SDLP tops the poll in Foyleside and Ballyarnett

First time candidate Mary Durkan has topped the poll in Foyleside, with 1,231 first pereference votes, while in Ballyarnett Angela Dobbins topped the poll with 1,392 first preference votes.

Both women have become the first to be elected to the new 40 seat constituency.

Speaking after the announcement at Foyle Arena Mary Durkan said the SDLP seems to have performed strongly across the city & district.

She said that there were indiications of something of a “resurgence” of the nationlaist party.

Foyelside Alliance candidate John Doherty, who had 305 first preferences, has been eliminated as has Alliance’s Danny McCloskey in Ballyarnett, who got 340.

A third Alliance candidate, Anne Murray has been eliminated in Derg, while Sinn Fein’s Conor Heaney has been eliminated in Faughan,

The qouta needed to be deemed elected for the Ballyarnett ward stands at 1368, while the quota in Foyleside is 1227.

The quota for Faughan are 1191 and 13335 for Derg.

Candidates eliminated so far include two sitting councillors Gus Hastings SDLP, Thomas Kerrigan DUP, and also Hayleigh Fleming SF, Anne Murray Alliance, Conor Heaney SF, Neil McLaughlin SF, Danny McCloskey Alliance, John Doherty Alliance.