# 2023 Derry City and Strabane District Council election

The 2023 election to Derry City and Strabane District Council was held on 18 May 2023, alongside other local elections in Northern Ireland, two weeks after local elections in England. The Northern Ireland elections were delayed by 2 weeks to avoid overlapping with the coronation of King Charles III.
The election returned 40 members to the council via Single Transferable Vote.

## Election results

Derry City and Strabane District Council Election Result 2023 :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Sinn Féin | 18 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 45.00 | 38.73 | 24,658 | 10.62 |
| | SDLP | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25.00 | 19.93 | 12,689 | 5.54 |
| | DUP | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12.50 | 12.49 | 7,955 | 2.21 |
| | UUP | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.50 | 8.47 | 5,393 | 1.67 |
| | Independent | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7.50 | 7.74 | 4,927 | 4.87 |
| | People Before Profit | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2.50 | 5.22 | 3,320 | 0.69 |
| | Alliance | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.00 | 4.47 | 2,849 | 0.23 |
| | Aontú | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 | 2.95 | 1,878 | 1.25 |
| Total | Total | 40 | | | | | | 63,669 | |
Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

## Districts summary

Results of the 2023 Derry City and Strabane District Council election by district :
| District Electoral Area (DEA) | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | Total cllrs |
| District Electoral Area (DEA) | Sinn Féin | Sinn Féin | SDLP | SDLP | DUP | DUP | UUP | UUP | PBP | PBP | Alliance | Alliance | Independents and others | Independents and others | | Total cllrs |
| Ballyarnett | 45.4 | 3 1 | 33.5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 7.5 | 0 | 4.5 | 0 | 9.1 | 0 1 | 6 |
| Derg | 45.4 | 3 1 | 8.5 | 0 1 | 19.5 | 1 | 16.1 | 1 | 1.3 | 0 | 2.1 | 0 | 7.1 | 0 | 5 |
| Faughan | 29.1 | 2 1 | 18.9 | 1 | 20.3 | 1 1 | 15.8 | 1 1 | 3.8 | 0 | 8.6 | 0 1 | 3.4 | 0 | 5 |
| Foyleside | 41.3 | 2 1 | 35.4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 13.7 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 | 5.9 | 0 1 | 5 |
| Sperrin | 40.4 | 3 1 | 11.4 | 1 | 18.3 | 1 1 | 4.1 | 0 | 1.9 | 0 | 3.2 | 0 | 20.7 | 2 | 7 |
| The Moor | 44.6 | 3 1 | 16.3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 7.8 | 0 1 | 2.0 | 0 | 29.3 | 1 | 5 |
| Waterside | 27.2 | 2 1 | 19.0 | 2 | 22.8 | 2 | 20.6 | 1 | 3.6 | 0 | 6.9 | 0 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 7 |
| Total | 38.73 | 18 7 | 19.93 | 10 1 | 12.49 | 5 2 | 8.47 | 3 1 | 5.22 | 1 1 | 4.47 | 0 2 | 10.69 | 3 2 | 40 |

## District results
### Ballyarnett

2019: 3 x SDLP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Aontú
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 3 x SDLP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Aontú
Ballyarnett - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Sinn Féin | Sandra Duffy* | 22.22% | 2,164 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Rory Farrell* | 14.43% | 1,405 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | John McGowan* † | 13.34% | 1,299 | 1,601.05 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Pat Murphy | 9.86% | 960 | 1,256.10 | 1,289.65 | 1,474.93 | | |
| | SDLP | Brian Tierney* | 10.33% | 1,006 | 1,057.80 | 1,128.50 | 1,136.42 | 1,165.70 | 1,338.70 |
| | SDLP | Catherine McDaid | 8.79% | 856 | 896.25 | 1,052.80 | 1,059.04 | 1,086.40 | 1,318.40 |
| | Aontú | Emmet Doyle* | 9.11% | 887 | 909.40 | 944.45 | 945.89 | 955.73 | 1,147.73 |
| | People Before Profit | Damien Doherty | 7.46% | 727 | 745.20 | 852.45 | 855.33 | 869.25 | |
| | Alliance | Colm Cavanagh | 4.48% | 436 | 457.35 | | | | |
| Electorate: 19,139 Valid: 9,740 (50.89%) Spoilt: 189 Quota: 1,392 Turnout: 9.929 (51.88%) ||||||||||

### Derg

2019: 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x SDLP
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP
Derg - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | DUP | Keith Kerrigan* | 19.52% | 1,669 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Ruairí McHugh* | 16.87% | 1,442 | | | | |
| | UUP | Derek Hussey* | 16.11% | 1,377 | 1,592.88 | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Antaine Ó Fearghail | 14.00% | 1,197 | 1,197.00 | 1,197.28 | 1,255.28 | 1,371.56 |
| | Sinn Féin | Caroline Devine | 14.57% | 1,246 | 1,246.14 | 1,246.28 | 1,306.28 | 1,342.56 |
| | SDLP | Steven Edwards* | 8.46% | 723 | 726.78 | 748.20 | 888.74 | 1,151.34 |
| | Independent | Andy Patton | 5.93% | 507 | 514.42 | 586.94 | 689.24 | |
| | Alliance | Anne Murray | 2.07% | 177 | 178.26 | 207.24 | | |
| | People Before Profit | Adam McGinley | 1.31% | 112 | 112.56 | 120.68 | | |
| | Aontú | Leza Houston | 1.16% | 99 | 99.00 | 102.78 | | |
| Electorate: 13,672 Valid: 8,549 (62.53%) Spoilt: 111 Quota: 1,425 Turnout: 8,660 (63.33%) |||||||||

### Faughan

2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Alliance
2023: 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin and UUP gain from DUP and Alliance
Faughan - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | UUP | Ryan McCready* † | 15.84% | 1,282 | 1,414 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Declan Norris* | 11.35% | 919 | 984 | 989.22 | 1,396.22 | | |
| | DUP | Julie Middleton | 12.21% | 988 | 1,016 | 1,032.82 | 1,037.82 | 1,659.82 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Alex Duffy* | 14.74% | 1,193 | 1,244 | 1,244.58 | 1,325.16 | 1,325.16 | 1,326.16 |
| | Sinn Féin | Sean Fleming | 14.35% | 1,162 | 1,201 | 1,201.58 | 1,241.58 | 1,242.58 | 1,243.48 |
| | Alliance | Rachael Ferguson* | 8.59% | 695 | 813 | 826.34 | 947.50 | 962.88 | 1,054.88 |
| | DUP | Gary Wilkinson | 8.07% | 653 | 685 | 708.20 | 712.78 | | |
| | SDLP | Hayley Canning | 7.58% | 614 | 682 | 685.48 | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Damien Gallagher | 3.83% | 310 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Graham Warke* | 3.45% | 279 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 14,532 Valid: 8,095 (55.70%) Spoilt: 93 Quota: 1,350 Turnout: 8,188 (56.34%) ||||||||||

### Foyleside

2019: 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x People Before Profit, 1 x Independent
2023: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x People Before Profit
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Independent
Foyleside - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Sinn Féin | Conor Heaney* | 25.77% | 1,846 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Grace Uí Niallais | 15.57% | 1,115 | 1,635.80 | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Shaun Harkin* | 13.67% | 979 | 999.65 | 1,074.90 | 1,140.15 | 1,239.15 |
| | SDLP | Shauna Cusack* ‡ | 13.23% | 948 | 984.75 | 1,072.25 | 1,131.35 | 1,200.35 |
| | SDLP | Lilian Seenoi-Barr* | 13.40% | 960 | 988.00 | 1,073.40 | 1,130.30 | 1,177.30 |
| | SDLP | Stephen McCallion | 8.74% | 626 | 638.60 | 672.55 | 734.70 | 777.70 |
| | Aontú | Seán Mac Cearáin | 5.91% | 423 | 434.55 | 472.70 | 493.50 | |
| | Alliance | Danny McCloskey | 3.71% | 266 | 275.45 | 307.30 | | |
| Electorate: 13,372 Valid: 7,163 (53.57%) Spoilt: 136 Quota: 1,194 Turnout: 7,299 (54.58%) |||||||||

### Sperrin

2019: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x DUP, 2 x Independent, 1 x SDLP
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 2 x Independent
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from DUP
Sperrin - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paul Boggs | 16.87% | 1,993 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Fergal Leonard | 13.97% | 1,650 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Brian Harte | 9.52% | 1,125 | 1,480.00 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Jason Barr* ‡ | 6.87% | 811 | 847.75 | 896.35 | 924.09 | 953.92 | 1,019.53 | 1,174.93 | 1,208.93 | 1,569.93 | |
| | Independent | Raymond Barr* | 8.35% | 985 | 1,014.75 | 1,024.11 | 1,053.11 | 1,110.65 | 1,157.02 | 1,206.45 | 1,217.45 | 1,345.06 | 1,414.91 |
| | DUP | Allan Bresland* † | 10.11% | 1,194 | 1,194.00 | 1,194.00 | 1,198.00 | 1,200.00 | 1,208.00 | 1,217.18 | 1,401.18 | 1,412.43 | 1,412.98 |
| | Independent | Paul Gallagher* | 8.82% | 1,042 | 1,065.50 | 1,072.52 | 1,079.52 | 1,129.17 | 1,164.41 | 1,194.95 | 1,198.95 | 1,277.64 | 1,297.00 |
| | DUP | Maurice Devenney* | 8.16% | 964 | 964.00 | 964.18 | 967.18 | 967.43 | 968.43 | 973.43 | 1,201.43 | 1,206.43 | 1,208.08 |
| | SDLP | Tommy Forbes | 4.55% | 538 | 559.50 | 596.58 | 613.71 | 634.50 | 689.86 | 787.75 | 810.93 | | |
| | UUP | Glen Miller | 4.14% | 489 | 489.25 | 489.43 | 490.43 | 491.43 | 501.43 | 557.43 | | | |
| | Alliance | Mel Boyle | 3.23% | 381 | 390.50 | 407.60 | 411.21 | 451.58 | 488.74 | | | | |
| | Independent | Patsy Kelly | 2.08% | 246 | 256.75 | 284.83 | 294.73 | 312.09 | | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Carol Gallagher | 1.91% | 226 | 233.75 | 240.41 | 254.56 | | | | | | |
| | Aontú | Darán Mac Meanman | 1.42% | 168 | 169.50 | 182.64 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 19,143 Valid: 11,812 (61.70%) Spoilt: 183 Quota: 1,477 Turnout: 11,995 (62.66%) ||||||||||||||

### The Moor

2019: 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x People Before Profit, 1 x Independent
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from People Before Profit
The Moor - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Gary Donnelly* | 25.25% | 1,868 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Aisling Hutton | 17.80% | 1,317 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | John Boyle* | 10.29% | 761 | 829.46 | 877.72 | 933.00 | 1,280.00 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Patricia Logue* | 14.45% | 1,069 | 1,163.92 | 1,173.34 | 1,219.22 | 1,255.22 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Emma McGinley* | 12.33% | 912 | 983.40 | 985.40 | 1,013.86 | 1,043.00 | 1,109.18 |
| | People Before Profit | Maeve O'Neill* | 7.81% | 578 | 765.74 | 796.94 | 883.74 | 951.96 | 957.90 |
| | SDLP | Dermott Henderson | 6.02% | 445 | 505.06 | 543.00 | 584.60 | | |
| | Aontú | Darryl Christy | 4.07% | 301 | 429.10 | 439.04 | | | |
| | Alliance | Michael Downey | 1.97% | 146 | 161.54 | | | | |
| Electorate: 13,403 Valid: 7,397 (55.19%) Spoilt: 201 Quota: 1,233 Turnout: 7,598 (56.69%) ||||||||||

### Waterside

2019: 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2023: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x DUP, 2 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Alliance
Waterside - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Sinn Féin | Caitlin Deeney | 17.86% | 1,949 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Darren Guy* | 16.47% | 1,797 | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Christopher Jackson* | 9.34% | 1,019 | 1,540.10 | | | | | |
| | DUP | Chelsea Cooke | 11.56% | 1,262 | 1,262.30 | 1,316.54 | 1,319.54 | 1,320.05 | 1,526.05 | |
| | DUP | Niree McMorris* | 11.23% | 1,225 | 1,225 | 1,279.72 | 1,281.72 | 1,282.06 | 1,368.06 | |
| | SDLP | Sean Mooney* | 9.81% | 1,071 | 1,105.20 | 1,109.76 | 1,213.90 | 1,323.55 | 1,355.11 | 1,361.11 |
| | SDLP | Martin Reilly* | 9.22% | 1,006 | 1,013.80 | 1,020.28 | 1,092.26 | 1,120.65 | 1,154.21 | 1,163.21 |
| | Alliance | Philip McKinney* | 6.85% | 748 | 758.50 | 773.62 | 916.54 | 945.10 | 1,105.05 | 1,153.05 |
| | UUP | Janice Montgomery | 4.11% | 448 | 448.30 | 737.50 | 743.46 | 744.82 | | |
| | People Before Profit | Davina Pulvis | 3.56% | 388 | 393.70 | 396.34 | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,240 Valid: 10,913 (51.38%) Spoilt: 202 Quota: 1,365 Turnout: 11,115 (52.33%) |||||||||||

## Changes during the term
### † Co-options

| Date co-opted | Electoral Area | Party | Outgoing | Co-optee | Reason |
| 20 October 2023 | Sperrin | DUP | Allan Bresland | Gary Wilkinson | Bresland retired. |
| 29 January 2024 | Faughan | UUP | Ryan McCready | Janice Montgomery | McCready resigned. |
| 19 February 2024 | Ballyarnett | Sinn Féin | John McGowan | Amanda Clarke | McGowan resigned. |

### ‡ Changes in affiliation

| Date | Electoral Area | Name | Previous affiliation | New affiliation | Circumstance |
| 30 April 2024 | Sperrin | Jason Barr | SDLP | Independent | Left the SDLP following criticisms of the party's process for selecting the next Mayor. |
| 1 May 2024 | Foyleside | Shauna Cusack | SDLP | Independent | Left the SDLP following criticisms of the party's process for selecting the next Mayor. |
| 27 January 2025 | Ballyarnett | Brian Tierney | SDLP | Independent | suspended over soldier court reference. |