Election 2023: Unionists urged to come out to vote in numbers in Ards and North Down

Of his health setback, Mark said: "I had a stroke in February so I’m not canvassing as quickly as I normally would, though I have been around 90% of where I would normally go. I’m feeling okay, just a bit slower.”

Mark believes there may be a low turn out come polling day: “Normally they say when there’s a low turn out it will benefit the DUP, but I think in North Down it might benefit the Alliance Party, who are running more candidates than ever before.”

However he also offered a counter argument, saying because Alliance have taken a higher profile on local issues, for example the flying of the Union flag in the borough, they are “more exposed”.

"It might motivate unionist voters to come in greater numbers,” he said.

Naomi Armstrong, who works in Strangford MP Jim Shannon’s office, is aiming to retain her council seat in her hometown of Newtownards.

She said that on the campaign trail the main issues concerning locals are a possible reduction in bin collections and the threat of closure of the minor injuries unit at Ards Hospital.

Naomi said she has found herself answerable for her party’s Assembly boycott: "When you get to some doors it’s the Stormont angle. I like to remind people that absolutely I am working – I’ve a 100% attendance record at council, I represent well, I make important contributions. It can get frustrating when people can’t see the difference between local council and the Assembly.

"I love this town and I work hard for it, I’m hoping that comes across.

“So many people have said I’ll be fine, but that’s only if people come out to vote.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

TUV are running six candidates across the seven DEAs. Peter Wilson, who is running in Bangor Central, said: “It’s been going absolutely fantastic. I’m on the cusp of taking a seat here in Bangor Central.

"I would like to see us return all six. What is coming through for me and the rest of them on the doors is that we’ve got support.”

Peter said he was keen to see regeneration at Bangor seafront: “Her Majesty left us a legacy of a city and it’s being allowed to go to ruin.

"I’m proposing to put a theme park at the seafront the way it was years ago when I was a kid. I want to bring Bangor back to being a family destination.

"If I get in I’m hoping to bring down the rates and stop the squander – the £300,000 spent on the North Down Coastal Path was a complete waste of money.”

Full list of candidates in Ards and North Down:

Ards Peninsula

Robert Hugh Adair (DUP),

Joe Boyle (SDLP),

Nigel Edmund (DUP),

Boyd Ireland (Ind),

David Kerr (DUP),

Lorna McAlpine (Alliance),

Gillian McNaull (Green),

Noel Sands (SF),

Eddie Thompson (DUP),

Tom Thompson (TUV),

Pete Wray (UUP)​

Bangor Central

Craig Blaney (UUP),

Alistair Cathcart (DUP),

Karen Douglas (Alliance),

Stephen John Dunlop (Green),

Alex Harbinson (Alliance),

Wesley Graham Irvine (Ind),

Rachel Deborah McCord (UUP),

Chris McCracken (Alliance),

Ray McKimm (Ind),

Dean McSorley (DUP),

Tim Mullen (Cons),

Peter Wilson (TUV)​

Bangor East and Donaghadee

Mark Ronald Brooks (UUP),

David Alan Chambers (UUP),

James Cochrane (DUP),

CIara Henry (Green),

Hannah Irwin (Alliance),

Bill Keery (Ind),

Paul Leeman (Cons),

Janice MacArthur (DUP),

Gillian McCollum (Alliance),

Tom Smith (Ind)​

Bangor West

Colin Breen (Cons),

Christine Creighton (Alliance),

Jennifer Gilmour (DUP),

John Gordon (TUV),

Stephen Hollywood (UUP),

Peter James Martin (DUP),

Tony McCann (SDLP),

Barry McKee (Green),

Alison McWhinney (Alliance),

Susan Prentice (Ind),

Huw Stacey (Alliance)​

Comber

Rachel Ashe (Alliance),

Stephen James Cooper (Ind),

Trevor Cummings (DUP),

Libby Douglas (DUP),

Patricia Morgan (Alliance),

Sam Patterson (TUV),

Cory Quinn (Green),

John Sloan (Ind),

Philip Smith (UUP)​

Holywood andClandeboye

Diane Adams (TUV),

Helen Corbett (Alliance),

Alan Graham (DUP),

Carl McClean (DUP),

Linzi McLaren (UUP),

Martin Joseph McRandal (Alliance),

David Rossiter (Alliance),

Deirdre Vaughn (SDLP),

Rachel Elizabeth Woods (Green)​

Newtownards

Eddie Allen (TUV),

Naomi Esther Hannah Armstrong (DUP),

Ian Cox (Ind),

Steven Gary Irvine (Ind),

Colin George Dallas Kennedy (DUP),

Ben King (Ind),

Maurice Macartney (Green),

Alan Joseph McDowell (Alliance),

Stephen Harold McIlveen (DUP),

Vicky Moore (Alliance),

Richard Smart (UUP)