Belfast East (Assembly constituency)

Belfast East
Northern Ireland Assembly
Borough constituency
Belfast East shown within Northern Ireland
First Used: 1973
Assembly Members: Michael Copeland
Sammy Douglas
Judith Cochrane
Chris Lyttle
Robin Newton
Peter Robinson
Districts: Belfast, Castlereagh

Belfast East is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. It usually shares boundaries with the Belfast East UK Parliament constituency, however the boundaries of the two constituencies were slightly different from 1983 to 1986 as the Assembly boundaries had not caught up with Parliamentary boundary changes and from 1996 to 1997 when members of the Northern Ireland Forum had been elected from the newly drawn Parliamentary constituencies but the 51st Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected in 1992 under the 1983–95 constituency boundaries, was still in session.

Members were then elected from the constituency to the 1975 Constitutional Convention, the 1982 Assembly, the 1996 Forum and then to the current Assembly from 1998.

The most high-profile MLA for the constituency is Peter Robinson, the First Minister and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.

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

Contents

Members

Year Alliance Democratic Unionist Labour (NI) Progressive Unionist Ulster Unionist Unionist Party NI Vanguard
1973 1 1 0 N/A 3 N/A 0
1975 1 1 1 N/A 0 1 2
1982 2 2 0 0 2 N/A N/A
1996 1 2 N/A 0 2 N/A N/A
1998 1 2 N/A 1 2 N/A N/A
2003 1 2 N/A 1 2 N/A N/A
2007 1 3 N/A 1 1 N/A N/A
2011 2 3 N/A 0 1 N/A N/A

The six MLAs for the constituency elected in the 2007 election were:

The six MLAs for the constituency elected in the 2003 election were:

In the 1998 election the six MLAs elected were:

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

In 1982 elections were held for an Assembly for Northern Ireland to hold the Secretary of State to account, in the hope that this would be the first step towards restoring devolution. East Belfast elected 6 members as follows:

In 1975 elections were held to a Constitutional Convention which sought (unsuccessfully) to generate a consensus on the future of the province. The six members elected from East Belfast were:

In 1973 elections were held to the Assembly set up under the Sunningdale Agreement. The six members elected from East Belfast were:

Elections

Northern Ireland Assembly

2011 Assembly election: Belfast East – 6 Seats[1]
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
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 28.3% 9,141
Democratic Unionist Robin Newton 7.5% 2,436 4,801
Alliance Judith Cochrane 13.4% 4,329 4,432 4,433 4,449 4,498 4,572 4,755
Alliance Chris Lyttle 12.9% 4,183 4,307 4,309 4,320 4,331 4,420 4,530 4,572 4,696
Democratic Unionist Sammy Douglas 8.3% 2,668 3,683 3,809 3,820 3,831 3,892 3,941 4,053 4,078 4,455
Ulster Unionist Michael Copeland 6.8% 2,194 2,355 2,357 2,357 2,383 2,437 2,476 2,618 2,625 3,225
Independent Dawn Purvis 5.3% 1,702 1,909 1,911 1,926 1,955 2,010 2,094 2,179 2,229 2,320
Progressive Unionist Brian Ervine 4.6% 1,493 1,667 1,670 1,671 1,681 1,761 1,787 1,873 1,884 1,963
Sinn Féin Niall Ó Donnghaile 3.2% 1,030 1,037 1,037 1,061 1,070 1,127 1,148 1,149
Ulster Unionist Philip Robinson 2.9% 943 1,130 1,131 1,139 1,142 1,161 1,189 1,294 1,296
Traditional Unionist Voice Harry Toan 2.2% 712 744 744 745 753 801 824
Green (NI) Martin Gregg 1.8% 572 614 614 624 649 691
BNP Ann Cooper 1.0% 337 355 355 358 365
SDLP Magdalena Wolska 0.8% 250 253 253 270 275
Socialist Party Thomas Black 0.6% 201 205 205 217
Workers' Party Kevin McNally 0.3% 102 107 107
Independent Stephen Stewart 0.1% 46 54 54
Electorate: 61,263   Valid: tba   Spoilt: tba (0.00%)   Quota: 4,622   Turnout: 32,828 (53.59%)
2007 Assembly election: Belfast East – 6 Seats[2]
Party Candidate  % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2 Count 3 Count 4 Count 5 Count 6 Count 7 Count 8 Count 9 Count 10
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 19.0 5,635
Alliance Naomi Long 18.8 5,583
Ulster Unionist Reg Empey 14.0 4,139 4,231.40 4,620.40
Progressive Unionist Dawn Purvis 10.3 3,045 3,113.88 3,307.63 3,336.13 3,403.11 3,455.86 3,611.83 3,654.32 3,842.92 4,208.17
Democratic Unionist Wallace Browne 10.7 3,185 3,416.60 3,453.10 3,462.35 3,488.06 3,541.78 3,607.97 3,608.71 3,709.10 3,734.32
Democratic Unionist Robin Newton 7.9 2,335 3,201.88 3,241.38 3,250.38 3,270.35 3,316.30 3,355.75 3,359.75 3,497.13 3,516.62
Ulster Unionist Michael Copeland 5.3 1,557 1,567.08 1,654.58 1,817.33 1,834.83 1,951.08 2,068.32 2,073.82 2,743.06 2,999.31
SDLP Mary Muldoon 2.8 816 816.96 1,020.71 1,036.96 1,097.70 1,115.20 1,306.95 1,902.95 1,933.94
Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers 2.8 820 884.08 971.08 1,078.08 1,104.55 1,191.03 1,280.77 1,284.27
Sinn Féin Niall Ó Donnghaile 3.6 1,055 1,056.44 1,071.94 1,072.44 1,087.69 1,087.69 1,123.94
Green (NI) Steven Agnew 2.2 653 658.04 852.04 870.29 983.78 1,064.28
Conservative Glyn Chambers 1.4 427 429.88 483.13 494.38 516.13
Socialist Party Thomas Black 0.8 225 227.88 246.63 248.13
Workers' Party Joseph Bell 0.4 107 107.96 118.46 118.96
Make Politicians History Rainbow George 0.2 47 47.24 51.74 52.99
Electorate: 49,757   Valid: 29,629   Spoilt: 244 (0.82%)   Quota: 4,233   Turnout: 29,873 (60.04%)
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2003
Party Candidate 1st Pref Result Count
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 9,254 Elected 1
Ulster Unionist Reg Empey 6,459 Elected 1
Progressive Unionist David Ervine 2,990 Elected 3
Alliance Naomi Long 2,774 Elected 6
Ulster Unionist Michael Copeland 2,291 Elected 6
Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers 1,502 Not elected
Democratic Unionist Robin Newton 1,475 Elected 3
Democratic Unionist Harry Toan 1,403 Not elected
Sinn Féin Joseph O'Donnell 1,055 Not elected
SDLP Leo Van Es 967 Not elected
Conservative Terry Dick 232 Not elected
Socialist Party Thomas Black 176 Not elected
Workers' Party Joseph Bell 125 Not elected
Independent John McBlain 72 Not elected
Rainbow Dream Ticket Rainbow George 65 Not elected
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
Party Candidate 1st Pref Result Count
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 11,219 Elected 1
Alliance John Alderdice 6,144 Elected 1
Ulster Unionist Reg Empey 5,158 Elected 12
Progressive Unionist David Ervine 5,114 Elected 7
Ulster Unionist Ian Adamson 3,447 Elected 15
UK Unionist Denny Vitty 1,362 Not elected
SDLP Peter Jones 1,025 Not elected
Ulster Unionist Jim Rodgers 1,015 Not elected
Alliance Richard Good 1,000 Not elected
Sinn Féin Joseph O'Donnell 917 Not elected
NI Women's Coalition Pearl Sagar 711 Not elected
Democratic Unionist Sammy Wilson 633 Elected 12
Ulster Democratic Robert Girvan 516 Not elected
Democratic Unionist John Norris 373 Not elected
Labour Party NI David Bleakley 369 Not elected
Progressive Unionist Dawn Purvis 271 Not elected
Conservative Lesley Donaldson 203 Not elected
Workers' Party Joseph Bell 79 Not elected
Natural Law David Collins 22 Not elected
Independent John Lawrence 15 Not elected

1996 Forum

Successful candidates are shown in bold.[3]

Party Candidate(s) Votes Percentage
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson
Sammy Wilson
Robert Newton
Irene Lewis
Wallace Browne		 11,270 29.4
Ulster Unionist Reg Empey
Jim Rodgers
Ian Adamson
Alan Crowe		 8,608 22.5
Alliance John Alderdice
Peter Osborne
Danny Dow
Mervyn Jones
Maureen McConnell		 7,130 18.6
Progressive Unionist David Ervine
Patricia Laverty
Rosemary Reynolds
John McQuillen
Alec Gordon		 3,802 9.9
UK Unionist Alan Field
Maureen Ann McCartney		 2,496 6.5
SDLP Peter Prendiville
Brian Heading		 1,299 3.4
Ulster Democratic Robert Girvan
Jacqueline Upton
Ronald Stitt
Samuel Walkingshaw
Joseph McMaster		 1,156 3.1
Sinn Féin Michael McVeigh
Brid Duffy
Anna Doherty		 862 2.2
NI Women's Coalition Felicity Huston
Pearl Sagar
Annie Quinn
Kate Campbell
Karen Snoddy		 405 1.1
Conservative Ian Donaldson
Dorothy Dunlop		 291 0.8
Labour Coalition Gail Haslett
Thomas Black
Barbara Hawites
David Bell
Maeve O'Leary		 199 0.5
Democratic Partnership David Bleakley
Edwin Sloan		 197 0.5
Green (NI) Similda Osoba
April McCarthy		 161 0.4
Workers' Party Joe Bell
Marie Mooney		 149 0.4
Ulster Independence Gavin Boyd
Mark Black
David McClinton		 114 0.3
Independent DUP Jean Toad
David Kerr		 93 0.2
Democratic Left Michael Craig
June Campion		 45 0.1
Communist Party Andrew Gibb
Sarah Stewart		 38 0.1
Natural Law Robert Johnstone
Richard Johnson
Ian Long		 13 0.0
Independent Chambers Ian Arbuthnot
Alan Hay		 11 0.0

1982

Assembly Election – 20 October 1982
Party Candidate Count 1 Count 2 Count 3 Count 4 Count 5 Count 6 Count 7† Count 8 Count 9 Count 10
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 15319
Ulster Unionist Jeremy Burchill 7345 7345 7345
Alliance Oliver Napier 6037 6037 6037 6037 6037
Alliance Addie Morrow 2966 3057.35 3061.67 3088.12 3093.21 3401.85 3740 3794 4490 4881
Vanguard* William Craig 2274 2805.72 2825.56 2964.48 2988.59 2999.89 3025 3189 3360
Ulster Unionist Dorothy Dunlop 1696 2066.44 2087.40 3270.75 3309.37 3323.35 3347 3512 4565 5981
Ulster Unionist William Johnstone 973 1126.09 1135.85 1377.35 1394.14 1397.56 1408 1520
SDLP Peter Prendiville 868 873.04 874.80 875.49 875.49 881.25 1090 1091
Workers' Party Francis Cullen 681 696.12 696.76 704.12 706.75 711.85
United Ulster Unionist Reg Empey 503 648.53 655.09 691.43 769.25 772.07 777
Democratic Unionist Sammy Wilson 397 1239.31 3024.43 3044.44 3060.98 3065.30 3081 3259 3400 4170
Democratic Unionist Denny Vitty 235 7583.32
United Ulster Unionist Ben Horan 123 184.74 187.30 198.80
Electorate=74273, valid=39417, spoiled=1275, quota=5632
†Although all counts were to two decimal places, the local press round up the results after count 6.
*Craig stood as Vanguard, although the party itself had been disbanded four years before.

1975 Constitutional Convention

1975 Constitutional Convention:Belfast East
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
Vanguard William Craig 23.8 11,958                    
Alliance Oliver Napier 12.6 6,341 6,393.00 6,449.00 6,469.40 6,537.40 7,450.40          
Vanguard Reg Empey 9.3 4,657 6,825.40 6,844.00 6,978.20 7,063.80 7,121.20 7,121.20 8,297.20      
Labour (NI) David Bleakley 8.0 3,998 4,059.60 4,417.00 4,473.20 4,548.40 5,556.20 5,714.20 5,864.00 5,885.56 6,257.76 6,924.54
Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 7.8 3,933 4,165.00 4,173.80 4,209.80 4,253.00 4,283.20 4,283.60 4,672.60 5,156.72 5,201.88 5,792.52
Democratic Unionist Eileen Paisley 7.1 3,606 4,893.60 4,916.60 5,073.00 5,179.60 5,214.40 5,214.40 6,157.80 6,653.68 6,729.86 7,354.86
Unionist Party NI Joshua Cardwell 6.1 3,039 3,164.60 3,180.00 3,220.80 3,366.80 3,586.20 3,605.60 3,718.00 3,756.22 6,209.52 7,475.52
Unionist Party NI Norman Agnew 5.7 2,863 2,913.40 2,918.20 2,929.60 3,011.80 3,262.40 3,287.60 3,370.80 3,387.46    
Ulster Unionist David McNarry 5.2 2,609 2,941.80 2,944.60 2,978.60 3,065.80 3,093.60 3,094.00        
Ulster Unionist Roy Bradford 5.1 2,583 2,828.60 2,839.00 2,873.60 2,991.40 3,092.00 3,096.80 3,362.40 3,431.98 3,756.46  
Alliance Kate Condy 3.0 1,485 1,500.20 1,508.00 1,511.00 1,539.00            
SDLP Alban Maginness 2.5 1,274 1,278.40 1,286.40 1,287.20 1,293.20            
Independent Unionist Walter McFarland 1.5 775 885.40 860.80 887.20              
Labour Party NI Sandy Scott 1.0 530 543.60                  
Independent Unionist William Elliot 1.0 509 591.80 606                
Electorate: 78,340   Valid: 50,160   Spoilt: 917 (1.6%)   Quota: 7,166   Turnout: 51,133 (65.3%)

1973

1973 Assembly election:
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
Ulster Unionist Roy Bradford 23.2 13,187                                  
Democratic Unionist Eileen Paisley 9.7 5,518.00 5,613.00 5,618.76 5,628.52 5,717.66 5,737.08 5,780.17 6,127.42 6,142.56 6,393.08 6,396.08 7,069.44 7,170.70 7,172.47 8,907.47 8,907.47    
Ulster Unionist Joshua Cardwell 8.8 5,001 6,635.00 6,643.38 6,649.38 6,672.90 6,754.40 6,871.78 7,002.74 7,035.68 7,063.44 7,072.20 7,571.96 8,177.96          
Alliance Oliver Napier 8.7 4,941 5,086.92 5,089.68 5,103.20 5,103.20 5,112.24 5,121.76 5,129.90 6,213.42 6,219.80 7,049.80 7,074.56 7,169.92 7,171.57 7,197.47 7,336.93 7,341.79 7,418.97
Labour (NI) David Bleakley 7.8 4,425 4,710.76 4,743.76 4,866.52 4,874.52 4,899.70 4,932.88 4,953.78 5,043.34 5,053.10 5,878.10 5,993.14 6,108.02 6,111.10 6,155.14 6,368.65 6,389.17 6,690.47
Ulster Unionist Normon Agnew 6.4 3,615 4,562.34 4,565.24 4,568.10 4,571.48 4,635.72 4,763.72 4,832.42 4,860.84 4,878.22 4,922.60 5,096.66 5,733.94 5,758.25 5,842.24 7,197.91 7,229.23 8,027.29
Vanguard Tommy Heron 4.4 2,480 2,519.90 2,524.90 2,526.90 2,561.28 2,564.80 2,577.94 2,665.88 2,672.26 2,719.26 2,722.26 3,122.34 3,146.76 3,147.20        
Independent Unionist William Annon 3.9 2,192 2,248.62 2,252.62 2,254.62 2,293.76 2,298.14 2,306.52 2,455.56 2,465.62 2,517.46 2,528.46              
Vanguard Jim Rodgers 3.4 1,947 1,972.46 1,974.46 1,975.46 2,068.60 2,070.36 2,076.12 2,152.02 2,154.02 3,133.20 3,134.20 3,509.86 3,550.38 3,550.82 4,492.23 4,683.96 5,386.40  
SDLP Owen Adams 3.3 1,849 1,850.90 1,856.90 1,857.90 1,858.90 1,858.90 1,858.90 1,859.90 1,865.90 1,865.90                
Ulster Unionist Walter Scott 3.2 1,806 2,326.98 2,328.98 2,329.98 2,341.36 2,395.98 2,512.24 2,539.66 2,556.22 2,568.98 2,568.98 2,614.12            
Ulster Unionist David McNarry 3.1 1,784 2,145.76 2,145.76 2,148.14 2,155.14 2,306.02 2,504.64 2,544.68 2,558.96 2,580.10 2,583.48 2,642.62 3,182.40 3,199.23 3,237.89      
Vanguard Thomas Smith 2.3 1,332 1,343.40 1,343.40 1,343.40 1,384.78 1,385.78 1,390.78 1,444.16 1,445.16                  
Alliance Kate Condy 2.2 1,256 1,297.04 1,302.80 1,310.94 1,318.32 1,329.74 1,341.26 1,346.02                    
Independent Unionist Michael Brooks 1.7 983 1,063.56 1,064.56 1,065.56 1,082.56 1,086.94 1,096.70                      
Ulster Unionist John McKeown 1.5 831 973.88 973.88 974.26 975.26 1,014.60                        
Ulster Unionist Elsie Logan 0.7 394 573.36 575.36 575.36 579.36                          
Independent Unionist Robert Lindsay Mason 0.4 202 205.04 205.42 206.42                            
Independent Unionist Samuel Smyth 0.3 189 192.80 193.80 194.80                            
Labour (NI) John Coulthard 0.2 129 136.22 180.60                              
Labour (NI) William Gunning 0.2 107 110.42                                
Independent Sarah Hughes 19 19.38                                
Electorate: 80,421   Valid: 56,784   Spoilt: 917 (1.6%)   Quota: 8,113   Turnout: 57,701 (71.7%)

References

  1. ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly elections: East Belfast results", Belfast Telegraph, 7 May 2011
  2. ^ [1], Electoral Office for Northern Ireland - NI Assembly Election 7 March 2007
  3. ^ 1996 Candidates – East Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections
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