1997 Carrickfergus Borough Council election

Main article: Northern Ireland local elections, 1997

Elections to Carrickfergus Borough Council were held on 21 May 1997 on the same day as the other Northern Irish local government elections. The election used three district electoral areas to elect a total of 17 councillors.

1997 Carrickfergus Borough Council election

21 May 1997 (1997-05-21)
All 17 seats to Carrickfergus Borough Council 9 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Alliance Ulster Unionist DUP Seats won 5 4 3 Seat change 1 1 1   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Party Ind. Unionist Independent NI Conservatives Seats won 3 2 0 Seat change 1 1 1

Election results

Carrickfergus Borough Council Election Result 1997

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Alliance	5	0	1	3	29.4	27.4	3,520	4.8
	Ulster Unionist	4	0	1	1	23.5	21.6	2,330	2.4
	DUP	3	1	0	1	17.6	20.0	2,160	1.5
	Ind. Unionist	3	1	0	1	17.6	17.8	1,918	9.7
	Independent	2	1	0	1	11.8	7.9	854	0.6
	PUP	0	0	0	0	0.0	5.2	565	3.5

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

Results of the Carrickfergus Borough Council election, 1997
by district

Ward	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	Total Cllrs
	Alliance		UUP		DUP		Others
Carrick Castle	28.8	1	16.9	1	22.7	1	31.6	2	5
Kilroot	25.5	2	17.2	1	14.5	1	42.8	2	6
Knockagh Monument	28.6	2	30.0	2	24.3	1	17.1	1	6
Total	27.4	5	21.6	4	20.0	3	31.0	5	17

Districts results

Carrick Castle

1993: 2 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
1997: 2 x Independent, 1 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP
1993-1997 Change: Independent gain from Alliance

Carrick Castle - 5 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Alliance	Sean Neeson*	26.87%	741
	DUP	David Hilditch*	22.70%	626
	Independent	William Hamilton*	17.91%	494
	Ulster Unionist	Samuel McCamley*	16.90%	466
	Independent	Nicholas Wady	8.45%	233	266.18	305.13	320.13	320.79	398.87
	Alliance	Arthur McQuitty*	1.96%	54	274.92	291.32	294.12	294.97	332.75
	PUP	Samuel Stewart	5.22%	144	169.2	277.44	291.44	293.09
Electorate: 6,744   Valid: 2,758 (40.90%)   Spoilt: 56   Quota: 460   Turnout: 2,814 (41.73%)

Kilroot

1993: 2 x Alliance, 2 x UUP, 1 x Conservative, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 2 x Alliance, 2 x Independent Unionist, 1 x UUP, 1 x DUP
1993-1997 Change: DUP gain from Independent Unionist, Independent Unionists leave UUP and Conservatives

Kilroot - 6 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	Ind. Unionist	James Brown*	21.31%	908
	Ind. Unionist	Samuel Crowe*	12.98%	553	633.28
	Alliance	Brenda Crampsey*	13.00%	554	571.64	593.36	595.76	613.76
	DUP	Billy Ashe	8.38%	357	392.28	402.64	404.08	462.96	679.96
	Alliance	Robert Cavan	12.46%	531	553.68	570.76	572.8	590	605.8	608.92
	Ulster Unionist	Eric Ferguson	8.71%	371	418.52	428.68	435.76	482.64	511.64	547
	Ulster Unionist	Colin McAuley	8.50%	362	389	404.16	407.76	445	482.16	513.88
	DUP	Desmond Robinson	6.13%	261	286.92	298.36	301.72	351.24
	PUP	Billy Donaldson	5.56%	237	258.96	284.12	287.12
	Independent	Norman Dixon	2.98%	127	139.96
Electorate: 10,234   Valid: 4,261 (41.64%)   Spoilt: 56   Quota: 609   Turnout: 4,317 (42.18%)

Knockagh Monument

1993: 2 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 2 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1993-1997 Change: No change

Knockagh Monument - 6 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4
	Alliance	Stewart Dickson*	23.03%	867
	Ulster Unionist	Thomas Creighton	20.03%	754
	DUP	May Beattie	15.41%	580
	Ulster Unionist	Joseph Reid*	10.02%	377	392.99	544.95
	Ind. Unionist	Charles Johnston*	12.14%	457	486.25	507.71	552.71
	Alliance	Noreen McIlwrath*	5.55%	209	479.66	488.36	514.45
	DUP	William Haggan*	8.93%	336	342.63	364.96	425.38
	PUP	Carolyn Howarth	4.89%	184	189.85	196.81
Electorate: 9,549   Valid: 3,764 (39.42%)   Spoilt: 65   Quota: 538   Turnout: 3,829 (40.10%)