Belfast West (Assembly constituency) Constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Belfast West (Irish : Béal Feirste Thiar , Ulster Scots : Belfast West ) is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly .
It was first used for a Northern Ireland -only election in 1973, which elected the then Northern Ireland Assembly . It usually shares boundaries with the Belfast West UK Parliament constituency . However, the boundaries of the two constituencies were slightly different from 1973 to 1974, 1983 to 1986 and 2010 to 2011 (because 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.
For further details of the history and boundaries of the constituency, see Belfast West (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 West – 5 seats[ 1]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Sinn Féin
Danny Baker
20.64%
9,011
Sinn Féin
Órlaithí Flynn
15.44%
6,743
7,087
7,093
7,109
7,136
7,159
7,159
7,160
7,228
7,407
Sinn Féin
Aisling Reilly
13.01%
5,681
6,709
6,720
6,727
6,745
6,759
6,761
6,761
6,812
7,131
7,664
Sinn Féin
Pat Sheehan
14.59%
6,370
6,422
6,426
6,431
6,440
6,449
6,449
6,450
6,447
6,735
7,186
People Before Profit
Gerry Carroll
7.51%
3,279
3,394
3,414
3,492
3,563
3,667
3,688
3,698
3,936
4,479
6,023
DUP
Frank McCoubrey
9.54%
4,166
4,167
4,174
4,174
4,176
4,180
4,396
5,199
5,275
5,429
5,490
SDLP
Paul Doherty
5.79%
2,528
2,616
2,619
2,648
2,684
2,727
2,744
2,754
3,232
3,636
Aontú
Gerard Herdman
4.01%
1,753
1,761
1,793
1,802
1,820
1,823
1,829
1,837
1,871
Irish Republican Socialist
Dan Murphy
2.53%
1,103
1,115
1,123
1,130
1,144
1,152
1,152
1,152
1,159
Alliance
Donnamarie Higgins
2.08%
907
924
926
932
940
1,027
1,109
1,135
TUV
Jordan Doran
1.84%
802
802
805
806
809
810
918
UUP
Linsey Gibson
1.09%
474
475
477
478
480
484
Green (NI)
Stevie Maginn
0.70%
307
310
313
323
333
Independent
Gerard Burns
0.44%
192
209
237
244
Workers' Party
Patrick Crossan
0.44%
193
198
205
Independent
Tony Mallon
0.30%
129
131
Independent
Declan Hill
0.06%
26
26
Electorate: 68,727 Valid: 43,664 (63.53%) Spoilt: 776 Quota: 7,278 Turnout: 44,440 (64.66%)
2017
2017 Assembly election : Belfast West – 5 seats[ 2]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Sinn Féin
Órlaithí Flynn
17.15%
6,918
People Before Profit
Gerry Carroll
12.15%
4,903
6,514
8,252
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
15.73%
6,346
6,451
7,036
Sinn Féin
Fra McCann
15.37%
6,201
6,314
6,636
7,067
Sinn Féin
Pat Sheehan
13.55%
5,466
5,515
5,739
5,903
DUP
Frank McCoubrey
10.07%
4,063
4,372
4,490
4,521
SDLP
Alex Attwood
8.56%
3,452
4,019
People Before Profit
Michael Collins
2.72%
1,096
Alliance
Sorcha Eastwood
1.85%
747
UUP
Fred Rogers
1.20%
486
Workers' Party
Conor Campbell
1.03%
415
Green (NI)
Ellen Murray
0.62%
251
Electorate: 61,309 Valid: 40,344 (65.80%) Spoilt: 586 Quota: 6,725 Turnout: 40,930 (66.76%)
2016
2016 Assembly election : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 3]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
People Before Profit
Gerry Carroll
22.88%
8,299
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
13.15%
4,769
5,360.8
Sinn Féin
Pat Sheehan
9.69%
3,516
3,761.08
3,829.2
6,393.2
Sinn Féin
Fra McCann
11.11%
4,028
4,283.2
4,479.48
4,756.68
5,891.73
Sinn Féin
Jennifer McCann
12.09%
4,386
4,648.68
4,755.04
4,988.88
5,044.81
5,750.11
SDLP
Alex Attwood
7.30%
2,647
3,407.76
4,161.36
4,234.52
4,242.98
4,245.38
4,299.08
4,430.2
DUP
Frank McCoubrey
10.38%
3,766
3,780.52
4,332.28
4,336.28
4,337.69
4,337.69
4,337.69
4,341.21
Sinn Féin
Rosie McCorley
8.42%
3,053
3,244.4
3,303.24
Workers' Party
Conor Campbell
1.47%
532
766.54
Green (NI)
Ellen Murray
0.90%
327
705.84
UUP
Gareth Martin
1.80%
654
668.96
Alliance
Jemima Higgins
0.80%
291
427.4
Electorate: 63,993 Valid: 36,268 (56.67%) Spoilt: 722 Quota: 5,182 Turnout: 36,990 (57.80%)
2011
2011 Assembly election : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 4]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Sinn Féin
Paul Maskey
15.42%
5,343
Sinn Féin
Jennifer McCann
15.12%
5,239
Sinn Féin
Fra McCann
12.93%
4,481
4,587.96
4,604.96
4,613.08
4,645.5
4,682.6
4,735.84
4,837.22
4,838.34
5,167.34
SDLP
Alex Attwood
10.87%
3,765
3,776.69
3,780.09
3,787.09
3,890.45
3,939.62
4,083.74
4,719.58
4,780.65
5,151.65
Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey
11.88%
4,116
4,340.28
4,350.88
4,358.19
4,377.4
4,394.47
4,407.47
4,423.94
4,433.99
4,683.9
4,823.06
Sinn Féin
Pat Sheehan
10.75%
3,723
3,737.35
3,960.5
3,971.78
3,996.39
4,016.61
4,029.73
4,051.85
4,054.9
4,249.77
4,327.19
DUP
Brian Kingston
7.47%
2,587
2,587.28
2,587.33
2,587.33
2,600.45
2,604.45
2,607.45
2,617.57
3,834.57
3,866.57
3,866.57
People Before Profit
Gerry Carroll
4.79%
1,661
1,664.85
1,665.85
1,701.85
1,732.85
1,853.97
1,939.09
1,977.31
1,999.31
UUP
Bill Manwaring
4.25%
1,471
1,471.21
1,471.36
1,473.36
1,503.41
1,512.41
1,517.41
1,526.41
SDLP
Colin Keenan
2.31%
802
803.26
804.41
807.41
853.58
878.63
981.82
Workers' Party
John Lowry
1.69%
586
586.63
587.03
590.1
607.24
644.38
Socialist Party
Pat Lawlor
1.11%
384
384.42
384.92
399.92
408.92
Alliance
Dan McGuinness
1.05%
365
367.66
368.76
370.76
Independent
Brian Pelan
0.35%
122
122.77
122.92
Electorate: 61,520 Valid: 34,645 (56.32%) Spoilt: 973 Quota: 4,950 Turnout: 35,618 (57.90%)
2007
2007 Assembly election : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 5]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams
17.84%
6,029
Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey
13.95%
4,715
5,266.6
Sinn Féin
Paul Maskey
12.93%
4,368
4,758.6
4,774.05
4,783.95
4,821.8
5,074.8
Sinn Féin
Jennifer McCann
12.62%
4,265
4,294.8
4,665.75
4,667.7
4,693.5
4,848.5
SDLP
Alex Attwood
8.98%
3,036
3,148.8
3,149.7
3,196.9
3,234.9
4,779.1
Sinn Féin
Fra McCann
12.59%
4,254
4,323.8
4,344.95
4,353.8
4,378
4,646.85
DUP
Diane Dodds
10.83%
3,661
3,661
3,661.15
3,671.15
3,677.15
4,166
SDLP
Margaret Walsh
3.18%
1,074
1,086.2
1,087.1
1,110.3
1,156.5
People Before Profit
Seán Mitchell
2.29%
774
789
789.6
830.4
968.8
UUP
Louis West
1.65%
558
558.8
558.8
579.8
581.8
Workers' Party
John Lowry
1.28%
434
440
440.45
452.65
452.65
Republican Sinn Féin
Geraldine Taylor
1.26%
427
429
429.45
437.05
Alliance
Dan McGuinness
0.38%
127
132.4
133.3
Make Politicians History
Rainbow George
0.20%
68
69
69
Electorate: 50,792 Valid: 33,790 (66.53%) Spoilt: 448 Quota: 4,828 Turnout: 34,238 (67.41%)
Note: All Republican Sinn Féin candidates appeared as Independent on the ballot paper.
2003
2003 Assembly election : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 6]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams
18.87%
6,199
SDLP
Alex Attwood
11.16%
3,667
3,796.60
3,901.04
3,956.28
6,096.28
Sinn Féin
Bairbre de Brun
12.39%
4,069
4,476.52
4,494.96
4,504.20
4,665.68
5,229.68
Sinn Féin
Fra McCann
12.98%
4,263
4,337.16
4,360.88
4,363.36
4,525.00
4,905.00
Sinn Féin
Michael Ferguson
11.72%
3,849
3,912.84
3,921.56
3,945.12
4,000.00
4,117.00
4,346.00
4,448.60
DUP
Diane Dodds
7.74%
2,544
2,544.00
2,631.00
4,144.24
4,256.24
4,272.24
4,274.24
4,277.09
Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey
9.09%
2,988
3,673.20
3,699.68
3,705.92
3,768.84
3,923.84
4,084.84
4,190.29
SDLP
Joe Hendron
7.86%
2,583
2,654.28
2,849.72
3,108.72
UUP
Chris McGimpsey
3.56%
1,170
1,174.56
1,298.56
PUP
Hugh Smyth
2.47%
813
814.68
862.68
Workers' Party
John Lowry
1.24%
407
410.84
Independent
John MacVicar
0.64%
211
211.24
Alliance
Mary Ayers
0.23%
75
78.12
Independent
David Kerr
0.05%
16
16.00
Electorate: 50,861 Valid: 32,854 (64.60%) Spoilt: 673 Quota: 4,694 Turnout: 33,527 (65.92%)
Note: David Kerr sought election as an Ulster Third Way candidate, and appeared as such on the ballot paper.
1998
1998 Assembly election : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 7]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams
21.72%
9,078
SDLP
Joe Hendron
14.69%
6,140
Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey
9.44%
3,946
5,223.15
5,235
5,236.44
5,253.27
5,262.62
5,276.34
7,371.34
Sinn Féin
Bairbre de Brun
11.27%
4,711
5,341
5,381.35
5,383.83
5,405.11
5,409.11
5,421.89
5,705.26
6,993.67
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
10.36%
4,330
4,831.2
4,852.35
4,856.41
4,889.2
4,901.27
4,909.82
5,242.2
5,324.61
6,328.43
SDLP
Alex Attwood
10.24%
4,280
4,647.85
4,738.25
4,838.85
5,117.87
5,127.22
5,234.49
5,327.61
5,343.69
5,349.52
UUP
Chris McGimpsey
3.92%
1,640
1,641.4
1,674.4
1,675.58
1,808.99
2,757.44
4,827.29
4,837.64
4,837.64
4,837.64
Sinn Féin
Michael Ferguson
6.19%
2,585
2,791.85
2,838.45
2,840.71
2,867.12
2,871.84
2,896.95
PUP
Hugh Smyth
5.22%
2,180
2,186.65
2,206.75
2,208.63
2,342.94
2,716.06
DUP
Margaret Ferris
3.22%
1,345
1,347.8
1,354.5
1,354.8
1,784.22
UK Unionist
Thomas Dalzell-Sheridan
1.59%
666
671.25
677.25
677.37
Workers' Party
John Lowry
1.45%
607
630.1
658.8
660.68
Alliance
Dan McGuinness
0.31%
129
165.4
Independent
Mary Cahillane
0.31%
128
151.8
Natural Law
Michael Kennedy
0.07%
29
31.45
Electorate: 60,669 Valid: 41,794 (68.89%) Spoilt: 960 Quota: 5,971 Turnout: 42,754 (70.47%)
Note: Mary Cahillane sought election as a Pro-Agreement Socialist candidate, and appeared as such on the ballot paper.
1996 forum
Successful candidates are shown in bold .[ 8]
1982
1982 Assembly election : Belfast West – 4 seats[ 9]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams
28.43%
9,740
SDLP
Joe Hendron
15.20%
5,207
5,309.3
6,003.3
7,965.3
UUP
Thomas Passmore
13.15%
4,505
4,505
4,509
5,128
5,130
5,131.86
5,151.79
5,165.55
Alliance
Will Glendinning
7.98%
2,733
2,764.5
2,805.1
2,847.1
3,072.7
3,651.16
4,525.99
5,163.2
DUP
Billy Dickson
12.83%
4,394
4,396.1
4,399.1
4,849.4
4,866.4
4,869.09
4,892.81
4,918.6
Sinn Féin
Alex Maskey
1.83%
627
3,240
3,326.2
3,326.2
3,397.6
3,565.93
3,824.22
Workers' Party
Mary McMahon
7.28%
2,493
2,512.8
2,566.9
2,580.9
2,662.8
3,017.13
SDLP
Cormac Boomer
6.26%
2,145
2,204.4
2,452.5
2,454.5
PUP
Hugh Smyth
3.66%
1,255
1,255.3
1,256.3
SDLP
Mary Muldoon
2.97%
1,016
1,024.1
People's Democracy
John McAnulty
0.42%
144
161.1
Electorate: 57,726 Valid: 34,259 (59.35%) Spoilt: 1,819 Quota: 6,852 Turnout: 36,078 (62.50%)
1975 Constitutional Convention
1975 Constitutional Convention : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 10]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
UUP
John Laird
23.61%
8,433
SDLP
Paddy Devlin
17.54%
6,267
UUP
Jean Coulter
6.51%
2,325
4,209.48
4,209.48
4,226.65
4,235.65
5,710.65
Alliance
Bob Cooper
9.22%
3,293
3,362.81
3,495.11
3,679.76
4,341.58
4,428.25
4,472.89
4,915.13
SDLP
Joe Hendron
7.95%
2,840
2,841.56
3,058.82
3,180.76
3,607.5
3,611.04
3,611.66
4,901.95
Ind. Unionist
Hugh Smyth
7.40%
2,644
3,235.63
3,236.35
3,252.92
3,256.31
4,127.8
4,684.56
4,693.55
SDLP
Desmond Gillespie
5.56%
1,986
1,988.73
2,506.59
2,652.23
3,254.1
3,257.1
3,257.72
4,513.76
SDLP
Paschal O'Hare
6.86%
2,452
2,453.95
2,578.87
2,691.07
3,115.67
3,118.63
3,121.11
DUP
Edith Goligher
5.48%
1,958
2,668.19
2,669.63
2,686.41
2,688.59
Ind. Nationalist
Thomas Conaty
5.74%
2,052
2,052.78
2,133.96
2,302.18
Republican Clubs
John Sullivan
1.85%
660
661.17
676.29
Republican Clubs
John Brady
1.17%
418
418.78
432.82
Republican Clubs
Bernard McDonagh
0.73%
262
263.17
268.21
Communist
John Morris
0.24%
86
86
87.62
Communist
Peter Kerrins
0.12%
44
44.78
45.5
Electorate: 63,869 Valid: 35,720 (55.93%) Spoilt: 1,794 Quota: 5,103 Turnout: 37,514 (58.74%)
Note: John Laird , Jean Coulter and Edith Goligher were all UUUC endorsed candidates.
1973
1973 Assembly election : Belfast West – 6 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
UUP
John Laird
27.74%
11,479
SDLP
Paddy Devlin
18.71%
7,743
Ind. Unionist
Hugh Smyth
8.76%
3,625
5,997.09
Vanguard
Jean Coulter
4.27%
1,765
3,606.42
3,606.42
3,634.31
3,638.3
3,704.33
3,707.56
5,610.71
6,281.71
Alliance
Bob Cooper
7.64%
3,160
3,262.9
3,374.22
3,374.89
3,382.61
3,637.01
3,810.76
3,866.68
5,042.61
5,221.61
5,378.06
5,597.46
SDLP
Desmond Gillespie
4.69%
1,940
1,940
2,520.29
2,520.3
2,527.93
2,590.38
2,953
2,953.49
2,993.58
2,994.58
3,404.51
4,961.35
SDLP
Gerry Campbell
4.26%
1,764
1,764.49
2,269.34
2,268.35
2,277.35
2,325.48
2,698.95
2,699.95
2,835.67
2,837.67
3,320.88
4,399.77
SDLP
Desmond O'Donnell
5.10%
2,112
2,113.47
2,341.17
2,321.17
2,353.40
2,394.93
2,734.28
2,734.78
2,763.39
2,764.39
3,037.25
Republican Clubs
Raymond O'Hagan
3.36%
1,389
1,389
1,438.91
1,438.91
1,465.37
2,134.58
2,537.47
2,538.47
2,563.1
2,564.1
NI Labour
Billy Boyd
4.69%
1,942
2,204.15
2,214.73
2,216.67
2,237.9
2,333.56
2,388.08
2,538.1
DUP
William Spence
3.30%
1,366
2,270.05
2,270.05
2,286.85
2,293.62
2,236.4
2,239.4
Republican Labour
Paddy Kennedy
4.23%
1,750
1,750.49
1,970.37
1,970.37
1,984.6
2,036.94
Republican Clubs
John O'Hare
1.70%
702
703.47
715.43
715.44
725.44
Alliance
Reginald Donnelly
0.47%
194
202.33
223.49
223.51
225
Alliance
Maureen Smyth
0.41%
169
232.7
238.22
238.67
242.67
NI Labour
Patrick Doherty
0.36%
151
152.47
172.02
172.03
174.03
Communist
James Stewart
0.30%
123
130.35
131.96
132.2
Electorate: 70,791 Valid: 41,374 (58.45%) Spoilt: 2,834 Quota: 5,911 Turnout: 44,208 (62.45%)
Note: John Laird , Hugh Smyth , Jean Coulter and William Spence used the label "West Belfast Loyalist Coalition" simultaneously whilst standing under different party affiliations.
References
Sources
54°35′11″N 6°00′06″W / 54.58639°N 6.00167°W / 54.58639; -6.00167