Northern Ireland Election 2022: Everything you need to know

  • UTV

Chief Electoral Officer Virginia McVea spoke to Paul Clark

Northern Ireland goes to the polls for one of the most anticipated elections in years. Over 1.3million people are eligible to vote in the poll which will see five candidates elected in each of the region's 18 constituencies.

Northern Ireland party leaders clash in UTV Election Debate
NI Assembly Election 2022: Who is running in your area

How Northern Ireland Assembly Election voting works

When can you vote?

Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm on Thursday 5 May.

Who is eligible to vote?

All persons who are:

  • Listed on the electoral register

  • At least 18 years of age on 5 May 2022

  • British, Irish, European Union and qualifying Commonwealth citizens"Qualifying Commonwealth citizen" means that the applicant must have leave to remain in the United Kingdom or not require such leave, i.e. they must be in the UK legally.

How many people can vote in this election?

A total of 1,373,731 are registered to vote for this election. This breaks down in each constituency as follows:

Belfast East 70,123 Belfast North 75,801 Belfast South 73,497 Belfast West 68,727 East Antrim 67,699 East Londonderry 72,959 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 78,963 Foyle 77,343 Lagan Valley 81,562 Mid Ulster 75,168 Newry and Armagh 87,156 North Antrim 81,935 North Down 70,176 South Antrim 76,950 South Down 84,046 Strangford 70,775 Upper Bann 91,149 West Tyrone 69,702

Do you need to bring ID to vote?

You need to bring ID with you to the polling station.

  • A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) (provisional accepted)

  • A UK, Irish or EU passport (or Irish Passport Card)

  • An Electoral Identity Card

  • A Translink Senior SmartPass

  • A Translink 60+ SmartPass

  • A Translink War Disabled SmartPass

  • A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass

  • The identification document does not need to be current, as long as the photograph is of a good enough likeness to allow polling station staff to confirm the identity of the holder. What Covid-19 measures are in place at the polling station?

  • Face coverings should be worn in all polling stations unless exempt

  • Perspex screens between staff and voters

  • Polling booths cleaned down between electors

  • Ballot pencil cleaned between use (you may also bring your own pencil if you would prefer)

  • Regular cleaning of high touch points and surfaces throughout the day

  • Doors and windows (excluding fire doors) will be kept open to ensure the polling station is well ventilated

Can I vote if I’ve got Covid-19?

While the public health advice is to stay at home if you’ve tested positive or have symptoms, you can still go out to vote but are advised to take the following precautions:

  • You must wear a face covering in the polling station except for the ID check

  • Wash your hands thoroughly with the hand sanitiser provided as you enter the polling station

  • Keep at least 2m distance from staff and other voters at all times.

  • Conduct your vote as quickly possible to limit the time you are in the polling station

When does the counting start?

The votes will start to be counted at 8am on Friday 6 May.

Where will the votes be counted?

Counts for the 18 constituencies will take place at three count centres. They will be split as follows.

Meadowbank Sports Arena East Londonderry Fermanagh and South Tyrone Foyle Mid Ulster Newry and Armagh Upper Bann West Tyrone

Titanic Exhibition Centre Belfast East Belfast North Belfast South Belfast West South Down Strangford

Ulster University Jordanstown East Antrim Lagan Valley North Antrim North Down South Antrim

And how can I follow the results?

UTV has planned its most ambitious - not to be missed - election coverage since the formation of the institutions in 1998. 

It will broadcast eight hours of coverage across Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will have comprehensive results and updates from the moment the boxes open on Friday morning online.

And in a new feature Nathan Hanna hosts The Brief - our online bulletin covering the very latest from the count centres, all the results and of course the fallout - throughout all the weekend.

UTV Election Debate: The Verdict from the Press room

Northern Ireland Assembly election candidates

Belfast East (13)

  • Andy Allen - Ulster Unionists

  • Karl Bennett - PUP

  • David Brooks - DUP

  • Joanne Bunting - DUP

  • Charlotte Carson - SDLP

  • Hannah Kenny - People Before Profit

  • Lauren Kerr - Ulster Unionists

  • Naomi Long - Alliance Party

  • Eoin MacNeill - The Workers Party

  • Peter McReynolds - Alliance Party

  • Mairead O’Donnell - Sinn Féin

  • John Ross - TUV

  • Brian Smyth - Green Party

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Belfast North (14)

  • Phillip Brett - DUP

  • Julie-Ann Corr-Johnston - Ulster Unionists

  • Fiona Ferguson - People Before Profit

  • Billy Hutchinson - PUP

  • Gerry Kelly - Sinn Féin

  • Lily Kerr - The Workers Party

  • Brian Kingston - DUP

  • Seán Mac NioCaill - Aontú

  • Nichola Mallon - SDLP

  • Nuala McAllister - Alliance Party

  • Ron McDowell - TUV

  • Carál Ní Chuilín - Sinn Féin

  • Mal O’Hara - Green Party

  • Stafford Ward - Independent

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Belfast South (14)

  • Clare Bailey - Green Party

  • Paula Bradshaw - Alliance Party

  • Andrew Girvin - TUV

  • Deirdre Hargey - Sinn Féin

  • Paddy Lynn -The Workers Party

  • Luke McCann - Aontú

  • Stephen McCarthy - Ulster Unionists

  • Neil Moore - Socialist Party (NI)

  • Elly Odhiambo - Independent

  • Matthew O’Toole - SDLP

  • Edwin Poots - DUP

  • Kate Nicholl - Alliance Party

  • Sipho Sibanda - People Before Profit

  • Elsie Trainor - SDLP

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Belfast West (17)

  • Danny Baker - Sinn Féin

  • Gerard Burns - Independent

  • Gerry Carroll - People Before Profit

  • Patrick Crossan - The Workers Party

  • Paul Doherty - SDLP

  • Jordan Doran - TUV

  • Órlaithí Flynn - Sinn Féin

  • Linsey Victoria Gibson - Ulster Unionists

  • Gerard Herdman - Aontú

  • Donnamarie Higgins - Alliance Party

  • Declan Hill - Independent

  • Stevie Maginn - Green Party

  • Tony Mallon - Independent

  • Frank McCoubrey - DUP

  • Dan Murphy - Irish Republican Socialist Party

  • Aisling Reilly - Sinn Féin

  • Pat Sheehan - Sinn Féin

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East Antrim (10)

  • Mark Francis Bailey - Green Party

  • Roy Beggs - Ulster Unionists

  • Norman Boyd - TUV

  • Stewart Dickson - Alliance Party

  • Danny Donnelly - Alliance Party

  • David Hilditch - DUP

  • Gordon Lyons - DUP

  • Siobhán McAlister - SDLP

  • Oliver McMullan - Sinn Féin

  • John Stewart - Ulster Unionists

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East Londonderry (16)

  • Jordan Armstrong - TUV

  • Maurice Bradley - DUP

  • Gemma Brolly - Aontú

  • Mark Coulson - Green Party

  • Caoimhe Archibald - Sinn Féin

  • Cara Hunter - SDLP

  • Chris McCaw - Alliance Party

  • Kathleen McGurk - Sinn Féin

  • Amy Louise Merron - People Before Profit

  • Niall Murphy - Independent

  • Stephanie Quigley - Independent

  • Alan Robinson - DUP

  • Billy Stewart - Independent

  • Claire Sugden - Independent

  • Russell Watton - PUP

  • Darryl Wilson - Ulster Unionists

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Fermanagh and South Tyrone (16)

  • Derek Backhouse - Independent

  • Rosemary Barton - Ulster Unionists

  • Matthew Beaumont - Alliance Party

  • Paul Bell - DUP

  • Emma DeSouza - Independent

  • Jemma Dolan - Sinn Féin

  • Alex Elliott - TUV

  • Tom Elliott - Ulster Unionists

  • Deborah Erskine - DUP

  • Adam Gannon - SDLP

  • Colm Gildernew - Sinn Féin

  • Emmett Kilpatrick - People Before Profit

  • Denise Mullen - Aontú

  • Áine Murphy - Sinn Féin

  • Donal O'Cofaigh - Cross-Community Labour Alternative

  • Kellie Turtle - Green Party

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Foyle (14)

  • Padraig Delargy - Sinn Féin

  • Emmet Doyle - Aontú

  • Mark H Durkan - SDLP

  • Ciara Ferguson - Sinn Féin

  • Rachael Ferguson - Alliance Party

  • Gillian Hamilton - Green Party

  • Shaun Harkin - People Before Profit

  • Anne McCloskey - Independent

  • Ryan McCready - Ulster Unionists

  • Colly McLaughlin - Irish Republican Socialist Party

  • Sinéad McLaughlin - SDLP

  • Gary Middleton - DUP

  • Elizabeth Neely - TUV

  • Brian James Tierney - SDLP

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Lagan Valley (12)

  • Robbie Butler - Ulster Unionists

  • Pat Catney - SDLP

  • Amanda Doherty - People Before Profit

  • Sir Jeffrey Donaldson - DUP

  • Sorcha Eastwood - Alliance Party

  • Paul Givan - DUP

  • David Honeyford - Alliance Party

  • Gary Hynds - Independent

  • Simon Lee - Green Party

  • Gary McCleave - Sinn Féin

  • Lorna Smyth - TUV

  • Laura Turner - Ulster Unionists

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Mid Ulster (14)

  • Keith Buchanan - DUP

  • Linda Dillon - Sinn Féin

  • Meta Graham - Ulster Unionists

  • Claire Hackett - Alliance Party

  • Alixandra Halliday - Aontú

  • Patrick Haughey - Independent

  • Sophia McFeely - People Before Profit

  • Patsy McGlone - SDLP

  • Glenn Moore - TUV

  • Michelle O’Neill - Sinn Féin

  • Conor Rafferty - The Resume Party (NI)

  • Hugh Francis Scullion - The Workers Party

  • Emma Sheerin - Sinn Féin

  • Stefan Taylor - Green Party

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Newry and Armagh (12)

  • Cathal Boylan - Sinn Féin

  • Jackie Coade - Alliance Party

  • Daniel Connolly - Aontú

  • Nicola Grant - The Workers Party

  • Ciara Henry - Green Party

  • William G Irwin - DUP

  • Liz Kimmins - Sinn Féin

  • Gavin Malone - Independent

  • Justin McNulty - SDLP

  • Conor Murphy - Sinn Féin

  • Keith Ratcliffe - TUV

  • David Taylor - Ulster Unionists

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North Antrim (11)

  • Jim Allister - TUV

  • Matthew Armstrong - TUV

  • Bethany Ferris - Ulster Unionists

  • Paul Frew - DUP

  • Philip McGuigan - Sinn Féin

  • Patricia O’Lynn - Alliance Party

  • Eugene Reid - SDLP

  • Laird Shingleton - Independent

  • Mervyn Storey - DUP

  • Robin Swann - Ulster Unionists

  • Paul Veronica - Green Party

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North Down (14)

  • Chris Carter - Independent

  • Alan Chambers - Ulster Unionists

  • Stephen Gordon Dunne - DUP

  • Alex Easton - Independent

  • Connie Egan - Alliance Party

  • Jennifer Mary Gilmour - DUP

  • John Gordon - TUV

  • Naomi McBurney - Ulster Unionists

  • Thérèse McCartney - Sinn Féin

  • Ray McKimm - Independent

  • Andrew Muir - Alliance

  • Matthew Robinson - Conservative and Unionist Party

  • Deirdre Vaughan - SDLP

  • Rachel Woods - Green Party

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South Antrim (12)

  • Steve Aiken - Ulster Unionists

  • Roisin Bennett - Aontú

  • John Kenneth Blair - Alliance Party

  • Pam Cameron - DUP

  • Trevor Clarke - DUP

  • Declan Kearney - Sinn Féin

  • Mel Lucas - TUV

  • Roisin Lynch - SDLP

  • Jerry Maguire - People Before Profit

  • Paul Michael - Ulster Unionists

  • Andrew Moran - Independent

  • Lesley Veronica - Green Party

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South Down (12)

  • Patrick Brown - Alliance Party

  • Patrick Clarke - Independent

  • Sinéad Ennis - Sinn Féin

  • Diane Forsythe - DUP

  • Noeleen Lynch - Green Party

  • Jill MacAuley - Ulster Unionists

  • Cathy Mason - Sinn Féin

  • Paul McCrory - People Before Profit

  • Rosemary McGlone - Aontú

  • Colin McGrath - SDLP

  • Harold McKee - TUV

  • Karen McKevitt - SDLP

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Strangford (12)

  • Kellie Armstrong - Alliance Party

  • Stephen Cooper - TUV

  • Harry Harvey - DUP

  • Conor Houston - SDLP

  • Ben King - Independent

  • Maurice McCartney - Green Party

  • Nick Mathison - Alliance Party

  • Róisé McGivern - Sinn Féin

  • Michelle McIlveen - DUP

  • Mike Nesbitt - Ulster Unionists

  • Philip Smith - Ulster Unionists

  • Peter Weir - DUP

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Upper Bann (12)

  • Glenn Barr - Ulster Unionists

  • Doug Beattie - Ulster Unionists

  • Glenn Beattie - Heritage Party

  • Jonathan Buckley - DUP

  • Diane Dodds - DUP

  • Darrin Foster - TUV

  • Aidan Gribbin - Aontú

  • Dolores Kelly - SDLP

  • Lauren Kendall - Green Party

  • Liam Mackle - Sinn Féin

  • John O’Dowd - Sinn Féin

  • Éoin Tennyson - Alliance Party

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West Tyrone (14)

  • Nicola Brogan - Sinn Féin

  • Barry Brown - Independent

  • Tom Buchanan - DUP

  • Trevor Clarke - TUV

  • Stephen Donnelly - Alliance Party

  • Amy Ferguson - Socialist Party (NI)

  • Carol Gallagher - People Before Profit

  • Paul Gags Gallagher - Independent

  • Susan Glass - Green Party

  • James Hope - Aontú

  • Ian Marshall - Ulster Unionists

  • Declan McAleer - Sinn Féin

  • Daniel McCrossan - SDLP

  • Maolíosa McHugh - Sinn Féin

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