Billy Walker	7.3	2,175	2,231.49	2,282.84	2,449.33
	Sinn Féin	Mickey Coogan	3.0	902	902.28	913.28
	TUV	Terry Williams	2.8	841	844.01	963.01
Electorate: 62,178   Valid: 29,668   Spoilt: 518 (1.72%)   Quota: 4,239   Turnout: 30,186 (48.5%)

2007

2007 Assembly Election: Strangford - 6 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11	Count 12	Count 13
	DUP	Iris Robinson	16.4	5,917
	DUP	Jim Shannon	13.3	4,788	5,013.68	5,085.46	5,119.59	5,138.02	5,178.02
	Alliance	Kieran McCarthy	11.3	4,085	4,095.92	4,110.31	4,206.57	4,255.09	4,418.48	4,540.74	4,689.74	5,206.74
	UUP	David McNarry	10.3	3,709	3,737.08	3,754.08	3,842.08	4,110.60	4,204.12	4,356.51	4,360.51	4,469.29	6,036.29
	DUP	Simon Hamilton	10.8	3,889	3,959.85	3,975.85	4,002.37	4,026.32	4,059.36	4,284.79	4,286.79	4,359.83	4,663.73	4,982.73	4,986.73	4,997.73
	DUP	Michelle McIlveen	9.6	3,468	3,858.91	3,887.69	3,903.95	3,932.99	4,002.37	4,148.06	4,149.06	4,215.23	4,377.39	4,560.39	4,568.39	4,579.39
	SDLP	Joe Boyle	8.5	3,068	3,068.78	3,071.78	3,082.78	3,096.04	3,122.30	3,132.30	3,937.43	4,088.56	4,294.34	4,512.34	4,547.34	4,548.34
	UUP	Angus Carson	5.9	2,128	2,138.27	2,157.66	2,207.79	2,487.22	2,571.74	2,723.26	2,733.26	2,818.65
	Green (NI)	Stephanie Sim	2.4	868	871.64	887.77	942.16	951.16	1,092.55	1,166.81	1,251.81
	Sinn Féin	Dermot Kennedy	3.0	1,089	1,089.13	1,089.13	1,090.13	1,095.13	1,099.13	1,099.13
	UK Unionist	George Ennis	2.4	872	876.16	953.68	987.94	998.20	1,039.33
	Independent	Martin Gregg	1.8	650	657.15	676.28	724.28	733.28
	UUP	Michael Henderson	1.9	675	682.67	686.67	719.67
	NI Conservatives	Robert Little	1.4	508	509.95	518.08
	Independent Unionist	Cedric Wilson	0.8	305	308.77
Electorate: 66,648   Valid: 36,019   Spoilt: 321   Quota: 5,146   Turnout: 36,340 (54.5)

2003

2003 Assembly Election: Strangford - 6 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11
	DUP	Iris Robinson	22.9	8,548
	UUP	John Taylor	15.2	5,658
	DUP	George Ennis	12.4	4,606	6,138.54
	DUP	Jim Shannon	12.6	4,703	6,105.67
	UUP	David McNarry	8.1	3,000	3,055.50	3,169.46	3,304.10	3,394.34	3,413.81	3,449.14	3,589.01	3,884.50	5,610.50
	Alliance	Kieran McCarthy	7.4	2,741	2,763.57	2,791.32	2,835.87	2,847.03	2,968.36	3,146.42	3,211.03	3,612.93	4,232.62	4,451.48
	SDLP	Joe Boyle	7.8	2,906	2,909.33	2,910.07	2,916.01	2,920.69	2,990.39	3,047.13	3,072.10	3,950.67	4,093.71	4,160.05
	UUP	Bob Little	5.7	2,123	2,172.21	2,372.01	2,594.76	2,813.28	2,834.38	2,893.98	3,063.46	3,377.83
	Sinn Féin	Dermot Kennedy	3.0	1,105	1,106.11	1,107.59	1,110.89	1,111.61	1,172.61	1,186.35	1,189.05
	NI Unionist	Cedric Wilson	1.5	576	618.55	983.74	1,265.89	1,269.67	1,277.54	1,314.82	1,425.63
	PUP	Colin Neill	1.4	540	558.87	620.29	668.80	672.16	676.01	697.10
	Green (NI)	Philip Orr	1.1	425	437.58	461.63	482.75	483.77	501.97
	Independent	Danny McCarthy	0.9	319	320.48	335.65	349.51	351.61
Electorate: 66,308   Valid: 37,250   Spoilt: 588   Quota: 5,322   Turnout: 37,838 (57.1)

1998

1998 Assembly Election: Strangford - 6 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11	Count 12	Count 13	Count 14	Count 15	Count 16	Count 17	Count 18
	DUP	Iris Robinson	-	9,479
	UUP	John Taylor	-	9,203
	UUP	Tom Benson	-	1,623	1,638.75	2,222.19	2,222.19	2,231.52	2,240.52	2,257.20	2,297.84	2,319.76	2,545.66	3,010	3,072.33	3,252.96	3,257.99	4,599.04	4,719.41	6,327.41
	Alliance	Kieran McCarthy	-	2,947	2,953.65	3,043.41	3,043.41	3,076.41	3,131.76	3,159.76	3,184.09	3,259.79	3,307.09	3,353.93	3,366.71	3,546.30	3,661.29	3,796.85	6,095.15	6,202.15
	DUP	Jim Shannon	-	1,415	3,682.30	3,742.03	3,743.03	3,750.08	3,755.08	3,777.87	3,795.62	3,827.21	3,971.23	3,995.87	5,141.05	5,267.10	5,271.45	5,403.97	5,435.41	5,862.79	5,932.54
	UK Unionist	Cedric Wilson	7.2	3,078	3,350.65	3,502.78	3,506.44	3,513.12	3,521.47	3,540.49	3,573.14	3,593.55	3,699.24	3,740.23	3,871.12	3,978.89	3,981.59	4,141.92	4,178.61	4,720.04	4,804.04
	SDLP	Danny McCarthy	-	1,982	1,985.85	2,001.36	2,001.36	2,004.36	2,014.36	2,020.69	2,027.37	2,364.06	2,376.71	2,385.03	2,393.41	2,430.42	4,282.09	4,315.01	4,439.28	4,609.97	4,644.97
	Independent Unionist	John Beattie	5.2	2,247	2,280.95	2,682.89	2,685.22	2,686.55	2,698.89	2,706.59	2,753.97	2,783.64	2,880.32	3,081.28	3,171.91	3,422.55	3,438.20	3,965.40	4,087.26
	Alliance	Peter Osborne	-	2,269	2,276	2,391.50	2,394.50	2,434.82	2,465.82	2,480.82	2,495.80	2,513.81	2,556.11	2,604.20	2,615.69	2,783.24	2,850.88	2,982.86
	UUP	David McNarry	-	1,073	1,103.80	1,947.61	1,948.94	1,962.30	1,969.30	1,978.28	1,994.93	2,042.56	2,138.23	2,431.45	2,477.30	2,771.54	2,782.21
	SDLP	Brian Hanvey	-	1,883	1,884.40	1,891.66	1,892.66	1,898.99	1,914.34	1,916.34	1,920.34	2,092	2,097.35	2,107.99	2,108.34	2,124.69
	PUP	Ricky Johnston	3.1	1,342	1,362.30	1,428.63	1,429.63	1,446.64	1,458.64	1,468.63	1,477.33	1,593.42	1,662.44	1,715.34	1,778.87
	DUP	Tommy Jeffers	-	1,007	1,544.95	1,564.75	1,564.75	1,568.50	1,570.85	1,580.26	1,593.62	1,624.06	1,677.28	1,713.68
	UUP	Tom Hamilton	-	615	628.30	1,094.26	1,095.59	1,101.24	1,109.24	1,119.91	1,146.92	1,184.78	1,316.63
	Independent Unionist	Wilbert McGill	2.2	951	975.15	1,060.95	1,060.95	1,068.63	1,075.98	1,125.33	1,147	1,167.36
	Sinn Féin	Paddy McGreevy	1.4	614	614	614.33	614.33	615.66	618.66	619.99	619.99
	Ulster Democratic	Blakely McNally	0.8	322	348.25	391.81	391.81	393.14	394.14	400.19	410.52
	NI Conservatives	Thomas Beattie	0.6	263	270.70	292.15	292.15	298.15	302.15	312.48
	Independent	Nancy Orr	0.5	201	210.10	223.63	223.63	235.96	255.31
	Green (NI)	Andrew Frew	0.5	200	203.15	204.14	217.14	233.14
	Labour Party NI	Jonathan Stewart	0.4	181	186.95	195.86	196.86
	Natural Law	Sarah Mullins	0.1	27	27	28.65
Electorate: 70,868   Valid: 42,922   Spoilt: 729   Quota: 6,132   Turnout: 43,651 (61.6)

1996 Forum

Successful candidates are shown in bold.

Party		Candidates	Votes	Percentage
	UUP	John Taylor Tom Benson William Biggerstaff Jack Beattie	12,547	31.3
	DUP	Iris Robinson Jim Shannon Sandy Geddis William Morrison	11,584	28.9
	Alliance	Kieran McCarthy Geraldine Rice Kathleen Coulter Jim McBriar Alan McDowell	4,614	11.6
	UK Unionist	Cedric Wilson Elizabeth Roche	3,112	7.8
	SDLP	John Moffat Joanne Murphy	2,927	7.3
	PUP	Georgina McCrory Alfred McCrory	2,017	5.0
	Ulster Democratic	James McCurrie Blakely McNally	1,080	2.7
	Sinn Féin	Garret O'Fachtna Patrick McGreevy	709	1.8
	NI Women's Coalition	Donna Davis Victoria Moore Gerry Gribben Miriam Titterton	410	1.0
	NI Conservatives	Thomas Beattie Duncan Shipley-Dalton	380	0.9
	Green (NI)	David Langley Robert Huey Sue Miles	213	0.5
	Labour coalition	Andrew Snoddy Stephen Baker	202	0.5
	Workers' Party	Tom Devlin Colum Feenan	73	0.2
	Independent Voice	Edward Philips Trevor Richards	66	0.2
	Ulster Independence	Joyce Cowden Francis Hynds	57	0.1
	Democratic Left	Deidre Dunphy Imelda Hynds	53	0.1
	Independent Chambers	Pearl Brown Heather Magowan	13	0.0
	Natural Law	Christine Bowen Lewis Walch	13	0.0