This is no change from the local government elections in 2019.
The DUP, SDLP and Sinn Féin are running two candidates each in the five-seat DEA. This is a reduction from three in 2019 in the case of the SDLP.
The Alliance party and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) are once again running one candidate each.
The final two candidates are former Mayor of Derry and Strabane Graham Warke, who comes from the DUP gene-pool but is running as an Independent, and Damian Gallagher of the People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA), which is contesting the DEA for the first time.
Paul Hughes, a local community worker with a strong emphasis on environmental issues who polled strongly as an independent in 2014 and 2019 but failed to get elected is not running, but has signed Mr. Gallagher’s nomination papers.
The Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) includes the Claudy, Eglinton, Enagh, New Buildings, and Slievekirk wards.
The candidates in alphabetical order are: Hayley Canning (SDLP), Alex Duffy (Sinn Féin), Rachael Ferguson (Alliance), Sean Fleming (Sinn Féin), Damian Gallagher (People Before Profit), Ryan McCready (UUP), Julie Middleton (DUP), Declan Norris (SDLP), Graham Warke (Independent) and Gary Wilkinson (DUP).
In the last local government election in 2019 the DUP returned two councillors and Sinn Féin, Alliance and the SDLP, one each.
The first preference tallies were as follows: ELECTED - DUP Graham Warke 1,050 votes (14.70%); ELECTED – DUP Ryan McCready 940 votes (13.16%); ELECTED – Sinn Féin Paul Fleming 854 votes (11.96%); ELECTED – Alliance Rachael Ferguson 783 votes (10.96%); ELECTED – SDLP Jim McKeever 565 votes (7.91%); Independent Paul Hughes 733 votes (10.26%); UUP William Jamieson 710 votes (9.94%); SDLP Brenda Stevenson 693 votes (9.70%); SDLP Gus Hastings 491 votes (6.87%); and Sinn Féin Conor Heaney 324 votes (4.54%).
Of a total Faughan electorate of 13,601 electors, 7,143 (52.52%) were cast in May 2019. The quota was set at 1,191 votes.
There were 103 spoilt votes. Turnout was 7,246 (53.28%).
Hayley Canning, SDLP.
A former Thornhill girl and architecture graduate Hayley Canning joined the SDLP in 2011. She sat on a Strathfoyle steering group, assisting with a PEACE IV project in flags and emblems and helped to create an Open College Network (OCN) accredited arts project with the Enagh Youth Forum.
She has been involved in constituency work for the past decade. This is her first electoral outing. In the last local government election in May 2019 the SDLP's three candidates received 1,749 first preference votes (24.48%) in the Faughan DEA. This equated to 1.46 quotas.
Alex Duffy, Sinn Féin.
Alex Duffy is a long-standing youth and community worker from the Strathfoyle area who has acted as Chairman of the Strathfoyle Community Association.
He was co-opted onto Derry City and Strabane District Council when the longest-serving Sinn Féin councillor on the local authority, Paul Fleming, stood down last December. This is his first election.
In the last local government election in May 2019 Sinn Féin's two candidates received 1,178 first preference votes (16.5%) in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) - the equivalent of 0.99 quotas.
Rachael Ferguson, Alliance.
Rachael Ferguson has been a councillor since the Alliance Party's breakthrough election in 2019 when two councillors, Ms. Ferguson in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA), and Philip McKinney in the Waterside, were returned to Derry City and Strabane District Council.
A local mother of two who has lived in Faughan most of her life, Ms. Ferguson is an active board member of her local Women's Activity Group and Local Playgroup. She also helped co-create a local online support network for mothers.
In 2019 she was the fourth highest polling candidate in the Faughan DEA receiving 783 first preference votes (10.96%).
Sean Fleming, Sinn Féin.
A graduate of St. Columb's College, North West Regional College and Ulster University, the party activist joins Alex Duffy on the Sinn Féin ticket in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA). This is his first election.
In the last local government election in May 2019 Sinn Féin's two candidates received 1,178 first preference votes (16.5%) in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) - the equivalent of 0.99 quotas.
Damian Gallagher, People Before Profit.
Damian Gallagher is a University College Union (UCU) activist and a former Fulbright scholar with a particular interest in the environment who has been vocal on the Mobuoy dump and pollution in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA).
This is the first time a People Before Profit has stood in the Faughan DEA of the Derry City and Strabane District Council. However, in 2011, Diane Greer received 256 first preference votes (2.8%) for the party in the old Rural DEA of Derry City Council, which roughly corresponds to Faughan, and in 2005 Eamonn McCann received 371 votes (3.9%) as a Socialist Environmental Alliance candidate.
Ryan McCready, UUP.
Ryan McCready is a former Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) soldier from Tullyally who was awarded a 'Most Outstanding Soldier Award' in 2011 for his 'Leadership, Courage & Professionalism on Operations in Afghanistan'.
He was awarded a NATO Meritorious Service Medal in 2017. In his first election in 2019, on a two-man DUP ticket in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA), he received 940 votes (13.16%), second-only to his running mate Graham Warke.
In June 2021, he left the DUP in protest at how Arlene Foster had been ousted as party leader and joined the UUP a month later. He ran as a UUP candidate in last year's Assembly election, receiving 3,744 votes (8%), missing out on the final seat to DUP MLA Gary Middleton by a margin of 95 votes.
Julie Middleton, DUP.
A native of Bready, Julie Middleton, is a former teacher of RE, history and citizenship and a graduate in Professional Education Studies at St. Martin's College, Lancaster.
She has over 15 years experience of working within community, youth and education settings and describes herself as a Christian who is supportive of local church groups. Her husband is the current DUP MLA for Foyle Gary Middleton. This is is her first election.
In the last local government election in May 2019 the DUP's two candidates received 1,990 first preference votes (27.86%) in the Faughan DEA, the equivalent of 1.67 quotas.
Declan Norris, SDLP.
Eglinton-based Declan Norris is a long-time SDLP and community activist who lives in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) with his wife. They have three adult children. He was selected as the SDLP's new councillor for Faughan in October 2022. This is his first electoral outing.
In the last local government election in May 2019 the SDLP's three candidates received 1,749 first preference votes (24.48%) in the Faughan DEA. This equated to 1.46 quotas.
Graham Warke, Independent.
Graham Warke, a long-standing youth and community worker in the Fountain, became involved in front-line politics in May 2019 when he stood in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) for the DUP and topped the poll with 1,050 first preference votes (14.70%).
The Newbuildings-based candidate served as Mayor of Derry City and Strabane in 2021/22 but left the DUP as soon as his term as mayor ended and served the remainder of the last council mandate as an independent. This will be his first electoral outing as an independent.
Gary Wilkinson, DUP.
From Donemana, Gary Wilkinson lives in the Newbuildings area. He is a first time candidate for the DUP in a local government election and is running alongside Julie Middleton for the party in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA).
In the last local government election in May 2019 the DUP's two candidates received 1,990 first preference votes (27.86%) in the Faughan DEA, the equivalent of 1.67 quotas.
1. Hayley Canning, SDLP.
Hayley Canning, SDLP. A former Thornhill girl and architecture graduate Hayley Canning joined the SDLP in 2011. She sat on a Strathfoyle steering group, assisting with a PEACE IV project in flags and emblems and helped to create an Open College Network (OCN) accredited arts project with the Enagh Youth Forum. She has been involved in constituency work for the past decade. This is her first electoral outing. In the last local government election in May 2019 the SDLP's three candidates received 1,749 first preference votes (24.48%) in the Faughan DEA. This equated to 1.46 quotas. Photo: Supplied
2. Alex Duffy, Sinn Féin.
Alex Duffy, Sinn Féin. Alex Duffy is a long-standing youth and community worker from the Strathfoyle area who has acted as Chairman of the Strathfoyle Community Association. He was co-opted onto Derry City and Strabane District Council when the longest-serving Sinn Féin councillor on the local authority, Paul Fleming, stood down last December. This is his first election. In the last local government election in May 2019 Sinn Féin's two candidates received 1,178 first preference votes (16.5%) in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) - the equivalent of 0.99 quotas. Photo: Supplied
3. Rachael Ferguson, Alliance.
Rachael Ferguson, Alliance. Rachael Ferguson has been a councillor since the Alliance Party's breakthrough election in 2019 when two councillors, Ms. Ferguson in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA), and Philip McKinney in the Waterside, were returned to Derry City and Strabane District Council. A local mother of two who has lived in Faughan most of her life, Ms. Ferguson is an active board member of her local Women's Activity Group and Local Playgroup. She also helped co-create a local online support network for mothers. In 2019 she was the fourth highest polling candidate in the Faughan DEA receiving 783 first preference votes (10.96%). Photo: Supplied
4. Sean Fleming, Sinn Féin.
Sean Fleming, Sinn Féin. A graduate of St. Columb's College, North West Regional College and Ulster University, the Top of the Hill based activist joins Alex Duffy on the Sinn Féin ticket in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA). This is his first election. In the last local government election in May 2019 Sinn Féin's two candidates received 1,178 first preference votes (16.5%) in the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA) - the equivalent of 0.99 quotas. Photo: Supplied