Belfast South (Assembly constituency)
Constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Belfast South (Irish : Béal Feirste Theas , Ulster Scots : Bilfawst Sooth ) 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 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 formed from the Belfast City Council districts of Balmoral and Botanic as well as one ward from Titanic and a number of wards from Lisnasharragh and Lisburn and Castlereagh . For further details of the history and boundaries of the constituency, see Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency) .
Members
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
2022
2022 Assembly election : Belfast South – 5 seats[ 1]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Sinn Féin
Deirdre Hargey
20.26%
9,511
DUP
Edwin Poots
15.36%
7,211
7,217
7,223
7,341
8,475
SDLP
Matthew O'Toole
11.49%
5,394
6,059
6,127
6,449
6,459
8,089
Alliance
Paula Bradshaw
13.85%
6,503
6,768
6,828
6,963
6,994
7,150
8,323
Alliance
Kate Nicholl
11.08%
5,201
5,347
5,405
5,536
5,553
5,743
6,656
6,737
Green (NI)
Clare Bailey
8.65%
4,058
4,225
4,395
4,886
4,934
5,046
5,700
5,826
UUP
Stephen McCarthy
6.52%
3,061
3,067
3,085
3,110
3,753
3,769
SDLP
Elsie Trainor
4.32%
2,030
2,212
2,230
2,363
2,367
TUV
Andrew Girvin
4.12%
1,935
1,935
1,944
1,980
Aontú
Luke McCann
1.72%
806
877
892
People Before Profit
Sipho Sibanda
1.34%
629
670
842
Socialist Party
Neil Moore
0.75%
353
371
Workers' Party
Paddy Lynn
0.30%
139
164
Independent
Elly Odhiambo
0.23%
107
114
Electorate: 73,497 Valid: 46,938 (63.86%) Spoilt: 368 Quota: 7,824 Turnout: 47,306 (64.36%)
2017
2017 Assembly election : Belfast South – 5 seats[ 2]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Sinn Féin
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir
17.68%
7,610
SDLP
Claire Hanna
15.23%
6,559
6,756.28
6,788.12
6,839.56
6,981.54
8,652.54
Alliance
Paula Bradshaw
13.00%
5,595
5,632.26
5,672.5
5,740.4
5,866.38
7,690.38
DUP
Christopher Stalford
10.52%
4,529
4,530.08
4,551.08
4,554.08
4,704.08
4,715.26
4,726.26
4,728.5
8,667.5
Green (NI)
Clare Bailey
9.86%
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
8.97%
3,863
3,866
3,932.12
3,955.12
4,240.2
4,337.8
4,647.8
4,761.4
5,255.94
DUP
Emma Little-Pengelly
10.33%
4,446
4,446.78
4,468.84
4,476.84
4,655.9
4,676.26
4,695.26
4,703.26
Alliance
Emmet McDonough-Brown
4.77%
2,053
2,080.96
2,095.38
2,118.92
2,185.34
SDLP
Naomh Gallagher
4.17%
1,794
1,855.86
1,865.92
1,893.42
1,962.22
People Before Profit
Pádraigín Mervyn
1.77%
760
789.58
828.72
970.86
TUV
John Hiddleston
1.63%
703
703.36
717.36
724.48
Labour Alternative
Seán Burns
1.23%
531
539.76
566.42
NI Conservatives
George Jabbour
0.46%
200
200.48
Workers' Party
Lily Kerr
0.38%
163
168.22
Electorate: 67,953 Valid: 43,053 (63.36%) Spoilt: 412 Quota: 7,176 Turnout: 43,465 (63.96%)
2016
2016 Assembly election : Belfast South – 6 seats[ 3]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Sinn Féin
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir
14.18%
5,207
5,208
5,234
5,245
5,247
Alliance
Paula Bradshaw
9.07%
3,332
3,352
3,369
3,400
3,418
3,425
3,437
3,570
5,729
SDLP
Claire Hanna
12.30%
4,516
4,522
4,559
4,574
4,581
4,582
4,591
4,738
4,934
5,056.5
7,641.5
Green (NI)
Clare Bailey
9.59%
3,521
3,534
3,600
3,670
3,678
3,691
3,707
4,289
4,524
4,729.5
4,932.75
6,056.75
DUP
Emma Little-Pengelly
12.28%
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
9.72%
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
6.72%
2,466
2,514
2,515
2,527
2,615
2,677
2,755
3,213
3,272
3,337.5
3,367.5
3,449.5
SDLP
Fearghal McKinney
7.75%
2,845
2,850
2,869
2,876
2,877
2,878
2,878
2,964
3,057
3,104.75
Alliance
Duncan Morrow
7.33%
2,691
2,698
2,707
2,730
2,733
2,736
2,744
2,837
UKIP
Bob Stoker
2.16%
794
801
803
804
832
908
1,025
Labour Alternative
Seán Burns
2.37%
871
871
909
971
974
985
989
TUV
John Hiddleston
1.35%
495
498
499
501
558
590
685
Independent
Ruth Patterson
1.29%
475
478
479
481
502
571
PUP
Ian Shanks
1.17%
430
432
435
438
444
South Belfast Unionists
William Dickson
0.96%
351
357
358
359
NI Labour
Brigitte Anton
0.67%
246
248
258
Workers' Party
Lily Kerr
0.66%
241
241
NI Conservatives
Ben Manton
0.44%
161
Electorate: 68,469 Valid: 36,723 (53.63%) Spoilt: 424 Quota: 5,247 Turnout: 37,147 (54.25%)
2011
2011 Assembly election : Belfast South – 6 seats[ 4]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Alliance
Anna Lo
19.78%
6,390
SDLP
Alasdair McDonnell
14.01%
4,527
4,916.1
UUP
Michael McGimpsey
9.25%
2,988
3,208.8
3,241.05
3,322.95
4,622.05
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
12.50%
4,038
4,124.7
4,138.45
4,268.15
4,452.05
SDLP
Conall McDevitt
9.88%
3,191
3.510.5
3,687.25
3,852.1
4,444.8
DUP
Jimmy Spratt
12.52%
4,045
4,098.7
4,103.45
4,163.85
4,281.45
DUP
Ruth Patterson
11.76%
3,800
3,887
3,893.75
3,953.05
4,163.4
Green (NI)
Clare Bailey
2.75%
889
1,226.8
1,263.55
1,655.6
UUP
Mark Finlay
4.31%
1,394
1,554.5
1,567
1,617.7
People Before Profit
Brian Faloon
1.28%
414
475.8
480.05
Socialist Party
Paddy Meehan
0.72%
234
252
255
UKIP
Nico Torregrosa
0.72%
234
244.5
245
Workers' Party
Paddy Lynn
0.42%
135
155.4
158.9
Independent
Charles Smyth
0.09%
29
33.5
33.5
Electorate: 62,484 Valid: 32,308 (51.71%) 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[ 5]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
DUP
Jimmy Spratt
15.69%
4,762
SDLP
Alasdair McDonnell
14.43%
4,379
Alliance
Anna Lo
12.62%
3,829
3,831
3,833.79
3,852.79
3,907.88
3,955.92
4,046.05
4,415.05
UUP
Michael McGimpsey
8.72%
2,647
2,656.2
2,657.16
2,663.26
2,686.27
2,691.28
2,801.6
2,836.6
3,472.39
4,927.39
SDLP
Carmel Hanna
12.35%
3,748
3,748.64
3,779.94
3,785.94
3,815.07
3,849.1
3,856.13
4,063.46
4,076.58
4,262.27
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
13.17%
3,996
3,996
4,002.42
4,004.43
4,022.48
4,052.48
4,064.51
4,152.55
4,161.56
4,166.66
DUP
Christopher Stalford
6.71%
2,035
2,387.4
2,387.5
2,397.58
2,409.58
2,420.66
2,656.03
2,684.04
2,932.17
3,274.54
UUP
Esmond Birnie
5.95%
1,804
1,807.2
1,807.46
1,807.46
1,826.54
1,837.55
1,920.03
1,958.13
2,251.51
UUP
Bob Stoker
3.70%
1,122
1,131.44
1,131.56
1,134.56
1,137.56
1,142.56
1,253.97
1,268
Green (NI)
Brenda Cooke
2.43%
737
737
737.45
763.47
786.5
875.54
906.71
PUP
Andrew Park
1.35%
410
412
412.56
415.56
424.58
435.58
UK Unionist
David Hoey
0.98%
298
299.04
299.1
302.1
309.1
322.1
Socialist Party
Jim Barbour
0.82%
248
248.08
248.23
253.23
277.23
Workers' Party
Patrick Lynn
0.41%
123
123.08
123.38
126.38
NI Conservatives
Roger Lomas
0.36%
108
108
108.05
108.05
Make Politicians History
Rainbow George
0.22%
66
66
66.03
Independent
Charles Smyth
0.07%
22
22.16
22.17
Independent
Geoffrey Wilson
0.03%
10
10
10.01
Electorate: 48,923 Valid: 30,344 (62.02%) Spoilt: 189 Quota: 4,335 Turnout: 30,533 (62.41%)
2003
2003 Assembly election : South Belfast – 6 seats[ 6]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
UUP
Michael McGimpsey
17.20%
5,389
DUP
Mark Robinson
12.74%
3,991
4,024.32
4,024.32
4,025.32
4,039.66
4,048.83
4,150.87
4,155.21
4,246.82
4,268.16
6,661.16
UUP
Esmond Birnie
7.38%
2,311
2,862.99
2,862.99
2,865.99
2,922.18
2,938.69
3,038.09
3,088.11
3,871.31
4,312.49
4,536.49
SDLP
Carmel Hanna
12.48%
3,910
3,922.92
3,925.92
3,935.92
3,953.09
3,982.26
3,990.77
4,056.3
4,062.68
4,332.7
4,337.55
4,404.55
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
12.55%
3,933
3,935.55
3,937.55
3,947.55
3,968.55
3,987.55
3,989.55
3,991.55
3,991.55
4,003.55
4,011.55
4,012.55
SDLP
Alasdair McDonnell
10.30%
3,266
3,283
3,287
3,307
3,317.34
3,340.34
3,350.51
3,381.02
3,389.55
3,589.1
3,599.97
3,649.97
NI Women's Coalition
Monica McWilliams
6.86%
2,150
2,180.43
2,185.43
2,203.43
2,248.43
2,387.6
2,431.13
2,518
2,542.23
3,168.48
3,208.54
3,522.54
DUP
Ruth Patterson
8.10%
2,538
2,556.7
2,556.7
2,556.7
2,576.04
2,580.04
2,680.25
2,683.42
2,818.67
2,838.84
Alliance
Geraldine Rice
3.78%
1,185
1,198.94
1,201.94
1,202.94
1,214.94
1,269.94
1,284.62
1,747.34
1,762.72
UUP
John Hiddleston
2.45%
769
968.75
969.75
970.92
990.6
995.6
1,089.81
1,111
Alliance
Tom Ekin
2.12%
664
672.5
673.5
678.5
698.18
726.35
739.86
PUP
Thomas Morrow
1.58%
495
509.62
509.62
511.62
520.62
528.62
Green (NI)
John Wright
0.98%
308
309.19
325.36
330.36
367.53
Socialist Party
Jim Barbour
0.53%
167
168.19
170.19
181.19
NI Conservatives
Roger Lomas
0.37%
116
119.06
120.06
120.06
Workers' Party
Patrick Lynn
0.31%
96
96.17
97.17
Rainbow Dream Ticket
Lindsay Steven
0.13%
42
42.17
Electorate: 50,707 Valid: 31,330 (61.79%) Spoilt: 407 Quota: 4,476 Turnout: 31,737 (62.59%)
1998
1998 Assembly election : South Belfast – 6 seats[ 7]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
UUP
Michael McGimpsey
12.13%
4,938
5,032
5,183
5,358
5,898
SDLP
Alasdair McDonnell
12.17%
4,956
5,039
5,042
5,059
5,073
5,963
DUP
Mark Robinson
7.05%
2,872
2,940
3,484
3,629
3,779
3,781
4,351
6,524
UUP
Esmond Birnie
7.06%
2,875
2,980
3,065
3,499
4,389
4,392
5,267
5,881
NI Women's Coalition
Monica McWilliams
9.61%
3,912
4,053
4,067
4,112
4,157
4,675
5,077
5,118
5,238
5,277.27
SDLP
Carmel Hanna
9.53%
3,882
3,923
3,927
3,954
3,968
4,791
4,851
4,866
4,891
4,982.63
Alliance
Steve McBride
10.03%
4,086
4,187
4,203
4,236
4,331
4,374
4,616
4,670
4,826
4,832.46
DUP
Myreve Chambers
6.01%
2,449
2,505
3,011
3,205
3,314
3,318
3,510
PUP
Ernie Purvis
5.19%
2,112
2,187
2,230
2,721
2,823
2,855
Sinn Féin
Sean Hayes
6.40%
2,605
2,627
2,627
2,653
2,654
UUP
Jim Clarke
4.22%
1,720
1,793
1,916
2,057
Ulster Democratic
David Adams
4.28%
1,745
1,796
1,855
UK Unionist
Grant Dillon
3.67%
1,496
1,579
Ind. Unionist
William Dickson
1.07%
437
Labour Party NI
Boyd Black
0.57%
231
Workers' Party
Patrick Lynn
0.43%
176
NI Conservatives
Roger Lomas
0.24%
97
Natural Law
James Anderson
0.18%
73
Independent Labour
Niall Cusack
0.15%
62
Electorate: 61,209 Valid: 40,724 (66.53%) Spoilt: 542 Quota: 5,819 Turnout: 41,266 (67.42%)
1996 forum
Successful candidates are shown in bold .[ 8]
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[ 9]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
UUP
Martin Smyth
35.59%
13,337
Alliance
David Cook
17.39%
6,514
DUP
Stuart McCrea
10.92%
4,091
4,695.2
4,859.68
6,880.28
UUP
Edgar Graham
7.67%
2,875
5,210.18
5,369.71
5,407.71
5,734.08
6,253.08
UUP
Jim Kirkpatrick
3.01%
1,126
4,427.37
4,617.29
4,673.29
4,959.67
5,415.67
SDLP
Ben Caraher
8.92%
3,342
3,344.12
3,740.12
3,740.12
3,740.55
4,712.55
Alliance
Basil Glass
6.65%
2,493
2,643.52
3,260.01
3,274.01
3,293.36
DUP
Cedric Wilson
5.63%
2,111
2,407.8
2,495.95
Workers' Party
Gerard Carr
2.49%
933
938.83
UUUP
Philip Moles
0.66%
248
322.73
Communist
Barry Bruton
0.45%
168
169.59
UUUP
James Scott
0.22%
82
239.41
Ulster Liberal
Michael Warden
0.17%
65
89.38
Ind. Unionist
William Clulow
0.17%
65
85.67
Independent
Stuart Hall Raleigh
0.05%
19
20.59
Electorate: 66,683 Valid: 37,469 (56.19%) Spoilt: 1,243 Quota: 6,245 Turnout: 38,712 (58.05%)
1975 Constitutional Convention
1975 Constitutional Convention : Belfast South – 6 seats[ 10]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
UUP
Martin Smyth
31.50%
15,061
Alliance
Basil Glass
16.65%
7,961
UUP
Jeremy Burchill
8.85%
4,230
7,751.1
Alliance
Jim Hendron
5.23%
2,499
2,535.85
3,473.29
3,482.81
4,282.48
4,287.65
4,464.74
7,328.74
Vanguard
David Trimble
5.08%
2,429
4,398
4,403.18
4,637.96
4,742.38
5,147.02
5,216.57
5,226.48
7,240.98
DUP
Thomas Burns
5.29%
2,529
3,405.7
3,412.84
3,733.02
3,836.7
4,965.12
5,042.36
5,053.86
6,117.42
6,134.07
6,513.87
Unionist Party NI
Reginald Magee
7.43%
3,552
3,818.75
3,862.43
3,908.77
4,076
4,131.7
5,718.02
5,778.61
5,947.76
6,423.86
6,447.71
Vanguard
Raymond Jordan
3.92%
1,874
2,732.55
2,736.05
2,906.57
2,995.6
3,282.28
3,350.53
3,364.57
SDLP
Ben Caraher
6.41%
3,065
3,068.85
3,125.69
3,126.81
3,269
3,270.69
3,280.81
Unionist Party NI
John Houston
3.55%
1,697
1,783.35
1,799.73
1,827.31
2,019.72
2,050.7
DUP
Robert McNeice
2.75%
1,316
1,836.85
1,839.09
1,903.21
1,927.76
NI Labour
Erskine Holmes
3.34%
1,599
1,682.05
1,716.49
1,726.01
Electorate: 73,324 Valid: 47,812 (65.21%) Spoilt: 789 Quota: 6,831 Turnout: 48,601 (66.28%)
1973
1973 Assembly election : South Belfast – 6 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
UUP
Basil McIvor
13.14%
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
9.76%
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
8.80%
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
9.12%
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
10.29%
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
6.93%
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
6.30%
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
4.62%
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
5.09%
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
5.41%
2,850
2,853
2,859
2,861
2,868
2,886
3,010
3,017
3,074
3,218
Ind. Unionist
Grace Bannister
4.81%
2,538
2,540
2,553
2,554
2,568
2,584
2,900
2,918
2,992
DUP
Thomas Wright
4.05%
2,134
2,134
2,135
2,138
2,139
2,295
2,369
2,373
Alliance
William McCollum
2.45%
1,294
1,446
1,525
1,545
1,834
1,835
1,848
Ind. Unionist
Thomas Rea
2.28%
1,201
1,204
1,210
1,211
1,214
1,230
Vanguard
Stanley Morgan
2.29%
1,205
1,205
1,205
1,205
1,206
Alliance
Jean Graham
1.41%
743
810
869
885
Republican Clubs
Sean Flynn
1.49%
783
784
794
Ulster Liberal
Sheelagh Murnaghan
1.04%
548
560
Alliance
John Somerville
0.72%
380
Electorate: 75,990 Valid: 52,721 (69.38%) Spoilt: 928 Quota: 7,532 Turnout: 53,649 (70.60%)
References
54°33′53″N 5°56′16″W / 54.56472°N 5.93778°W / 54.56472; -5.93778