East Belfast: Exit poll at Elmgrove suggests big DUP vote

As expected, the DUP and Alliance have dominated heavily in East Belfast, an exit poll suggests.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jun 2017, 23:18 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2017, 23:20 BST
Voted Alliance: Linda Cunningham and the Rev John Cunningham (once voted unionist but after Brexit backing Alliance). He is minister of St Patrick's Church of Ireland on Templemore Ave. Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben LowryVoted Alliance: Linda Cunningham and the Rev John Cunningham (once voted unionist but after Brexit backing Alliance). He is minister of St Patrick's Church of Ireland on Templemore Ave. Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry
Voted Alliance: Linda Cunningham and the Rev John Cunningham (once voted unionist but after Brexit backing Alliance). He is minister of St Patrick's Church of Ireland on Templemore Ave. Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry

The News Letter asked more than 400 voters how they had cast their ballots as they left Elmgrove Primary School, which is a bellweather that tends to reflect how the seat as a whole has voted.

The results were as follows:

DUP 174 votes

Voted Conservative (her) and DUP (him): Maria and John Tanyag (he would vote Conservative but wants DUP to outpoll Sinn Fein, she voted Conservative because Theresa May is best at handling Brexit). Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben LowryVoted Conservative (her) and DUP (him): Maria and John Tanyag (he would vote Conservative but wants DUP to outpoll Sinn Fein, she voted Conservative because Theresa May is best at handling Brexit). Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry
Voted Conservative (her) and DUP (him): Maria and John Tanyag (he would vote Conservative but wants DUP to outpoll Sinn Fein, she voted Conservative because Theresa May is best at handling Brexit). Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry

Alliance 91 votes

Ulster Unionists 5

(SF 3, SDLP 2, Conservatives 2, Green 2, spoiled vote 3).

A further 158 people would not say how they voted.

Voted DUP: David Spence (a member of the Labour Party who voted PUP last time because of John Kyle but in the absence of Labour voted DUP this time because Sinn Fein are acting very green, very harsh, although being clever - backing gay marriage etc) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben LowryVoted DUP: David Spence (a member of the Labour Party who voted PUP last time because of John Kyle but in the absence of Labour voted DUP this time because Sinn Fein are acting very green, very harsh, although being clever - backing gay marriage etc) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry
Voted DUP: David Spence (a member of the Labour Party who voted PUP last time because of John Kyle but in the absence of Labour voted DUP this time because Sinn Fein are acting very green, very harsh, although being clever - backing gay marriage etc) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry

While Elmgrove tends to be a little more unionist than average, the scale of Gavin Robinson’s margin would suggest that he will win the seat and indeed increase his majority.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Ulster Unionist vote seems to have been badly squeezed, as many pundits expected.

The results have to be treated with caution because they are from only one polling station.

Generally, however, News Letter exit polls here have given a good indication of the overall result in the consituency.

Voted DUP: Elliott North (but normally votes Green. Wants NI to stay in UK, might one day be open to a united Ireland but doesn't like thought of Corbyn-Sinn Fein pact) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben LowryVoted DUP: Elliott North (but normally votes Green. Wants NI to stay in UK, might one day be open to a united Ireland but doesn't like thought of Corbyn-Sinn Fein pact) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry
Voted DUP: Elliott North (but normally votes Green. Wants NI to stay in UK, might one day be open to a united Ireland but doesn't like thought of Corbyn-Sinn Fein pact) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry

See below previous findings at Elmgrove (with, in brackets, the vote that would have been expected in such a sample if the seat perfectly reflected the seat).

• March 2017 Assembly

DUP 66 (67)

Alliance 60 (56)

Voted Alliance: Clive Harden, age 47, with his children Joseph and Emily (voted Alliance because back home in England he voted Lib Dem and Alliance is closest to that). He moved from Sidcup 16 years ago Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben LowryVoted Alliance: Clive Harden, age 47, with his children Joseph and Emily (voted Alliance because back home in England he voted Lib Dem and Alliance is closest to that). He moved from Sidcup 16 years ago Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry
Voted Alliance: Clive Harden, age 47, with his children Joseph and Emily (voted Alliance because back home in England he voted Lib Dem and Alliance is closest to that). He moved from Sidcup 16 years ago Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry

PUP 17 (12)

UUP 16 (23)

TUV 7 (4)

Green 6 (6)

SDLP 4

Sinn Fein 2 (5)

Voted Alliance: Paul and Jacqueline Andrews, aged 30 and 26 (he likes their progressive policies, she is pro marriage equality and choice) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben LowryVoted Alliance: Paul and Jacqueline Andrews, aged 30 and 26 (he likes their progressive policies, she is pro marriage equality and choice) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry
Voted Alliance: Paul and Jacqueline Andrews, aged 30 and 26 (he likes their progressive policies, she is pro marriage equality and choice) Pictured at Elmgrove Primary School, a voting station on the Beersbridge Road in East Belfast. Thursday June 8 2017. By Ben Lowry

Lab 1 Others (5)

Total 179

Won’t say 119

• May 2016 Assembly

DUP 60 (69)

Alliance 59 (54)

Ulster Unionist 23 (21)

Green 14 (11)

PUP 10 (9)

Hutton 10

Others 12 Others (24)

Total 188

Won’t say 99

• May 2015 General

Gavin Robinson DUP 131 (123)

Naomi Long All 102 (107)

Neil Wilson Conservative 10

Ross Brown Green 6

Won’t say 55

• May 2010 General:

Peter Robinson 53

Naomi Long 52

Trevor Ringland (UUP-Tory) 23

David Vance (TUV) 22

Won’t say 42

Related topics:DUPEast BelfastUnionists