Northern Ireland

North Antrim: David McIlveen of the DUP loses his seat

DUP's Mervyn Storey is elected to North Antrim, at the Ballymena count. Picture by Cliff Donaldson.
DUP's Mervyn Storey is elected to North Antrim, at the Ballymena count. Picture by Cliff Donaldson. DUP's Mervyn Storey is elected to North Antrim, at the Ballymena count. Picture by Cliff Donaldson.

The assembly election count in North Antrim fizzled out this morning with the election of the last three candidates on the tenth count.

Newcomer Philip Logan was the last candidate to make the quota and replace sitting MLA David McIlveen who lost his seat.

The signs were there from early on Friday after he secured 3,635 first preference votes.

Counting was carried over from Friday night when former DUP finance minister Mervyn Storey and party colleague Paul Frew were elected.

TUV leader Jim Allister was the first person to be elected on the eighth count after grabbing 5,399 first preference votes.

The elimination of the SDLP’s Conor Duncan left Sinn Fein’s Daithi McKay and the UUP’s Robin Swann to grab the remaining two seats.

A strong first preference showing for both, with Mr McKay on 5,297 and Mr Swann taking 3,585 meant the result was never in doubt.

Elected: Jim Allister (TUV), Paul Frew (DUP), Mervyn Storey (DUP), Phillip Logan (DUP), Robin Swann (UUP) and Daithi McKay (Sinn Fein)