Top Issue 1-2024

15 May 1997 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

Back to the Ballot Buster

Neil Forde runs over the figures for the last 6 County local elections

Who remembers the ``Ballot Buster''.election of 1993? In all the euphoria and partying over a 16% vote share and two newly elected MPs in 1997 some may have forgotten previous critical elections when against the odds Sinn Féin pulled off significant electoral performances.

In the 1993 district council elections Sinn Féin won 51 seats, an increase on their 1989 total of 41. The party's total vote increased to 12.5%, from 10% in the previous year's Westminster election. Sinn Féin also won more first preferences than other party on Belfast City Council. They had 23% of the total votes in the city.

Combined with the groundwork built in 1993 and the recent excellent performances in 1996 and `97 the expectations for this year's council elections are high. As you go through the council areas, there are clear signs that Sinn Féin can add to their 1993 total of 51 councillors.

For many the focus of the elections will be on Belfast. It was here that Sinn Féin topped the poll in a number of wards. Joe Austin headed the count in Old Park while Bobby Lavery also won a seat there.

In Lower Falls, Sinn Féin took four out of the five seats with the party's candidates not only topping the poll but also taking the first four places, Tom Hartley, Fra McCann and Pat McGeown all elected on the first count.

In Upper Falls the party elected three councilors with two elected on the first count. In West Belfast Sinn Féin took 47% of the vote, compared to 21% for the SDLP. Sinn Féin won 55% of the vote for West Belfast in the 1997 Westminster election so a new benchmark has been set for this years local elections.

Lisburn Council also saw Sinn Féin advances. In the Dunmurray Cross ward Sinn Féin topped the poll, with Pat Rice elected on the first count, while Michael Ferguson and Annie Armstrong were elected on subsequent counts.

Dungannon Council was another success for Sinn Féin in 1993. The party topped the Poll in three separate wards, increasing the representation to five councillors. Unfortunately the council chamber in Dungannon has had to do without Ken Maginnis for the past four years. Ken lost his seat in 1993 when a UUP vote management plan went badly wrong leaving Major Ken out in the cold. In Omagh Sinn Féin's vote increased and six councillors were elected.

Newry and Mourne is another constituency where Sinn Féin made advances in 1993. The party won two seats in the Slieve Gullion ward, one in the Fews and two in the Newry Town ward where Davy Hyland topped the poll. The party's vote share has increased since then in the Newry and Mourne area, so there could be new Sinn Féin councillors here.

In 1993 Sinn Féin's vote in Derry was up by a third, but still further advances are expected here in 1997. Other rural council areas where Sinn Féin made advances were Cookstown, Magherafelt and Antrim. In Magherafelt Patrick Grogan topped the poll in the Sperrin ward, with Maragret Mckenna elected in the Moyola ward while in west Antrim Sinn Féin's Henry Cushnihan won a seat.

Sixty elected councillors is the target total for Sinn Féin in this election but with 95 candidates, an efficient organisation as well as a supportive electorate, election day on 21 May should see that target reached with ease.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland