Mighty roar goes up as former finance minister tops the poll
Posted By: March 04, 2017
Brendan Hughes. Irish News. Belfast. Saturday, March 4, 2017
SINN Féin’s Máirtín Ó Muilleoir was greeted with the roars of cheering supporters yesterday as he topped the poll in South Belfast.
The former finance minister beamed with pride as his victory was announced at Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition Centre.
He was re-elected to Stormont on the first count after achieving 7,610 first-preference votes – more than 400 above the quota of 7,176.
It was an increase of more than 2,000 on his vote last year when the former Belfast Lord Mayor had to wait until the fifth count to secure his seat.
In a trend seen across The North, election turnout surged in South Belfast from 54.25 percent last year to 63.96 percent.
The SDLP’s Claire Hanna received the second largest number of first-preferences with 6,559, while
Alliance’s Paula Bradshaw came third with 5,595.
The DUP’s Christopher Stalford polled 4,529 followed by party colleague Emma Little Pengelly on 4,446.
Clare Bailey of the Green Party achieved 4,247 while Ulster Unionist candidate Michael Henderson notched up 3,863 first-preference votes.
The DUP, SDLP, and Alliance were last night expected to each hold a seat as the number drops from six last year to five.
However, it means a battle for the fifth and final seat with the DUP battling the Greens – with the result only set to become clear in the final stages of the count.
Speaking following his election win, Mr. Ó Muilleoir said: “We are in a surreal territory, Sinn Féin in South Belfast topping the poll, having a surplus to re-distribute – I didn’t imagine any of that.
“I think it’s evidence of a new agenda, a new rainbow coalition in South Belfast.”
The 58-year-old, who is a fluent Irish speaker, said calls for an Irish language act during the election campaign were “very potent” in his constituency.
He added that his re-election shows South Belfast is a “forward-looking community.”
“It is an inclusive community. It is an anti-Brexit community, and in my opinion, it is a united Ireland vote.”
Alliance’s Emmet McDonough-Brown polled 2,053 while the SDLP’s Naomh Gallagher achieved 1,794.
People Before Profit’s Pádraigín Mervyn received 760 votes, TUV’s John Hiddleston 703, Cross Community Labour Alternative’s Sean Burns 531, the Conservative Party’s George Jabbour 200 and the Workers Party candidate Lily Kerr 163.
Sinn Féin’s first-preference vote share increased from 14 percent last year to almost 18 percent, while Alliance and the Green
Party also had slight gains.
However, the DUP’s voting share slipped from 22.01 per cent to 20.65 per cent, while the SDLP’s dropped slightly by around one point to 19.22 percent.
SINN Féin’s Máirtín Ó Muilleoir was greeted with the roars of cheering supporters yesterday as he topped the poll in South Belfast.
The former finance minister beamed with pride as his victory was announced at Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition Centre.
He was re-elected to Stormont on the first count after achieving 7,610 first-preference votes – more than 400 above the quota of 7,176.
It was an increase of more than 2,000 on his vote last year when the former Belfast Lord Mayor had to wait until the fifth count to secure his seat.
In a trend seen across The North, election turnout surged in South Belfast from 54.25 percent last year to 63.96 percent.
The SDLP’s Claire Hanna received the second largest number of first-preferences with 6,559, while
Alliance’s Paula Bradshaw came third with 5,595.
The DUP’s Christopher Stalford polled 4,529 followed by party colleague Emma Little Pengelly on 4,446.
Clare Bailey of the Green Party achieved 4,247 while Ulster Unionist candidate Michael Henderson notched up 3,863 first-preference votes.
The DUP, SDLP, and Alliance were last night expected to each hold a seat as the number drops from six last year to five.
However, it means a battle for the fifth and final seat with the DUP battling the Greens – with the result only set to become clear in the final stages of the count.
Speaking following his election win, Mr. Ó Muilleoir said: “We are in a surreal territory, Sinn Féin in South Belfast topping the poll, having a surplus to re-distribute – I didn’t imagine any of that.
“I think it’s evidence of a new agenda, a new rainbow coalition in South Belfast.”
The 58-year-old, who is a fluent Irish speaker, said calls for an Irish language act during the election campaign were “very potent” in his constituency.
He added that his re-election shows South Belfast is a “forward-looking community.”
“It is an inclusive community. It is an anti-Brexit community, and in my opinion, it is a united Ireland vote.”
Alliance’s Emmet McDonough-Brown polled 2,053 while the SDLP’s Naomh Gallagher achieved 1,794.
People Before Profit’s Pádraigín Mervyn received 760 votes, TUV’s John Hiddleston 703, Cross Community Labour Alternative’s Sean Burns 531, the Conservative Party’s George Jabbour 200 and the Workers Party candidate Lily Kerr 163.
Sinn Féin’s first-preference vote share increased from 14 percent last year to almost 18 percent, while Alliance and the Green
Party also had slight gains.
However, the DUP’s voting share slipped from 22.01 per cent to 20.65 per cent, while the SDLP’s dropped slightly by around one point to 19.22 percent.
