Coat of Arms

Banbridge District Council Elections, 1993 - 2001

Also featuring by-election in 2000

Council address:

Banbridge District Council
Civic Building
Downshire Road
Banbridge
Co. Down
BT32 3JY

I am very grateful to the Chief Executive, Mr Robert Gilmore, for information on this page. Comments are very welcome.


2001 saw the DUP pick up two seats from the UUP to deprive the latter of an absolute majority for the first time since 1973. Banbridge was also one of the few councils where Alliance gained a seat.

map

electoral area 2001 result 1997 result 1993 result
Dromore 2 UUP, 2 DUP, 1 SDLP 3 UUP, 1 DUP, 1 SDLP 3 UUP, 1 DUP, 1 SDLP
Town 3 UUP, 1 DUP, 1 SDLP, 1 Alliance 3 UUP, 1 Ind, 1 DUP, 1 SDLP 4 UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 Alliance
Knockiveagh 2 UUP, 2 DUP, 1 SDLP, 1 Ind 3 UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 DUP, 1 Ind 3 UUP, 1 SDLP, 1 DUP, 1 Ind

Summary

Total electorate 2001: 30379; valid votes 20568 (67.70%)
Total electorate 1997: 28,268; valid votes 16,055 (56.80%)
Total electorate 1993: 26,773; valid votes 16,612 (62.05%)
party 2001 votes 2001 cllrs 1997 votes 1997 cllrs 1993 votes 1993 cllrs
UUP 7702 (37%) 7 councillors 8,117 (51%) 9 councillors 9,418 (58%) 10 councillors
DUP 5697 (28%) 5 councillors 2,454 (15%) 3 councillors 2,203 (13%) 2 councillors
SDLP 3957 (19%) 3 councillors 2,870 (18%) 3 councillors 3,705 (23%) 3 councillors
UKUP 776 (4%)
Malachy McCartan 768 (4%) 1 councillor 692 (4%) 1 councillor
SF 755 (4%)
Frank Downey 448 (2%)
Alliance 420 (2%) 1 councillor 822 (5%) 289 (2%) 1 councillor
NIUP 45 (0.2%)
Jim Walsh 809 (5%) 1 councillor (was in SDLP)
Ind U (Robert Hill) 286 (2%)
Laurence McCartan 732 (4%) 1 councillor

Dromore

Westminster seat: Lagan Valley/South Down
Includes these wards: Ballyward; Dromore North; Dromore South; Gransha; Quilly

 
DUP UUP Oth U Alliance SDLP
2001 39.27% 40.38% 0.73% 19.61%
2000 47.50% 37.07% 15.44%
1997 16.31% 57.91% 6.06% 4.28% 15.44%
1993 17.48% 63.47% 19.05%

7 June 2001 full election

Electorate 9235; 5 seats; valid votes 6129; quota 1022
Paul Rankin (DUP) 1375
Cassie McDermott (SDLP) 1202
David Herron (DUP) 1032
Norah Beare (UUP) 896
William Martin (UUP) 894
Thompson Howe (UUP) 685
Joseph Boyd McIlwaine (NIUP) 45

24 May 2000 by-election

Electorate 8972; 1 seat; votes cast 3397 (37.86%); invalid 22 (0.65%); quota 1688
 
First Preferences McDermott votes
Paul Rankin (DUP) 1603 +27 1630
Gavin Hughes (UUP) 1251 +173 1424
Liam McDermott (SDLP) 521 -521 -

The SDLP vote transferred 33.21% to the UUP, 5.18% to the DUP and 61.61% nowhere.

21 May 1997 full election

Electorate: 8457; 5 seats; votes cast 4787 (56.62%); invalid 66 (1.38%); quota: 787
 
First Preferences McCracken surplus Gribben surplus Crozier votes
William McCracken (UUP) 1358 -571.00 787.00 787.00 787.00
Tom Gribben (UUP) 667 +252.84 919.84 -132.84 787.00 787.00
William Martin (UUP) 709 +167.16 876.16 876.16 876.16
David Herron (DUP) 770 +66.36 836.36 836.36 836.36
Cassie McDermott (SDLP) 729 +3.78 732.78 +3.20 735.98 +81.00 816.98
Robert Hill (Ind U) 286 +63.00 349.00 +118.80 467.80 +71.56 539.36
Julian Crozier (Alliance) 202 +7.98 209.98 +8.80 218.78 -218.78 -

Of McCracken's 1358 first preferences, 1336 transferred: 602 to Gribben and 398 to Martin (thus 1000 or 73.64% to other UUP candidates); 158 (11.63%) to Herron (DUP); 150 (11.05%) to Hill (Ind U); 19 (1.42%) to Crozier (Alliance); and 9 (0.67%) to McDermott (SDLP), with 22 (1.62%) non-transferable.

Of the 602 votes transferred to Gribben, 327 transferred further: 297 (49.34%) to Hill (Ind U); 22 (3.65%) to Crozier (Alliance); and 8 (1.33%) to McDermott (SDLP) with 275 (45.68%) non-transferable.

Crozier's 218.78 votes went 37.02% to McDermott (SDLP), 32.71% to Hill (Ind U) and 30.27% nowhere. It is likely but not certain that none of the votes that had transferred to him from the two Unionists transferred to the SDLP.

19 May 1993 full election

Electorate: 7917; 5 seats; votes cast 5063 (63.95%); invalid 70 (1.38%); quota: 833
 
First Preferences Nelson surplus McDermott surplus
Drew Nelson (UUP) 980 -147.00 833.00 833.00
Cassie McDermott (SDLP) 951 951.00 -118.00 833.00
David Herron (DUP) 873 873.00 873.00
William Martin (UUP) 771 +23.40 794.40 +60.45 854.85
William McCracken (UUP) 745 +81.00 826.00 +19.53 845.53
Robert Hill (UUP) 673 +38.10 711.10 +37.51 748.61

Of Nelson's 980 votes, 950 (96.94%) transferred to the other three Ulster Unionist candidates: 540 to McCracken, 254 to Hill and 156 to Martin. 30 (3.06%) were non-transferable. (The SDLP and DUP candidates were elected on the first count.)

Of McDermott's 951 votes, 379 (39.85%) transferred to the three remaining UUP candidates: 195 to Martin, 121 to Hill and 63 to McCracken.


Banbridge Town

Westminster seat: Upper Bann
Includes these wards: Ballydown; Banbridge West; Edenderry; Fort; Seapatrick; The Cut.

 
DUP UUP UKUP Alliance Ind SDLP
2001 20.85% 41.42% 5.51% 5.95% 6.35% 19.90%
1997 11.31% 54.30% 8.24% 15.75% 10.40%
1993 7.17% 62.89% 5.87% 24.08%

7 June 2001 full election

Electorate 11081; 6 seats; valid votes 7054; quota 1008
Joan Baird (UUP) 1979
Patrick McAleenan (SDLP) 1404
Jim McElroy (DUP) 774
Kyle Ferguson (DUP) 697
Ian Burns (UUP) 485
Derick Bell (UUP) 458
Frank Downey (Ind) 448
Frank McQuaid (Alliance) 420
David Hudson (UKUP) 389
Frank McQuaid repeated his lucky strike of eight years before - a bright spot in what was elsewhere an awful election for Alliance.

21 May 1997 full election

Electorate: 10351; 6 seats; votes cast 5215 (50.38%); invalid 79 (1.51%); quota: 734
 
First Preferences Baird surplus Walsh surplus W Bell surplus D Bell surplus McQuaid votes
Joan Baird (UUP) 1438 -704.00 734.00 734.00 734.00 734.00 734.00
Jim Walsh (Ind) 809 809.00 -75.00 734.00 734.00 734.00 734.00
William Bell (UUP) 602 +171.99 773.99 773.99 -39.99 734.00 734.00 734.00
Derick Bell (UUP) 390 +339.08 729.08 +1.80 730.88 +21.56 752.44 -18.44 734.00 734.00
Mel Byrne (SDLP) 534 +2.94 536.94 +40.40 577.34 +0.11 577.45 +0 577.45 +194.00 771.45
Cyril Vage (DUP) 581 +58.31 639.31 +2.10 641.41 +3.19 644.60 +1.70 646.30 +28.96 675.26
Ian Burns (UUP) 359 +101.92 460.92 +1.10 462.02 +10.45 472.47 +15.00 487.47 +83.74 571.21
Frank McQuaid (Alliance) 423 +21.56 444.56 +25.40 469.96 +2.09 472.05 +1.10 473.15 -473.15 -

Of Baird's 1438 votes, 1430 transferred: 692 to Derick Bell, 351 to William Bell, and 208 to Burns - thus 1251 (87.00%) to the other UUP candidates; 119 (8.28%) to Vage (DUP); 44 (3.06%) to McQuaid (Alliance); and 6 (0.42%) to Byrne (SDLP) with 8 (0.56%) non-transferable.

Of Walsh's 809 votes, 708 transferred: 404 (49.94%) to his former party colleague Byrne (SDLP); 254 (31.40%) to McQuaid (Alliance); 21 (2.60%) to Vage (DUP); and 18 to Derick Bell and 11 to Burns - thus 29 (3.58%) to the remaining UUP candidates with 101 (12.48%) non-transferable.

Of the 351 votes transferred to William Bell, 340 transferred further: 196 to Derick Bell and 95 to Burns - thus 291 (82.91%) to the remaining UUP candidates; 29 (8.26%) to Vage (DUP); 19 (5.41%) to McQuaid (Alliance); and 1 (0.28%) to Byrne (SDLP) with 11 (3.13%) non-transferable.

Of the 196 votes transferred to Derick Bell, 178 transferred further: 150 (76.53%) to Burns (UUP); 17 (8.67%) to Vage (DUP); 11 (5.61%) to McQuaid (Alliance); none (0.00%) to Byrne (SDLP) and 18 (9.18%) non-transferable. These votes were now worth 0.11 each and ended on at least their fourth preference.

McQuaid's 473.15 votes went 41.00% to Byrne (SDLP), 17.70% to Burns (UUP), 6.12% to Vage (DUP) and 35.18% nowhere. It is likely but not certain that none of the votes that had transferred to him from the two Unionists transferred to the SDLP. McQuaid was only 14.31 votes behind Burns when eliminated, but if Burns had been eliminated instead, his votes would probably have gone to the DUP rather than Alliance or SDLP and the eventual result would have been the same.

19 May 1993 full election

Electorate: 9533; 6 seats; votes cast 5014 (52.60%); invalid 88 (1.76%); quota: 704
 
First Preferences Baird surplus Walsh surplus
Joan Baird (UUP) 1352 -648.00 704.00 704.00
Jim Walsh (SDLP) 1186 1186.00 -482.00 704.00
Archie McKelvey (UUP) 722 722.00 722.00
Ian Burns (UUP) 507 +323.40 830.40 830.40
John Dobson (UUP) 517 +227.85 744.85 744.85
Frank McQuaid (Alliance) 289 +14.21 303.21 +473.04 776.25
Margaret Davis (DUP) 353 +73.01 426.01 +4.86 430.87

Of Baird's 1352 votes, 1303 transferred: 660 to Burns and 465 to Dobson - thus 1125 (83.21%) to the other UUP candidates; 149 (11.02%) to Davis (DUP); and 29 (2.14%) to McQuaid (Alliance) with 49 (3.62%) non-transferable.

Of Walsh's 1186 votes, it is likely that 590 transferred (mathematically it could have been 885 but the lower number is more probable): these would have divided 584 (49.24%) to McQuaid and 6 (0.51%) to Davis (DUP) with 596 (50.25%) non-transferable.

This was a most unlikely gain for Alliance. Even if the SDLP had run two candidates, they might not have got both elected.


Knockiveagh

Westminster seat: Upper Bann/South Down
Includes these wards: Bannside, Gilford, Katesbridge, Lawrencetown, Loughbrickland, Rathfriland.
DUP UUP UKUP Ind SDLP SF
2001 24.63% 31.21% 5.24% 10.40% 18.29% 10.22%
1997 17.80% 41.93% 11.16% 25.92%
1993 15.20% 49.02% 11.39% 24.39%

7 June 2001 full election

Electorate 10063; 6 seats; valid votes 7385; quota 1056
Seamus Doyle (SDLP) 1351
John Ingram (UUP) 1202
Wilfred McFadden (DUP) 1084
Malachy McCartan (Ind) 768
Brendan Curran (SF) 755
Stephen Herron (DUP) 735
John Hanna (UUP) 617
Violet Cromie (UUP) 486
Stephen Briggs (UKUP) 387

21 May 1997 full election

Electorate: 9460; 6 seats; votes cast 6273 (66.31%); invalid 75 (1.20%); quota: 886
 
First Preferences Ingram surplus Cook votes Cromie surplus
John Ingram (UUP) 1129 -243.00 886.00 886.00 886.00 886.00
Wilfred McFadden (DUP) 1103 1103.00 1103.00 -217.00 886.00 886.00
Seamus Doyle (SDLP) 946 946.00 946.00 946.00 946.00
John Hanna (UUP) 799 +63.14 862.14 +38.00 900.14 900.14 900.14
Violet Cromie (UUP) 671 +173.14 844.14 +36.64 880.78 +201.25 1082.03 -196.03 886.00
Malachy McCartan (Ind) 692 +2.42 694.42 +75.22 769.64 +12.00 781.64 +18.00 799.64
Oliver Moore (SDLP) 661 +0.22 661.22 +31.00 692.22 +2.00 694.22 +3.50 697.22

Of Ingram's 1129 votes, 1102 transferred: 787 to Cromie and 287 to Hanna - thus 1074 (95.13%) to the remaining UUP candidates; 16 (1.42%) to Cook (Alliance); 11 (0.97%) to McCartan (Ind); and 1 (0.09%) to Moore (SDLP) with 27 (2.39%) non-transferable.

Of Cook's 200.52 votes, 37.51% went to McCartan (Ind); 18.95% to Hanna and 18.27% to Cromie - thus 37.22% to the UUP; 15.46% to Moore (SDLP) and 9.80% nowhere. This includes the 16 votes transferred to her from Ingram (which split 12 to Cromie, 1 to McCartan and 3 non-transferable).

Of McFadden's 1103 votes, 861 transferred: 805 (72.98%) to Cromie (UUP), 48 (4.35%) to McCartan (Ind) and 8 (0.73%) to Moore (SDLP) with 242 (21.94%) non-transferable.

Of the 805 votes transferred from McFadden to Cromie, only 86 expressed a further preference between the last two candidates: 72 (8.94%) favoured McCartan (Ind) and 14 (1.74%) favoured Moore (SDLP) with 719 (89.32%) non-transferable.

Note that if the two SDLP candidates had had a more equal balance of votes between them, Moore could have stayed ahead of McCartan to take the last seat.

19 May 1993 full election

Electorate: 9323; 6 seats; votes cast 6535 (70.10%); invalid 107 (1.64%); quota: 919
 
First Preferences Doyle surplus Ingram surplus McDermott votes McCartan surplus McFadden surplus
Seamus Doyle (SDLP) 1229 -310.00 919.00 919.00 919.00 919.00 919.00
John Ingram (UUP) 1083 1083.00 -164.00 919.00 919.00 919.00 919.00
Wilfred McFadden (DUP) 977 977.00 977.00 977.00 977.00 -58.00 919.00
Laurence McCartan (Ind) 732 +79.30 811.30 +1.50 812.80 +235.00 1047.80 -128.80 919.00 919.00
Violet Cromie (UUP) 782 +3.90 785.90 +116.10 902.00 +19.38 921.38 921.38 921.38
John Hanna (UUP) 672 +0.52 672.52 +18.00 690.52 +4.90 695.42 +19.00 714.42 +26.88 741.30
Samuel Walker (UUP) 614 +0.26 614.26 +24.30 638.56 +10.32 648.88 +15.00 663.88 +39.54 693.42
Liam McDermott (SDLP) 339 +220.74 559.74 +0 559.74 -559.74 - - -

The first vote I personally ever cast in my life was in this electoral district in 1985. I remember giving McCartan my first preference, there being no Alliance candidate. He died shortly before the 1997 elections, suffering a heart attack while evacuating his home during a bomb alert.

Of Doyle's 1229 votes, 1172 transferred: 849 (69.08%) to McDermott (SDLP), 305 (24.82%) to McCartan (Ind) and 15 to Cromie, 2 to Hanna and 1 to Walker - thus 18 (1.46%) to the UUP candidates, with 57 (4.64%) non-transferable.

Of Ingram's 1083 votes, it is likely that 1066 transferred (mathematically it could have been 533 but the higher number is more probable): these would have divided 774 to Cromie, 162 to Walker, and 120 to Hanna - thus 1046 (96.58%) to the remaining UUP candidates; 10 (0.92%) to McCartan (Ind) and none to McDermott (SDLP) with 17 (1.57%) non-transferable.

Of McDermott's 559.74 votes, 41.98% went to McCartan (Ind); 3.46% to Cromie, 1.84% to Walker and 0.88% to Hanna - thus 6.18% to the UUP; and 51.83% nowhere.

Of the 235.00 votes transferred from McDermott to McCartan, only 34 (14.47%) expressed a preference between the two remaining UUP candidates: 19 (8.09%) went to Hanna and 15 (6.38%) to Walker, with 201 (85.53%) non-transferable.

Of McFadden's 977 votes, it is likely that 806 had a preference between the two remaining UUP candidates (mathematically it could have been 403 but the higher number is more probable): these would have divided 422 (43.19%) to Walker and 384 (39.30%) to Hanna with 171 (17.50%) non-transferable.


Banbridge District Council election results since 1973

pre-1993 results from Flackes and Elliott's Northern Ireland - a Political Directory

2001: UUP 7, DUP 5, SDLP 3, Inds 1, Alliance 1
1997: UUP 9, SDLP 3, DUP 3, Inds 2
1993: UUP 10, SDLP 3, DUP 2, Ind 1, Alliance 1
1989: UUP 9, SDLP 3, DUP 2, Ind 1
1985: UUP 8, SDLP 3, DUP 3, Ind 1
1981: UUP 8, DUP 4, SDLP 2, Ind 1
1977: UUP 8, DUP 3, SDLP 2, Loy 1, Ind 1
1973: UUP 11, SDLP 1, Oth 3

NB: 17 councillors since 1993 election, 15 before that. Boundaries changed in 1985 and again in 1993.


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Nicholas Whyte, 7 May 2000; last updated 7 May 2003 by Tineke Vaes.


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