Belfast South (Assembly constituency)

Belfast South (Irish: Béal Feirste Theas, Ulster Scots: Bilfawst Sooth) is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Belfast South
Northern Ireland Assembly Parliamentary Constituency
South Belfast shown within Northern Ireland
Current constituency
Created	1973
Seats	6 (1998–2016) 5 (2017–)
MLAs	Clare Bailey (GP)      Paula Bradshaw (APNI)      Deirdre Hargey (SF)      Matthew O'Toole (SDLP)      Christopher Stalford (DUP)
City council	Belfast City Council

The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. It usually shares boundaries with the Belfast South UK Parliament constituency, however the boundaries of the two constituencies were slightly different from 1983 to 1986 and 2010–2011 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 constituency is primarily formed from the Belfast City Council districts of Balmoral, Laganbank and as well as a number of wards from Pottinger and Castlereagh Borough Council. For further details of the history and boundaries of the constituency, see Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency).

Members

Election	MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)
1973		Basil Glass (Alliance Party)		Basil McIvor (UUP)		Reginald Magee (UUP)		Herbert Kirk (UUP)		Nelson Elder (UUP)		Edward Burns (DUP)
1975				Jim Hendron (Alliance)		Jeremy Burchill (UUP)		Martin Smyth (UUP)		David Trimble (Vanguard)
1982		David Cook (Alliance Party)		Edgar Graham (UUP)		Jim Kirkpatrick (UUP)			5 seats 1982–1998			Raymond McCrea (DUP)
1984 by-election				Frank Millar Jr (UUP)
1996		Steve McBride (Alliance Party)		Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP)		Jim Clarke (UUP)		Bob Stoker (UUP)				Joan Parkes (DUP)
1998		Monica McWilliams (NI Women's Coalition)				Carmel Hanna (SDLP)		Esmond Birnie (UUP)		Michael McGimpsey (UUP)		Mark Robinson (DUP)
2003		Alex Maskey (Sinn Féin)
2007								Anna Lo (Alliance Party)				Jimmy Spratt (DUP)
January 2010 co-option						Conall McDevitt (SDLP)
2011
September 2013 co-option						Fearghal McKinney (SDLP)
October 2014 co-option		Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin)
June 2015 co-option				Claire Hanna (SDLP)
September 2015 co-option												Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP)
2016						Clare Bailey (Green (NI))		Paula Bradshaw (Alliance Party)		Christopher Stalford (DUP)
2017											5 seats 2017–present
January 2020 co-option		Deirdre Hargey (Sinn Féin)		Matthew O'Toole (SDLP)

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

2017

2017 Assembly election: Belfast South – 5 Seats[1]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9
	Sinn Féin	Máirtín Ó Muilleoir	17.7	7,610
	SDLP	Claire Hanna	15.2	6,559	6,756.28	6,788.12	6,839.56	6,981.54	8,652.54
	Alliance	Paula Bradshaw	13.0	5,595	5,632.26	5,672.50	5,740.40	5,866.38	7,690.38
	DUP	Christopher Stalford	10.5	4,529	4,530.08	4,551.08	4,554.08	4,704.08	4,715.26	4,726.26	4,728.50	8,667.50
	Green (NI)	Clare Bailey	9.9	4,247	4,292.78	4,341.74	4,523.08	5,073.96	5,450	6,344	6,719.36	6,797.22
	UUP	Michael Henderson	9.0	3,863	3,866	3,932.12	3,955.12	4,240.20	4,337.80	4,647.80	4,761.40	5,255.94
	DUP	Emma Little-Pengelly	10.3	4,446	4,446.78	4,468.84	4,476.84	4,655.90	4,676.26	4,695.26	4,703.26
	Alliance	Emmet McDonough-Brown	4.8	2,053	2,080.96	2,095.38	2,118.92	2,185.34
	SDLP	Naomh Gallagher	4.2	1,794	1,855.86	1,865.92	1,893.42	1,962.22
	People Before Profit	Pádraigín Mervyn	1.8	760	789.58	828.72	970.86
	TUV	John Hiddleston	1.6	703	703.36	717.36	724.48
	Labour Alternative	Seán Burns	1.2	531	539.76	566.42
	NI Conservatives	George Jabbour	0.5	200	200.48
	Workers' Party	Lily Kerr	0.4	163	168.22
Electorate: 67,953   Valid: 43,053   Spoilt: 412 (0.95%)   Quota: 7,176   Turnout: 43,465 (63.96%)

2016

2016 Assembly election: Belfast South – 6 Seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11	Count 12
	Sinn Féin	Máirtín Ó Muilleoir	14.2	5,207	5,208	5,234	5,245	5,247
	Alliance	Paula Bradshaw	9.1	3,332	3,352	3,369	3,400	3,418	3,425	3,437	3,570	5,729
	SDLP	Claire Hanna	12.3	4,516	4,522	4,559	4,574	4,581	4,582	4,591	4,738	4,934	5,056.50	7,641.50
	Green (NI)	Clare Bailey	9.6	3,521	3,534	3,600	3,670	3,678	3,691	3,707	4,289	4,524	4,729.50	4,932.75	6,056.75
	DUP	Emma Little-Pengelly	12.3	4,511	4,526	4,526	4,528	4,595	4,644	4,703	5,049	5,073	5,092.25	5,117	5,150
	DUP	Christopher Stalford	9.7	3,570	3,582	3,582	3,583	3,615	3,717	3,866	4,355	4,368	4,373.25	4,389.25	4,409.25
	UUP	Rodney McCune	6.7	2,466	2,514	2,515	2,527	2,615	2,677	2,755	3,213	3,272	3,337.50	3,367.50	3,449.50
	SDLP	Fearghal McKinney	7.7	2,845	2,850	2,869	2,876	2,877	2,878	2,878	2,964	3,057	3,104.75
	Alliance	Duncan Morrow	7.3	2,691	2,698	2,707	2,730	2,733	2,736	2,744	2,837
	UKIP	Bob Stoker	2.2	794	801	803	804	832	908	1,025
	Labour Alternative	Seán Burns	2.4	871	871	909	971	974	985	989
	TUV	John Hiddleston	1.3	495	498	499	501	558	590	685
	Independent	Ruth Patterson	1.3	475	478	479	481	502	571
	PUP	Ian Shanks	1.2	430	432	435	438	444
	South Belfast Unionists	William Dickson	1.0	351	357	358	359
	NI Labour	Brigitte Anton	0.7	246	248	258
	Workers' Party	Lily Kerr	0.7	241	241
	NI Conservatives	Ben Manton	0.4	161
Electorate: 68,469   Valid: 36,723   Spoilt: 424 (1.14%)   Quota: 5,247   Turnout: 54.25

2011

2011 Assembly Election: Belfast South – 6 seats[2][3]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5
	Alliance	Anna Lo	19.8	6,390
	SDLP	Alasdair McDonnell	14.0	4,527	4,916.10
	UUP	Michael McGimpsey	9.2	2,988	3,208.80	3,241.05	3,322.95	4,622.05
	Sinn Féin	Alex Maskey	12.5	4,038	4,124.70	4,138.45	4,268.15	4,452.05
	SDLP	Conall McDevitt	9.9	3,191	3.510.50	3,687.25	3,852.10	4,444.80
	DUP	Jimmy Spratt	12.5	4,045	4,098.70	4,103.45	4,163.85	4,281.45
	DUP	Ruth Patterson	11.8	3,800	3,887	3,893.75	3,953.05	4,163.40
	Green (NI)	Clare Bailey	2.8	889	1,226.80	1,263.55	1,655.60
	UUP	Mark Finlay	4.3	1,394	1,554.50	1,567	1,617.70
	People Before Profit	Brian Faloon	1.3	414	475.80	480.05
	Socialist Party	Paddy Meehan	0.7	234	252	255
	UKIP	Nico Torregrosa	0.7	234	244.50	245
	Workers' Party	Paddy Lynn	0.5	135	155.40	158.90
	Independent	Charles Smyth	0.1	29	33.50	33.50
Electorate: 62,484   Valid: 32,308   Spoilt: 444   Quota: 4,616   Turnout: 32,752 (52.42%)

Note: Charles Smyth sought election as a Procapitalism candidate, and appeared as such on the ballot paper.

2007

2007 Assembly election: South Belfast – 6 Seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10
	DUP	Jimmy Spratt	15.7%	4,762
	SDLP	Alasdair McDonnell	14.4%	4,379
	Alliance	Anna Lo	12.6%	3,829	3,831	3,834	3,853	3,908	3,956	4,046	4,415
	UUP	Michael McGimpsey	8.7%	2,647	2,656	2,657	2,663	2,686	2,691	2,802	2,837	3,472	4,927
	SDLP	Carmel Hanna	12.4%	3,748	3,749	3,780	3,786	3,815	3,849	3,856	4,063	4,077	4,262
	Sinn Féin	Alex Maskey	13.2%	3,996	3,996	4,002	4,004	4,022	4,052	4,065	4,153	4,162	4,167
	DUP	Christopher Stalford	6.7%	2,035	2,387	2,388	2,398	2,410	2,421	2,656	2,684	2,932	3,275
	UUP	Esmond Birnie	5.9%	1,804	1,807	1,807	1,807	1,827	1,838	1,920	1,958	2,252
	UUP	Bob Stoker	3.7%	1,122	1,131	1,132	1,135	1,138	1,143	1,254	1,268
	Green (NI)	Brenda Cooke	2.4%	737	737	737	763	787	876	907
	PUP	Andrew Park	1.4%	410	412	413	416	425	436
	UK Unionist	David Hoey	1.0%	298	299	299	302	309	322
	Socialist Party	Jim Barbour	0.8%	248	248	248	253	277
	Workers' Party	Patrick Lynn	0.4%	123	123	123	126
	NI Conservatives	Roger Lomas	0.4%	108	108	108	108
	Make Politicians History	Rainbow George	0.2%	66	66	66
	Independent	Charles Smyth	0.1%	22	22	22
	Independent	Geoffrey Wilson	0.03%	10	10	10
Electorate: 48,923   Valid: 30,344   Spoilt: 189 (0.62%)   Quota: 4,335   Turnout: 62.41%

2003

2003 Assembly election: South Belfast – 6 Seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11	Count 12
	UUP	Michael McGimpsey	17.2%	5,389
	DUP	Mark Robinson	12.7%	3,991	4,024	4,024	4,025	4,040	4,049	4,151	4,155	4,247	4,268	6,661
	UUP	Esmond Birnie	7.4%	2,311	2,863	2,863	2,866	2,922	2,939	3,038	3,088	3,871	4,312	4,536
	SDLP	Carmel Hanna	12.5%	3,910	3,923	3,926	3,936	3,953	3,982	3,991	4,056	4,063	4,333	4,338	4,405
	Sinn Féin	Alex Maskey	12.6%	3,933	3,936	3,938	3,948	3,969	3,988	3,990	3,992	3,992	4,004	4,012	4,013
	SDLP	Alasdair McDonnell	10.3%	3,226	3,283	3,287	3,307	3,317	3,340	3,351	3,381	3,390	3,589	3,600	3,650
	NI Women's Coalition	Monica McWilliams	6.9%	2,150	2,180	2,185	2,203	2,248	2,388	2,431	2,518	2,542	3,168	3,209	3,523
	DUP	Ruth Patterson	8.1%	2,538	2,557	2,557	2,557	2,576	2,580	2,680	2,683	2,819	2,839
	Alliance	Geraldine Rice	3.8%	1,185	1,999	1,202	1,203	1,215	1,270	1,285	1,747	1,763
	UUP	John Hiddlestone	2.5%	769	969	970	971	991	996	1,090	1,111
	Alliance	Tom Ekin	2.1%	664	673	674	679	698	726	740
	PUP	Thomas Morrow	1.6%	495	510	510	512	521	529
	Green (NI)	John Wright	1.0%	308	309	325	330	368
	Socialist Party	Jim Barbour	0.5%	167	168	170	181
	NI Conservatives	Roger Lomas	0.4%	116	119	120	120
	Workers' Party	Patrick Lynn	0.3%	96	96	97
	Rainbow Dream Ticket	Lindsay Steven	0.1%	42	42
Electorate: 50,707   Valid: 31,330   Spoilt: 407 (1.28%)   Quota: 4,476   Turnout: 62.59%

1998

1998 Assembly election: South Belfast – 6 Seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10
	UUP	Michael McGimpsey	12.1%	4,938	5,032	5,183	5,358	5,898
	SDLP	Alasdair McDonnell	12.2%	4,956	5,039	5,042	5,059	5,073	5,963
	DUP	Mark Robinson	7.1%	2,872	2,940	3,484	3,629	3,779	3,781	4,351	6,524
	UUP	Esmond Birnie	7.1%	2,875	2,980	3,065	3,499	4,389	4,392	5,267	5,881
	NI Women's Coalition	Monica McWilliams	9.6%	3,912	4,053	4,067	4,112	4,157	4,675	5,077	5,118	5,238	5,277
	SDLP	Carmel Hanna	9.5%	3,882	3,923	3,927	3,954	3,968	4,791	4,851	4,866	4,891	4,983
	Alliance	Steve McBride	10.0%	4,086	4,187	4,203	4,236	4,331	4,374	4,616	4,670	4,826	4,832
	DUP	Myreve Chambers	6.0%	2,449	2,505	3,011	3,205	3,314	3,318	3,510
	PUP	Ernie Purvis	5.2%	2,112	2,187	2,230	2,721	2,823	2,855
	Sinn Féin	Sean Hayes	6.4%	2,605	2,627	2,627	2,653	2,654
	UUP	Jim Clarke	4.2%	1,720	1,793	1,916	2,057
	Ulster Democratic	David Adams	4.3%	1,745	1,796	1,855
	UK Unionist	Grant Dillon	3.7%	1,496	1,579
	Independent Unionist	William Dixon	1.1%	437
	Labour Party NI	Boyd Black	0.6%	231
	Workers' Party	Patrick Lynn	0.4%	176
	NI Conservatives	Roger Lomas	0.2%	97
	Natural Law	James Anderson	0.2%	73
	Independent Labour	Niall Cusack	0.2%	62
Electorate: 61,209   Valid: 40,724   Spoilt: 542 (1.31%)   Quota: 5,819   Turnout: 67.42%

1996 Forum

Successful candidates are shown in bold.[4]

Party		Candidate(s)	Votes	Percentage
	UUP	Bob Stoker Jim Clarke Michael McGimpsey Drew Nelson Gordon Lucy	8,617	22.8
	SDLP	Alasdair McDonnell Peter O'Reilly Carmel Hanna Douglas Arthur Hegney Rosaleen Hughes	7,956	21.0
	DUP	Joan Parkes Thomas Scott John Norris	5,818	15.4
	Alliance	Steve McBride Philip McGarry Margaret Marshall	4,689	12.4
	Sinn Féin	Sean Hayes Sean Clinton Deborah Moore	2,455	6.5
	PUP	Dawn Purvis Victor Murphy	2,321	6.1
	UK Unionist	Patrick Roche Kate Garrett	1,750	4.6
	Ulster Democratic	David Adams Pauline Gilmore	1,666	4.4
	NI Women's Coalition	Kate Fearon Annie Campbell Barbara McCabe Clare McLaughlin Fidelma O'Gorman	947	2.5
	Labour coalition	Peter Hadden Eleanor Rogers Niall Cusack Neil House Maeve Cross	333	0.9
	Green (NI)	Mary Carberry Jane Carney Owen Clarke Andy Frew	314	0.8
	NI Conservatives	Myrtle Boal Alan McKelvey	279	0.7
	Workers' Party	Paddy Lynn Ian Foster	270	0.7
	Democratic Partnership	Paul Smyth Alison Wilson	133	0.4
	Ulster Independence	Gordon Smyth Samuel Stevenson	108	0.3
	Democratic Left	Jean Craig Chris Skillen	96	0.3
	Ulster Christian Democratic	Austin Scallan Martine McLaughlin John McLaughlin Brian McLaughlin Margaret Gibson	31	0.1
	Natural Law	James Anderson Morris Ahmed	13	0.0
	Independent Chambers	Bertha Burleigh Mark Strain	5	0.0

1984 by-election

1984 by-election: South Belfast – 1 Seat
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1
	UUP	Frank Millar Jr	100.0%	Unopposed
Electorate: –   Valid: Unopposed   Spoilt: Unopposed   Quota: Unopposed   Turnout: Unopposed

1982

1982 Assembly election: South Belfast – 5 Seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6
	UUP	Martin Smyth	35.6%	13,347
	Alliance	David Cook	17.4%	6,514
	DUP	Stuart McCrea	10.9%	4,091	2,940	3,484	3,629
	UUP	Edgar Graham	7.7%	2,875	5,210	5,370	5,408	5,734	6,253
	UUP	Jim Kirkpatrick	3.0%	1,126	4,427	4,617	4,673	4,960	5,416
	SDLP	Ben Caraher	8.9%	3,342	3,344	3,740	3,740	3,741	4,713
	Alliance	Basil Glass	6.7%	2,493	2,644	3,260	3,274	3,293
	DUP	Cedric Wilson	5.6%	2,111	2,408	2,496
	Workers' Party	Gerard Carr	2.5%	933	939
	UUUP	Philip Moles	0.7%	248	332
	Communist Party	Barry Bruton	0.7%	168	170
	UUUP	James Scott	0.2%	82	239
	Ulster Liberal	Michael Warden	0.2%	65	89
	Independent	William Clulow	0.2%	65	86
	Independent	Stuart Hall Raleigh	0.1%	19	20
Electorate: 66,683   Valid: 37,469   Spoilt: 1,243 (3.21%)   Quota: 4,424   Turnout: 58.05%

1975 Constitutional Convention

1975 Constitutional Convention: Belfast South – 6 seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11
	UUP	Martin Smyth	31.5%	15,061
	Alliance	Basil Glass	16.7%	7,961
	UUP	Jeremy Burchill	8.8%	4,230	7,751
	Alliance	Jim Hendron	5.2%	2,499	2,536	3,473	3,483	4,282	4,288	4,465	7,329
	Vanguard	David Trimble	5.1%	2,429	4,398	4,403	4,638	4,742	5,147	5,217	5,226	7,241
	DUP	Thomas Burns	5.3%	2,529	3,406	3,413	3,733	3,837	4,965	5,042	5,054	6,117	6,134	6,514
	Unionist Party NI	Reginald Magee	7.4%	3,552	3,819	3,862	3,909	4,076	4,132	5,718	5,779	5,948	6,424	6,448
	Vanguard	Raymond Jordan	3.9%	1,874	2,733	2,736	2,907	2,996	3,282	3,351	3,365
	SDLP	Ben Caraher	6.4%	3,065	3,069	3,126	3,127	3,269	3,271	3,281
	Unionist Party NI	John Houston	3.5%	1,697	1,783	1,800	1,827	2,020	2,051
	DUP	Robert McNeice	2.8%	1,316	1,837	1,839	1,903	1,928
	NI Labour	Erskine Holmes	3.3%	1,599	1,682	1,716	1,726
Electorate: 73,324   Valid: 47,812   Spoilt: 789 (1.62%)   Quota: 6,831   Turnout: 66.28%

1973

1973 Assembly election: South Belfast – 6 Seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	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
	UUP	Basil McIvor	13.1%	6,930	6,940	6,958	6,959	6,981	7,003	7,120	7,152	7,191	7,385	8,185
	Alliance	Basil Glass	9.8%	5,148	5,244	5,367	5,404	5,848	5,852	5,876	7,305	7,309	7,393	7,441	9,025
	DUP	Thomas Burns	8.8%	4,640	4.640	4.641	4,641	4,644	4,779	4,872	4,874	6,343	6,893	6,986	7,103	7,133	10,436
	UUP	Nelson Elder	9.1%	4,807	4,810	4,815	4,815	4,821	4,840	4,909	4,917	4,965	6,110	6,610	6,835	6,978	7,287	8,044
	UUP	Herbert Kirk	10.3%	5,426	5,429	5,435	5,439	5,447	5,465	5,610	5,620	5,653	6,009	6,605	6,838	7,038	7,297	7,663
	UUP	Reginald Magee	6.9%	3,656	3,661	3,666	3,666	3,676	3,696	3,835	3,854	3,895	4,042	5,051	5,235	5,417	5,603	6,039	6,690
	SDLP	Ben Caraher	6.3%	3,320	3,326	3,414	3,779	3,799	3,800	3,802	3,980	3,982	3,999	4,000	4,575	5,018	5,029	5,037	5,038
	Vanguard	Martin Gowdy	4.6%	2,434	2,434	2,436	2,438	2,442	3,208	3,273	3,277	3,865	4,082	4,170	4,272	4,283
	NI Labour	Erskine Holmes	5.1%	2,684	2,699	2,833	2,950	2,996	3,003	3,038	3,155	3,168	3,241	3,292
	UUP	Robert Stewart	5.4%	2,850	2,853	2,859	2,861	2,868	2,886	3,010	3,017	3,074	3,218
	Independent Unionist	Grace Bannister	4.8%	2,538	2,540	2,553	2,554	2,568	2,584	2,900	2,918	2,992
	DUP	Thomas Wright	4.0%	2,134	2,134	2,135	2,138	2,139	2,295	2,369	2,373
	Alliance	William McCollum	2.5%	1,294	1,446	1,525	1,545	1,834	1,835	1,848
	Independent Unionist	Thomas Rea	2.3%	1,201	1,204	1,210	1,211	1,214	1,230
	Vanguard	Stanley Morgan	2.3%	1,205	1,205	1,205	1,205	1,206
	Alliance	Jean Graham	1.4%	743	810	869	885
	Republican Clubs	Sean Flynn	1.5%	783	784	794
	Ulster Liberal	Sheelagh Murnaghan	1.0%	548	560
	Alliance	John Somerville	0.7%	380
Electorate: 75,990   Valid: 52,721   Spoilt: 928 (1.73%)   Quota: 7,532   Turnout: 70.60%

References

1. "Statement of Persons Nominated". EONI. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
2. South Belfast, UTV
3. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. 1996 Candidates – South Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections