European Election (NI) - Thursday 23 May 2019

European Election (NI)
Thursday 23 May 2019

Introduction

The election on Thursday 23 May 2019 was held to elect three Members to the European Parliament (MEPs). For the purpose of the European election Northern Ireland is treated as a single constituency and voting is by means of proportional representation (PR), using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.

The election was contested against a background of continuing uncertainty about the final outcome of Brexit. At the time of the election it was not known whether or not the three MEPs would serve a full term in the European Parliament.

Eleven candidates took part in the contest - their names and political parties are listed in the table below. The count of votes took place on 27 May 2019 following the completion of voting in other European countries. The three candidates elected were:

• Diane Dodds (Democratic Unionist Party; DUP) elected at Stage 3;
• Martina Anderson (Sinn Féin; SF) elected at Stage 5; and
• Naomi Long (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland; APNI) elected at Stage 5.

Diane Dodds (DUP)	Namomi Long (APNI)	Martina Anderson (SF)

Two of those elected, Dodds and Anderson, were sitting candidates. The biggest talking point in the election was the increase in the vote for the APNI. Long was the first APNI member to be elected an MEP. The election was also the first time that two unionists were not returned as MEPs; the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) had held a seat since 1979. It was the first time that there were three female MEPs. The outcome also meant that Northern Ireland would be represented by two anti-Brexit MEPs, Anderson and Long, and one pro-Brexit MEP, Dodds.

See also:
Election Manifestos
Electoral Office Northern Ireland. (2019). European Election 2019: Stage 5 Results, [PDF; 1670KB]. Belfast: EONI.

Summary of Results:

Eligible Electorate: 1,278,951
Number of Votes Cast (Turnout / Poll): 577,275
Percentage Turnout / Poll: 45.14 %
Number of Invalid / Spoilt Votes: 4,828
Number of Valid Votes Cast: 572,447
Percentage Valid Votes Cast: 44.76 %
Quota: 143,112

Stage 1 - First Preference Votes

No one elected at stage 1. Five candidates were eliminated at stage 1 and their 20,915 votes distributed.

Stage 2 - Distribution of votes

No one elected at Stage 2. Danny Kennedy (UUP) eliminated and his 54,736 votes distributed.

Stage 3 - Distribution of votes

Diane Dodds (DUP) elected at Stage 3 and her surplus votes distributed.

Stage 4 - Distribution of votes

Colum Eastwood (SDLP) eliminated and his votes distributed.

Stage 5- Distribution of votes

Martin Anderson (SF) and Naomi Long (APNI) elected at Stage 5.

Source:

• BBC and various newspaper reports.
• Electoral Office of Northern Ireland (EONI) Web site