District electoral area in Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland
Ards Peninsula Created 1985 Seats 7 (1985-1993) 5 (1993–2014) 6 (2014-) Councillors Robert Adair (DUP ) Joe Boyle (SDLP ) Nigel Edmund (DUP ) Davy Kerr (DUP ) Lorna McAlpine (APNI ) Pete Wray (UUP )
Ards Peninsula DEA within Ards and North Down
Ards Peninsula DEA (1993-2014) within Ards
Ards Peninsula is one of the seven district electoral areas (DEA) in Ards and North Down , Northern Ireland.[1] The district elects five members to Ards and North Down Borough Council and contains the wards of Ballywalter, Carrowdore, Kircubbin, Loughries, Portaferry and Portavogie.[2] Ards Peninsula forms part of the Strangford constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament .
It was created for the 1985 local elections , replacing Ards Area A which had existed since 1973, and originally contained seven wards (Ballywalter, Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South, Kircubbin, Millisle, Portaferry and Portavogie). For the 1993 local elections it was reduced to five wards, gaining Carrowdore but losing Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South and Millisle to the new Ards East DEA . For the 2014 local elections , it was increased to six wards, regaining Millisle while Donaghadee moved to the new Bangor East and Donaghadee DEA .
Councillors
2023 Election
2019: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2023: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2019–2023 Change: No change
Ards Peninsula - 6 seats[3]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
DUP
Robert Adair*
21.33%
1,959
Alliance
Lorna McAlpine*
13.78%
1,266
1,273.92
1,383.92
SDLP
Joe Boyle*
13.93%
1,279
1,288.24
1,308.57
1,314.57
DUP
Nigel Edmund*
6.89%
633
996.99
1,003.32
1,174.22
1,675.22
DUP
Davy Kerr
9.00%
827
990.68
1,014.99
1,165.61
1,314.61
UUP
Pete Wray
8.05%
739
773.98
810.31
949.27
1,069.06
Sinn Féin
Noel Sands
10.29%
945
946.65
963.65
964.65
965.65
DUP
Eddie Thompson*
7.48%
687
720.00
725.33
852.62
TUV
Tom Thompson
6.45%
592
616.09
628.09
Green (NI)
Gilian McNaull
1.62%
149
149.99
Independent
Boyd Ireland
1.18%
108
111.63
Electorate: 19,000 Valid: 9,184 (48.34%) Spoilt: 111 Quota: 1,313 Turnout: 9,925 (52.24%)
2019 Election
2014: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2019: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2014-2019 Change: No change
Ards Peninsula - 6 seats[4]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
DUP
Robert Adair *
27.93%
2,189
SDLP
Joe Boyle *
20.68%
1,621
DUP
Nigel Edmund *
9.38%
735
1,511.5
DUP
Eddie Thompson *
10.48%
821
931
934.15
1,273.15
UUP
Angus Carson *
10.62%
832
943.5
968.7
995.45
1,020.2
1,132
Alliance
Lorna McAlpine *
10.62%
832
849
1,079.65
1,083.9
1,085.75
1,088.95
1,124.95
Green (NI)
Michele Strong
4.07%
319
333
372.9
375.9
383.25
388.25
434.25
Sinn Féin
Murdoch McKibbin
2.50%
196
197.5
380.9
381.4
382.4
382.6
384.6
UKIP
Matt Davey
2.98%
234
267.5
274.15
279.15
291.15
322.55
NI Conservatives
Tim Mullen
0.74%
58
61
62.05
63.05
Electorate: 17,582 Valid: 7,837 (44.57%) Spoilt: 119 Quota: 1,120 Turnout: 7,956 (45.25%)
2014 Election
2011: 2 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP
2014: 3 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2011-2014 Change: DUP gain due to the addition of one seat
Ards Peninsula - 6 seats[5]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
DUP
Robert Adair *
24.48%
1,773
SDLP
Joe Boyle *
19.15%
1,387
UUP
Angus Carson *
16.55%
1,199
DUP
Nigel Edmund
8.57%
621
1,159.79
Alliance
Kellie Armstrong * †
6.06%
439
457.49
605.69
619.46
620.56
650.47
862
1,074
DUP
Eddie Thompson *
7.25%
456
535.12
539.02
604.98
697.88
712.11
788.67
800
DUP
Louise Wallace
7.72%
559
616.19
618.29
653.99
669.89
678.18
701.41
703.31
Sinn Féin
Sheila Bailie
5.36%
388
390.58
535.48
535.82
535.92
538.82
557.69
NI Conservatives
Paul Leeman
2.22%
161
180.35
185.75
215.67
220.17
246.71
Alliance
Colin McCormick
2.02%
146
150.73
190.33
200.02
200.72
220.09
NI21
John Bustard
1.57%
114
117.87
125.07
131.7
132.1
Electorate: 16,656 Valid: 7,243 (43.49%) Spoilt: 126 Quota: 1,035 Turnout: 7,369 (44.24%)
2011 Election
2005: 2 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP
2011: 2 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP
2005-2011 Change: No change
Ards Peninsula - 5 seats[6]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
SDLP
Joe Boyle *
24.24%
1,473
DUP
Robert Adair
17.56%
1,067
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy *
15.50%
942
1,271.3
DUP
Colin Kennedy
11.95%
726
728.59
732.37
770.53
823.53
1,140.53
UUP
Angus Carson *
11.83%
719
731.21
746.33
803.28
879.02
954.44
Alliance
Kellie Armstrong
4.74%
288
366.44
568.04
587.31
628.05
646.74
DUP
John Prentice
6.91%
420
423.33
429.21
442.58
507.79
Independent
Joe Hagan
4.30%
261
269.14
280.48
314.22
Independent
Robert Drysdale*
2.96%
180
197.76
215.4
Electorate: 12,879 Valid: 6,076 (47.18%) Spoilt: 132 Quota: 1,014 Turnout: 6,208 (48.20%)
2005 Election
2001: 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2005: 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2001-2005 Change: No change
Ards Peninsula - 5 seats[7]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
DUP
Jim Shannon *
31.44%
1,944
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy *
16.01%
990
1,074.13
SDLP
Joe Boyle
14.77%
913
918.17
1,303.17
DUP
Robert Drysdale *
10.72%
663
1,024.43
1,034.43
UUP
Angus Carson *
11.37%
703
801.7
854.93
937.93
DUP
Colin Kennedy
6.60%
408
745.93
761.69
774.69
Sinn Féin
Anthony Lacken
4.72%
292
293.88
Independent
Daniel McCarthy*
4.37%
270
281.28
Electorate: 11,725 Valid: 6,183 (52.73%) Spoilt: 130 Quota: 1,031 Turnout: 6,313 (53.84%)
2001 Election
1997: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
2001: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1997-2001 Change: No change
Ards Peninsula - 5 seats[8]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
DUP
Jim Shannon *
26.53%
1,824
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy *
18.71%
1,286
DUP
Robert Drysdale *
10.25%
705
1,222.92
SDLP
Daniel McCarthy *
12.51%
860
865.85
899.51
918.84
1,025.08
1,025.88
1,430.88
UUP
Angus Carson
10.33%
710
748.22
755.81
766.28
864.5
894.8
944.8
1,008.8
UUP
Paul Carson*
7.56%
520
583.96
593.97
603.82
671.15
710.75
731.42
765.42
Independent
Joe Boyle
7.65%
526
528.73
543.58
553.75
646.87
648.67
Independent
Robert Ambrose
3.71%
255
289.32
298.01
307.13
Independent
James McMullan
2.23%
153
155.73
162.99
166.58
Alliance
Stephen McSherry
0.51%
35
38.12
85.2
Electorate: 11,849 Valid: 6,874 (58.01%) Spoilt: 211 Quota: 1,146 Turnout: 7,085 (59.79%)
1997 Election
1993: 2 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
1997: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1997-2001 Change: DUP and SDLP gain from Alliance and Independent
Ards Peninsula - 5 seats[9]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
UUP
Paul Carson
22.57%
1,114
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy *
21.21%
1,047
DUP
Jim Shannon *
20.12%
993
DUP
Robert Drysdale
10.25%
473
687.21
696.01
849.01
SDLP
Daniel McCarthy
15.60%
770
777.44
808.9
810.52
930.52
Alliance
William Sheldon*
3.12%
154
202.98
315.62
325.16
346.72
Alliance
John Smyth
4.48%
221
227.82
279.3
281.82
296.02
SDLP
Iain Bell
2.65%
131
131
141.12
141.48
Green (NI)
Owen Crawford
0.67%
33
40.75
44.49
45.75
Electorate: 11,165 Valid: 4,936 (44.21%) Spoilt: 101 Quota: 824 Turnout: 5,037 (45.11%)
1993 Election
1989: 3 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance
1993: 2 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
1989-1993 Change: UUP (two seats) and DUP loss to Independent and due to the reduction of two seats
Ards Peninsula - 5 seats[10]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy *
32.39%
1,546
DUP
Jim Shannon *
18.77%
896
Independent
James McMullan
13.74%
656
818.76
UUP
Robert Ambrose *
14.94%
713
758.24
943.24
Alliance
William Sheldon
4.53%
216
723
743.28
770.28
DUP
Thomas Cully
10.16%
485
498
539.08
599.08
UUP
Samuel Brown
5.47%
261
275.56
Electorate: 10,416 Valid: 4,773 (45.82%) Spoilt: 158 Quota: 796 Turnout: 4,931 (47.34%)
1989 Election
1985: 2 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UPUP, 1 x Independent
1989: 3 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance
1985-1989 Change: UUP and Alliance gain from UPUP and Independent
Ards Peninsula - 7 seats[11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy *
16.19%
1,119
DUP
Jim Shannon *
14.90%
1,030
UUP
John Shields *
14.73%
1,018
UUP
Robert Ambrose *
14.59%
1,008
DUP
Mervyn Rea
8.45%
584
588.56
682.4
705.49
738.45
748.8
1,139.8
UUP
Ronald Ferguson
6.64%
459
464.52
474.21
586.38
688.3
786.85
845.31
983.31
Alliance
Clifford Auld
7.41%
512
698
705.48
717.3
726.1
742
753.72
765.72
Independent
James McMullan
8.16%
564
616.32
616.83
616.83
617.95
619
624.15
632.15
DUP
Oliver Johnston*
6.54%
452
453.44
502.4
511.57
519.09
531.84
UUP
Trevor Hussey
2.39%
165
167.4
172.5
Electorate: 16,006 Valid: 6,911 (43.18%) Spoilt: 229 Quota: 864 Turnout: 7,140 (44.61%)
1985 Election
1985: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x UPUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Independent
Ards Peninsula - 7 seats[12]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
UPUP
Gladys McIntyre *
13.68%
999
UUP
Robert Ambrose *
11.46%
837
849.4
928.4
Independent
Thomas Byers
11.07%
808
808.4
826.48
830.56
1,058.56
Alliance
Kieran McCarthy
6.22%
454
455.76
466
667.92
816.92
944.92
UUP
John Shields
8.34%
609
625.16
641.28
668.24
669.32
669.32
1,036.32
DUP
Jim Shannon
11.46%
837
844.36
858.32
863.64
863.64
863.64
899
DUP
Oliver Johnston *
11.11%
811
819.8
822.2
823.36
827.36
828.36
867.12
DUP
Joseph Thompson*
8.72%
637
642.68
649.68
651.76
651.84
651.84
672.24
UUP
John Scott*
5.70%
416
428.88
468.8
505.16
505.16
505.16
SDLP
Patrick Doherty*
4.92%
359
359.24
415.24
419.32
Alliance
James Muirhead
3.93%
287
292.04
298.44
UUP
Samuel McKeown
2.16%
158
165.12
SDLP
Seamus O'Neill
1.22%
89
89.16
Electorate: 14,998 Valid: 7,301 (48.68%) Spoilt: 220 Quota: 913 Turnout: 7,521 (50.15%)
References