CAIN: Issue: Politics: Elections: Assembly Election (NI) Thursday 25 June 1998

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Assembly Election (NI) Thursday 25 June 1998

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Text and Research: Martin Melaugh and Fionnuala McKenna
Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change

Assembly Election (NI)
Thursday 25 June 1998

This page contains the results of the 25 June 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly Election.
There is also a list of those political parties and candidates who stood in the 1998 Assembly Election.

Introduction

The following provides the results from the 18 Northern Ireland constituencies where the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly Election was contested. Voting in the election was by Proportional Representation (PR) using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.

When the votes were counted, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) topped the poll with the largest number of first preference votes. This was the first, and only, time the SDLP topped a NI regional poll. It was also the first time a nationalist party had come first. In terms of seats won, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) came first with 28 seats to the SDLP's 24.

For a detailed analysis of the results, see:
ARK - Northern Ireland Elections: NI Assembly Elections 1998; and
Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI). (1998). The Northern Ireland Assembly Election (results), (25 June 1998), [PDF; 2661KB]. Belfast: EONI. ... [19706] - [Report]

Summary of Results

Electorate: 1,178,556
Turnout: 823,565 (69.88%)
Spoiled votes: 13,248
Valid votes cast: 810,317

Party	No. 1^st Preference Votes	% Votes	No. Seats
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)	177,963	21.96	24
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)	172,225	21.25	28
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)	145,917	18.01	20
Sinn Féin (SF)	142,858	17.63	18
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)	52,636	6.50	6
United Kingdom Unionists (UKU)	36,541	4.51	5
Progressive Unionist Party (PUP)	20,634	2.55	2
NI Women's Coalition (WC)	13,019	1.61	2
Ulster Democratic Party (UDP)	8,651	1.07	0
Labour (Lab)	2,729	0.34	0
Others	37,144	4.58	3
Total	810,317	100.00	108

Source: Various media reports

Constituency Results

The results for each of the 18 constituencies contain the following information:
Name of constituency
Size of Electorate; Turnout; Total Valid Poll; and Quota
Outcome of vote
Name of candidate; (Party); Number of first preference votes; and the count on which the candidate was elected.

East Antrim

Electorate: 59,313
Turnout: 36,103 (60.87%)
Total Valid Poll: 35,610
Quota: 5,088

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Roy Beggs Junior (UUP)	5,764	Elected 1^st Count
Sean Neeson (Alliance)	5,247	Elected 1^st Count
David Hilditch (DUP)	4,876	Elected 8^th Count
Jack McKee (DUP)	3,013	.
Roger Hutchinson (UKU)	2,866	Elected 13^th Count
Mrs May Steele (UUP)	2,399	.
Ken Robinson (UUP)	2,384	Elected 13^th Count
Danny O'Connor (SDLP)	2,106	Elected 13^th Count
Stewart Dickson (Alliance)	1,921	.
James Brown (Unionist)	1,571	.
William Greer (PUP)	1,432	.
Mrs Chrissy McAuley (SF)	746	.
Tommy Kirkham (UDP)	596	.
Robert Lindsay Mason (ProAgreement)	424	.
Terence Dick (C)	233	.
James Barr McKissock (NLP)	32	.

North Antrim

Electorate: 73,247
Turnout: 50,561 (67.03%)
Total Valid Poll: 49,697
Quota: 7,101

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
The Rev Ian Paisley (DUP)	10,590	Elected 1^st Count
Sean Farren (SDLP)	6,433	Elected 6^th Count
The Rev Robert Coulter (UUP)	5,407	Elected 10^th Count
Ian Paisley Junior (DUP)	4,459	Elected 2^nd Count
Gardiner Kane (DUP)	3,638	Elected 12^th Count
James Leslie (UUP)	3,458	Elected 12^th Count
William Wright (United)	3,297	.
Miss Jayne Dunlop (Alliance)	2,282	.
Miss Patricia Campbell (UUP)	2,199	.
James McCarry (SF)	2,024	.
Joe Cahill (SF)	2,021	.
Malachy McCamphill (SDLP)	1,982	.
Richard Rodgers (PUP)	641	.
Oliver McMullan (Ind Nat)	478	.
Maurice McAllister (UDP)	400	.
Chris McCaughan (Ind)	194	.
John Wright (NLP)	156	.
Thomas Palmer (Ind)	38	.

South Antrim

Electorate: 69,426
Turnout: 44,599 (64.24%)
Total Valid Poll: 43,991
Quota: 6,285

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Jim Wilson (UUP)	6,691	Elected 1^st Count
Wilson Clyde (DUP)	6,034	Elected 6^th count
Norman Boyd (UKU)	4,360	Elected 7^th Count
Donovan McClelland (SDLP)	4,309	Elected 8^th Count
Duncan Shipley-Dalton (UUP)	4,147	Elected 9^th Count
David Ford (Alliance)	3,778	Elected 10^th Count
Tommy Burns (SDLP)	3,474	.
Martin Meehan (SF)	3,226	.
Stuart Deignan (DUP)	2,816	.
Norman Hunter (UUP)	2,337	.
Ken Wilkinson (PUP)	1,546	.
Ms Joan Cosgrove (NI Women)	1,108	.
Oliver Frawley (Lab)	137	.
George Stidolph (NLP)	28	.

Belfast East

Electorate: 60,562
Turnout: 40,356 (66.64)%
Total Valid Poll: 39,593
Quota: 5,657

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Peter Robinson (DUP)	11,219	Elected 1^st Count
Lord Alderdice (Alliance)	6,144	Elected 1^st Count
Reg Empey (UUP)	5,158	Elected 12^th Count
David Ervine (PUP)	5,114	Elected 7^th Count
Ian Adamson (UUP)	3,447	Elected 15^th Count
Denny Vitty (UKU)	1,362	.
Peter Jones (SDLP)	1,025	.
Jim Rogers (UUP)	1,015	.
Richard Good (Alliance)	1,000	.
Joe Donnell (SF)	917	.
Ms Pearl Sager (NI Women)	711	.
Sammy Wilson (DUP)	633	Elected 12^th Count
Robert Girvan (UDP)	516	.
John Norris (DUP)	373	.
David Bleakley (Lab)	369	.
Miss Dawn Purvis (PUP)	271	.
Ms Lesley Donaldson (C)	203	.
Joe Bell (WP)	79	.
David Collins (NLP)	22	.
John Lawrence (Energy)	15	.

Belfast North

Electorate: 62,541
Turnout: 42,066 (67.26%)
Total Valid Poll: 41,125
Quota: 5,876

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Nigel Dodds (DUP)	7,476	Elected 1^st Count
Alban Maginness (SDLP)	6,196	Elected 1^st Count
Gerry Kelly (SF)	5,610	Elected 10^th Count
Billy Hutchinson (PUP)	3,751	Elected 11^th Count
Mrs Martina McIlkenny (SF)	3,165	.
William Agnew (UU)	2,976	Elected 11^th Count
Martin Morgan (SDLP)	2,465	.
Fred Cobain (UUP)	2,415	Elected 11^th Count
David Browne (UUP)	2,064	.
Eric Smyth (DUP)	1,288	.
Glyn Roberts (Alliance)	1,267	.
John White (UDP)	911	.
Stephen Cooper (UKU)	748	.
Peter Emerson (Green)	257	.
Sam McAughtrey (Lab)	255	.
Steven Doran (WP)	155	.
Kevin Blair (NLP)	76	.
Ms Dolores Quinn (Ind NCC)	50	.

Belfast South

Electorate: 61,209
Turnout: 41,266 (67.42%)
Total Valid Poll: 40,724
Quota: 5,819

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP)	4,956	Elected 6^th Count
Michael McGimpsey (UUP)	4,938	Elected 5^th Count
Steve McBride (Alliance)	4,086	.
Monica McWilliams (NI Women)	3,912	Elected 10^th Count
Mrs Carmel Hanna (SDLP)	3,882	Elected 10^th Count
Esmond Birnie (UUP)	2,875	Elected 8^th Count
Mark Robinson (DUP)	2,872	Elected 8^th Count
Sean Hayes (SF)	2,605	.
Mrs Myreve Chambers (DUP)	2,449	.
Ernie Purvis (PUP)	2,112	.
David Adams (UDP)	1,745	.
Jim Clarke (UUP)	1,720	.
Grant Dillon (UKU)	1,496	.
Wiliam Dixon (Unionist)	437	.
Boyd Black (Lab)	231	.
Paddy Lynn (WP)	176	.
Roger Lomas (C)	97	.
James Anderson (NLP)	73	.
Niall Cusack (Lab)	62	.

Belfast West

Electorate: 60,669
Turnout: 42,754 (70.47%)
Total Valid Poll: 41,794
Quota: 5,972

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Gerry Adams (SF)	9,078	Elected 1^st Count
Dr Joe Hendron (SDLP)	6,140	Elected 1^st Count
Miss Bairbre de Brun (SF)	4,711	Elected 9^th Count
Alex Attwood (SDLP)	4,380	Elected 10^th Count
Alex Maskey (SF)	4,330	Elected 10^th Count
Miss Sue Ramsey (SF)	3,946	Elected 6^th Count
Michael Ferguson (SF)	2,585	.
Hugh Smyth (PUP)	2,180	.
Chris McGimpsey (UUP)	1,640	.
Mrs Margaret Ferris (DUP)	1,345	.
Thomas Dalzell-Sheridan (UKU)	666	.
John Lowry (WP)	607	.
Dan McGuinness (Alliance)	129	.
Michael Kennedy (NLP)	29	.
Ms Mary Cahillane (Soc)	28	.

North Down

Electorate: 62,942
Turnout: 37,874 (60.17%)
Total Valid Poll: 37,313
Quota: 5,331

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Robert McCartney (UKU)	8,188	Elected 1^st Count
John Gorman (UUP)	4,719	Elected 6^th Count
Alan McFarland (UUP)	4,653	Elected 6^th Count
Mrs Eileen Bell (Alliance)	3,669	Elected 9^th Count
Peter Weir (UUP)	2,775	Elected 12^th Count
Ms Marietta Farrell (SDLP)	2,048	.
Ms Jane Morrice (NI Women)	1,808	Elected 12^th Count
Gavin Walker (Alliance)	1,699	.
Alan Graham (DUP)	1,558	.
Alan Chambers (Ulster Ind)	1,382	.
Stewart Currie (PUP)	1,376	.
Brian Wilson (Ind)	1,327	.
St Clair McAlister (DUP)	1,013	.
Leonard Fee (C)	337	.
Tom Lindsay (UDP)	265	.
Ms Vanessa Baird-Gunning (Lab)	212	.
Mrs Elizabeth Roche (UKU)	173	.
Christopher Carter (UIV)	72	.
Ms Andrea Gribben (NLP)	39	.

South Down

Electorate: 71,027
Turnout: 52,342 (73.69%)
Total Valid Poll: 51,53
Quota: 7,337

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Eddie McGrady (SDLP)	10,373	Elected 1^st Count
Mick Murphy (SF)	6,251	Elected 6^th Count
Patrick Bradley (SDLP)	5,571	Elected 10^th Count
Dermot Nesbitt (UUP)	5,480	Elected 8^th Count
Jim Wells (DUP)	4,826	Elected 11^th Count
Hugh Carr (SDLP)	3,731	.
Eamon O'Neill (SDLP)	3,582	Elected 11^th Count
Frederick Wharton (UKU)	2,576	.
Norman Hanna (UUP)	1,939	.
Ms Anne Carr (NI Women)	1,658	.
George Graham (Unionist)	1,562	.
Garret O'Fachtna (SF)	1,520	.
Dr Anne-Marie Cunningham (Alliance)	1,502	.
Malachi Curran (Lab)	498	.
Desmond O'Hagan (WP)	130	.
Patrick O'Connor (Ind Lab)	121	.
Thomas Mullins (NLP)	33	.

Fermanagh South Tyrone

Electorate: 65,383> Turnout: 51,923 (79.41%)
Total Valid Poll: 51,043
Quota: 7,293

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Tommy Gallagher (SDLP)	8,135	Elected 1^st Count
Sam Foster (UUP)	5,589	Elected 5^th Count
Gerry McHugh (SF)	5,459	Elected 7^th Count
Ms Michelle Gildernew (SF)	4,703	Elected 9^th Count
Mrs Joan Carson (UUP)	4,400	Elected 10^th Count
Jim Dixon (UKU)	4,262	.
Maurice Morrow (DUP)	3,987	Elected 10^th Count
Pat Treanor (SF)	3,552	.
Bert Johnston (DUP)	3,095	.
Ms Olive Mullen (SDLP)	2,872	.
Bertie Kerr (UUP)	2,583	.
Ms Marie Crawley (NI Women)	1,729	.
Stephen Farry (Alliance)	614	.
Simeon Gillan (NLP)	63	.

Foyle

Electorate: 68,888
Turnout: 49,604 (72.01%)
Total Valid Poll: 48,794
Quota: 6,972

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
John Hume (SDLP)	12,581	Elected 1^st Count
William Hay (DUP)	6,112	Elected 8^th Count
Mitchel McLaughlin (SF)	5,341	Elected 5^th Count
Jack Allen (UUP)	4,669	.
Mark Durkan (SDLP)	4,423	Elected 6^th Count
John Tierney (SDLP)	3,778	Elected 7^th Count
Mrs Mary Nelis (SF)	3,464	Elected 8^th Count
Ms Annie Courtney (SDLP)	2,560	.
Gearoid O hEara (SF)	2,531	.
Ms Lynn Fleming (SF)	1,360	.
Colm Cavanagh (Alliance)	1,058	.
Ken Adams (Lab)	345	.
Brian Gurney (PUP)	287	.
Peter MacKenzie (Green)	253	.
Donn Brennan (NLP)	32	.

Lagan Valley

Electorate: 71,661
Turnout: 47,074 (65.69%)
Total Valid Poll: 46,510
Quota: 6,645

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Seamus Close (Alliance)	6,788	Elected 1st Count
Billy Bell (UUP)	5,965	Elected 5^th Count
Patrick Roche (UKU)	5,361	Elected 9^th Count
Edwin Poots (DUP)	5,239	Elected 7^th Count
Ms Patricia Lewsley (SDLP)	4,039	Elected 9^th Count
Ivan Davis (UUP)	3,927	Elected 9^th Count
Gary McMichael (UDP)	3,725	.
David Campbell (UUP)	3,158	.
Cecil Calvert (DUP)	3,111	.
Paul Butler (SF)	2,000	.
Ken Hull (UUP)	1,289	.
Mrs Annie Campbell (NI Women)	955	.
William Bleakes (C)	702	.
Ms Frances McCarthy (WP)	208	.
John Cairns (NLP)	43	.

East Londonderry

Electorate: 59,370
Turnout: 39,564 ? (66.64%) ?
Total Valid Poll: 39,564
Quota: 5,643

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Gregory Campbell (DUP)	6,099	Elected 1^st Count
David McClarty (UUP)	5,108	Elected 5^th Count
John Dallat (SDLP)	4,760	Elected 6^th Count
Arthur Doherty (SDLP)	4,606	Elected 8^th Count
Boyd Douglas (Unionist)	3,811	Elected 9^th Count
Mrs Pauline Armitage (UUP)	3,315	Elected 9^th Count
David Nicholl (UDP)	3,280	.
Malachy O'Kane (SF)	2,521	.
Mrs Barbara Dempsey (Alliance)	2,395	.
Robert McPherson (UUP)	1,531	.
John McIlhenny (SF)	1,339	.
David Gilmour (PUP)	582	.
George Robinson (DUP)	171	.
Maura McCann (NLP)	46	.

Newry and Armagh

Electorate: 71,553
Turnout: 55,293 (77.28%)
Total Valid Poll: 54,136
Quota: 7,735

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Seamus Mallon (SDLP)	13,582	Elected 1^st Count
Paul Berry (DUP)	7,214	Elected 4^th Count
Danny Kennedy (UUP)	5,495	Elected 6^th Count
Conor Murphy (SF)	4,839	Elected 8^th Count
Davy Hyland (SF)	4,643	.
Pat McNamee (SF)	4,570	Elected 8^th Count
Jim Speers (UUP)	4,324	.
John Fee (SDLP)	3,166	Elected 8^th Count
Frank Feeley (SDLP)	2,205	.
Ms Mary Allen (Ind)	1,227	.
Ms Kate Fearon (NI Women)	1,138	.
William Fraser (UI)	933	.
Pete Whitcroft (Alliance)	777	.
David Evans (NLP)	23	.

Strangford

Electorate: 70,868
Turnout: 43,651 (61.59%)
Total Valid Poll: 42,922
Quota: 6,133

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Mrs Iris Robinson (DUP)	9,479	Elected 1^st Count
John Taylor (UUP)	9,203	Elected 1^st Count
Cedric Wilson (UKU)	3,078	Elected 18^th Count
Kieran McCarthy (Alliance)	2,947	Elected 17^th Count
Peter Osborne (Alliance)	2,269	.
John Beattie (Ind UU)	2,247	.
Danny McCarthy (SDLP)	1,982	.
Brian Hanvey (SDLP)	1,883	.
Thomas Benson (UUP)	1,623	Elected 17^th Count
Jim Shannon (DUP)	1,415	Elected 18^th Count
Ricky Johnston (PUP)	1,342	.
David McNarry (UUP)	1,073	.
Tommy Jeffers (DUP)	1,007	.
Wilbert Magill (Unionist)	951	.
Tom Hamilton (UUP)	615	.
Paddy McGreevy (SF)	614	.
Blakely McNally (UDP)	322	.
Thomas Beattie (C)	263	.
Ms Agnes Orr (Ind CC)	201	.
Andrew Frew (Green)	200	.
Jonathan Stewart (Lab)	181	.
Ms Sarah Mullins (NLP)	27	.

West Tyrone

Electorate: 59,081
Turnout: 46,913 (79.40%)
Total Valid Poll: 45,951
Quota: 6,565

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Oliver Gibson (DUP)	8,015	Elected 1^st Count
Pat Docherty (SF)	7,027	Elected 1^st Count
Joe Byrne (SDLP)	6,495	Elected 4^th count
Barry McElduff (SF)	4,963	Elected 9^th Count
Derek Hussey (UUP)	4,622	Elected 8^th Count
Seamus Devine (SF)	3,676	.
Eugene McMenamin (SDLP)	3,548	Elected 9^th Count
Alastair Patterson (UUP)	2,615	.
Pat McDonnell (SDLP)	1,772	.
Paddy McGowan (Ind Comm)	1,269	.
Ms Ann Gormley (Alliance)	1,011	.
Johnny McLaughlin (Soc)	570	.
Laurence O'Kane (CECC)	171	.
Tommy Owens (WP)	157	.
Robert Johnstone (NLP)	40	.

Mid Ulster

Electorate: 59,991
Turnout: 51,223 (85.38%)
Total Valid Poll: 49,798
Quota: 7,115

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
Rev William McCrea (DUP)	10,339	Elected 1^st Count
Martin McGuinness (SF)	8,703	Elected 1^st Count
Denis Haughey (SDLP)	6,410	Elected 6th Count
Francie Molloy (SF)	6,008	Elected 6th Count
John Kelly (SF)	5,594	Elected 6th Count
Patsy McGlone (SDLP)	4,666	.
Billy Armstrong (UUP)	4,498	Elected 6th Count
John Junkin (UUP)	2,440	.
Mrs Yvonne Boyle (Alliance)	497	.
Paul McLean (DUP)	307	.
Francie Donnelly (WP)	207	.
Harry Hutchinson (Soc)	91	.
Ms Mary Daly (NLP)	38	.

Upper Bann

Electorate: 70,852
Turnout: 50,399 (71.13%)
Total Valid Poll: 50,399
Quota: 7,201

Candidate (Party)	No. 1^st Preference Votes	Elected on Count
David Trimble (UUP)	12,338	Elected 1^st Count
Ms Brid Rodgers (SDLP)	9,260	Elected 1^st Count
Denis Watson (UUU)	4,855	Elected 14^th Count
Ms Dara O'Hagan (SF)	4,301	Elected 10^th Count
Mervyn Carrick (DUP)	4,177	Elected 13^th Count
Ms Ruth Allen (DUP)	3,635	.
Francie Murray (SF)	2,915	.
Mel Byrne (SDLP)	2,687	.
Frank McQuaid (Alliance)	1,556	.
David Vance (UKU)	1,405	.
Sam Gardiner (UUP)	1,097	.
George Savage (UUP)	669	Elected 14^th Count
Mark Neale (UUP)	455	.
Alan Evans (Lab)	439	.
Tom French (WP)	270	.
Pastor Kenny McClinton (UI)	207	.
Brian Silcock (Ind)	101	.
Jack Lyons (NLP)	32	.

Source: Various media reports

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