# Pottinger (District Electoral Area)

Pottinger was one of the nine district electoral areas (DEA) in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1985 to 2014. Located in the east of the city, the district elected six members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Ballymacarrett, Bloomfield, Orangefield, Ravenhill, The Mount, and Woodstock.
The wards of Ravenhill and Woodstock were part of the Belfast South constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament, while the other four were part of the Belfast East Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies.
The district was bounded to the west by the River Lagan and the Ormeau Road, to the north by the Newtownards Road, to the east by Greenville Park and North Road and the Borough of Castlereagh to the south.
At the 2001 census the district had a Protestant majority, however there was also a large Catholic minority, particularly in areas such as the Short Strand, which is separated from the mainly unionist Cluan Place by one of the many peace lines in the district.

## History

The DEA was created for the 1985 local elections, when it largely replaced the former electoral Area A. Five of the six wards came from Area A with the Bloomfield ward added from Area B. It was abolished for the 2014 local elections, when all of its wards except Orangefield formed part of a new Titanic district electoral area. The Orangefield ward became part of a new Lisnasharragh district electoral area.

## Amenities

Amenities in the Pottinger district electoral area include:
* Ormeau Golf Club
* Ormeau Park
* Ravenhill Stadium, home of the Ulster Rugby team

## Wards

| Map | Ward | Population (2011 Census) | Catholic | Protestant | Other | No religion | Area | Density | NI Assembly | UK Parliament |
| 1 | Ballymacarrett | 4,908 | 51.4% | 41.2% | 1.4% | 6.2% | 0.78 km$^2$ | 6,292 /km$^2$ | Belfast East | Belfast East |
| 2 | Bloomfield | 5,453 | 16.1% | 69.7% | 1.7% | 12.5% | 0.74 km$^2$ | 7,369 /km$^2$ | Belfast East | Belfast East |
| 3 | Orangefield | 5,619 | 11% | 77% | 1.4% | 10.6% | 1.46 km$^2$ | 3,849 /km$^2$ | Belfast East | Belfast East |
| 4 | Ravenhill | 6,041 | 39.7% | 46.9% | 2% | 11.5% | 1.88 km$^2$ | 3,213 /km$^2$ | Belfast South | Belfast South |
| 5 | The Mount | 5,591 | 16.1% | 68.3% | 1.3% | 14.3% | 0.75 km$^2$ | 7,455 /km$^2$ | Belfast East | Belfast East |
| 6 | Woodstock | 5,445 | 19.4% | 63.3% | 2.8% | 14.5% | 0.56 km$^2$ | 9,723 /km$^2$ | Belfast South | Belfast South |
| Pottinger | Pottinger | 33,057 | 25.3% | 61.2% | 1.8% | 11.7% | 6.17 km$^2$ | 5,358 /km$^2$ | | |

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) | Councillor (party) |
| 2011 | Máire Hendron (Alliance) | Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Féin) | Adam Newton (DUP) | May Campbell (DUP) | Gavin Robinson (DUP) | John Kyle (PUP) |
| 2005 | Máire Hendron (Alliance) | Reg Empey (UUP) | Margaret McKenzie (DUP) | May Campbell (DUP) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | David Ervine (PUP) |
| 2001 | Joseph O'Donnell (Sinn Féin) | Reg Empey (UUP) | Margaret Clarke (UUP) | Harry Toan (DUP) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | David Ervine (PUP) |
| 1997 | Mervyn Jones (Alliance) | Reg Empey (UUP) | Margaret Clarke (UUP) | Robert Cleland (DUP) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | David Ervine (PUP) |
| 1993 | Mervyn Jones (Alliance) | Reg Empey (UUP) | Sandy Blair (UUP) | Robert Cleland (DUP) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | Jim Walker (DUP) |
| 1989 | Mervyn Jones (Alliance) | Reg Empey (UUP) | Margaret Clarke (UUP) | Dorothy Dunlop (Independent Unionist) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | Jim Walker (DUP) |
| 1985 | Mervyn Jones (Alliance) | Reg Empey (UUP) | Margaret Clarke (UUP) | Frank Leslie (DUP) | Sammy Wilson (DUP) | Jim Walker (DUP) |

## 2011 election

2005: 3 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Alliance
2011: 3 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x PUP
2005-2011 change: Sinn Féin gain from UUP
Pottinger - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Alliance | Máire Hendron* | 19.89% | 1,895 | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Gavin Robinson | 15.99% | 1,523 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Niall Ó Donnghaile | 11.31% | 1,077 | 1,085.96 | 1,086.91 | 1,086.91 | 1,091.15 | 1,117.43 | 1,128.07 | 1,155.55 | 1,373.55 |
| | PUP | John Kyle | 10.73% | 1,022 | 1,084.72 | 1,091.76 | 1,101.04 | 1,109.04 | 1,112.36 | 1,176.89 | 1,210.81 | 1,257.85 |
| | DUP | May Campbell* | 11.03% | 1,051 | 1,085.24 | 1,110.76 | 1,117.19 | 1,120.05 | 1,121.05 | 1,167.41 | 1,196.81 | 1,206.01 |
| | DUP | Adam Newton | 9.83% | 936 | 971.84 | 1,082.61 | 1,083.72 | 1,086.79 | 1,086.79 | 1,109.97 | 1,129.71 | 1,138.63 |
| | UUP | Philip Robinson | 8.25% | 786 | 871.76 | 884.74 | 890.13 | 894.09 | 896.41 | 964.04 | 1,007.9 | 1,048.01 |
| | SDLP | Séamas De Faoite | 4.79% | 456 | 553.92 | 554.03 | 555.35 | 561.59 | 588.19 | 615.15 | 705.91 | |
| | Green (NI) | David Newman | 2.34% | 223 | 353.88 | 355.31 | 360.23 | 394.11 | 413.99 | 480.99 | | |
| | TUV | John Hiddleston | 2.01% | 191 | 199.64 | 200.52 | 206.84 | 209.16 | 210.48 | | | |
| | Socialist Party | Tommy Black | 1.57% | 150 | 163.12 | 163.67 | 165.07 | 177.67 | 190.27 | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Kevin McNally | 1.09% | 104 | 111.68 | 111.79 | 115.43 | 125.31 | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | Donna Marie McCusker | 0.73% | 70 | 92.4 | 92.73 | 95.01 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Karl Hedley | 0.35% | 33 | 42.28 | 42.83 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Samuel Smyth | 0.09% | 9 | 10.6 | 10.93 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 19,929 Valid: 9,526 (47.80%) Spoilt: 190 Quota: 1,361 Turnout: 9,716 (48.75%) |||||||||||||

## 2005 election

2001: 3 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Alliance
2005: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Sinn Féin
2001-2005 change: DUP and Alliance gain from UUP and Sinn Féin
Pottinger - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson* | 22.60% | 2,385 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Reg Empey* | 18.65% | 1,968 | | | | | |
| | DUP | May Campbell | 12.34% | 1,302 | 1,530.29 | | | | |
| | PUP | David Ervine* | 10.95% | 1,156 | 1,248.87 | 1,324.71 | 1,394.99 | 1,556.39 | |
| | DUP | Margaret McKenzie | 6.79% | 717 | 1,216.13 | 1,239.89 | 1,281.08 | 1,451.42 | 1,461.25 |
| | Alliance | Máire Hendron | 7.53% | 795 | 800.92 | 830.92 | 895.09 | 1,008.55 | 1,428.28 |
| | Sinn Féin | Deborah Devenny | 8.94% | 944 | 944 | 947.84 | 967.84 | 969.84 | 1,126.08 |
| | SDLP | Mary Muldoon | 6.35% | 670 | 672.22 | 677.26 | 743.18 | 766.22 | |
| | UUP | Sonia Copeland | 2.62% | 277 | 303.64 | 524.92 | 644.92 | | |
| | Socialist Party | Tommy Black | 1.57% | 163 | 165.96 | 168.36 | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Joseph Bell | 0.99% | 105 | 105.74 | 106.74 | | | |
| | UUP | Henry Wallace | 0.68% | 72 | 85.69 | 180.25 | | | |
| Electorate: 19,621 Valid: 10,554 (53.79%) Spoilt: 381 Quota: 1,508 Turnout: 10,935 (55.73%) ||||||||||

## 2001 election

1997: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Sinn Féin
2001: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Alliance
1997-2001 change: Sinn Féin gain from Alliance
Pottinger - 6 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 |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson* | 30.21% | 3,918 | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Reg Empey* | 23.88% | 3,097 | | | | | | | | | |
| | PUP | David Ervine* | 12.20% | 1,582 | 1,748.42 | 2,005.46 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Margaret Clarke* | 4.31% | 559 | 621.01 | 1,279.99 | 1,338.86 | 1,366.14 | 1,398.3 | 1,406.09 | 1,508.73 | 1,524.67 | 1,892.91 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joseph O'Donnell | 9.75% | 1,264 | 1,264 | 1,265.68 | 1,266.26 | 1,267.26 | 1,268.26 | 1,285.26 | 1,287.26 | 1,451.29 | 1,567.85 |
| | DUP | Harry Toan | 1.58% | 205 | 1,377.89 | 1,430.39 | 1,440.54 | 1,445.54 | 1,475.47 | 1,477.47 | 1,529.03 | 1,532.03 | 1,552.64 |
| | DUP | Mary Campbell | 4.45% | 577 | 1,146.22 | 1,196.62 | 1,204.16 | 1,209.37 | 1,232.61 | 1,236.56 | 1,297.52 | 1,302.59 | 1,328.67 |
| | Alliance | Mervyn Jones* | 5.34% | 693 | 702.01 | 801.13 | 825.2 | 842.04 | 845.14 | 881.27 | 929.43 | 1,189.34 | |
| | SDLP | Leo Van Es | 3.54% | 459 | 463.24 | 514.06 | 518.41 | 518.41 | 518.41 | 554.41 | 561.83 | | |
| | Independent | John Bushell | 1.68% | 218 | 236.55 | 254.19 | 259.7 | 262.12 | 268.5 | 283.98 | | | |
| | PUP | Robin Stewart | 0.97% | 127 | 132.3 | 141.12 | 163.16 | 168.29 | 175.43 | 177.43 | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Joseph Bell | 0.99% | 129 | 131.65 | 134.59 | 136.04 | 138.33 | 140.33 | | | | |
| | UK Unionist | David Fairfield | 0.57% | 74 | 94.14 | 118.5 | 127.49 | 135.57 | | | | | |
| | NI Conservatives | Jason Docherty | 0.51% | 66 | 70.24 | 89.56 | 93.91 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,854 Valid: 12,968 (59.34%) Spoilt: 458 Quota: 1,853 Turnout: 13,426 (61.43%) ||||||||||

## 1997 election

1993: 3 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1997: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Alliance
1993-1997 change: PUP gain from DUP
Pottinger - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| | UUP | Reg Empey* | 20.32% | 2,309 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson* | 19.94% | 2,265 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | PUP | David Ervine | 18.57% | 2,110 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Margaret Clarke | 6.76% | 768 | 1,265.55 | 1,309.63 | 1,340.83 | 1,345 | 1,347.62 | 1,358.2 | 1,385.31 | 1,387.1 | 1,625.38 | | |
| | DUP | Robert Cleland* | 5.33% | 605 | 636.62 | 822.22 | 847.18 | 852.58 | 852.58 | 856.87 | 889.14 | 889.43 | 928.08 | 1,324.88 | 1,536.14 |
| | Alliance | Mervyn Jones* | 7.66% | 870 | 886.74 | 892.83 | 906.51 | 913.8 | 937.04 | 1,004.94 | 1,013.63 | 1,218.16 | 1,237.87 | 1,241.33 | 1,306.26 |
| | Sinn Féin | Dominic Corr | 8.61% | 978 | 978 | 978 | 978 | 978 | 992 | 996 | 996 | 1,100.29 | 1,100.29 | 1,100.29 | 1,102.25 |
| | PUP | Alexander Gordon | 2.31% | 262 | 281.84 | 298.37 | 615.65 | 622.49 | 625.97 | 641.61 | 692.25 | 699.49 | 723.33 | 763.61 | |
| | DUP | Frank Leslie | 1.25% | 142 | 160.91 | 487.45 | 504.49 | 506.78 | 506.78 | 510.91 | 545.02 | 546.02 | 567.76 | | |
| | UUP | Alexander Blair* | 2.21% | 251 | 320.75 | 338.73 | 356.49 | 360.07 | 372.31 | 377.1 | 395.04 | 398.35 | | | |
| | SDLP | Marga Foley | 2.72% | 309 | 310.55 | 311.42 | 312.14 | 315.14 | 349.14 | 384.38 | 384.38 | | | | |
| | Ulster Democratic | Robert Girvan | 1.49% | 169 | 188.53 | 210.57 | 255.69 | 263.55 | 267.03 | 271.03 | | | | | |
| | NI Women's Coalition | Pearl Sagar | 1.31% | 149 | 151.48 | 153.22 | 160.66 | 173.95 | 182.43 | | | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Joseph Bell | 1.01% | 115 | 115.62 | 115.91 | 118.79 | 124.34 | | | | | | | |
| | Ulster Independence | Josephine Challis | 0.18% | 21 | 23.48 | 24.93 | 26.13 | | | | | | | | |
| | Labour Coalition | Sean McGouran | 0.17% | 19 | 19 | 20.45 | 20.69 | | | | | | | | |
| | Natural Law | David Collins | 0.17% | 19 | 19.31 | 19.6 | 19.84 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,854 Valid: 12,968 (59.34%) Spoilt: 458 Quota: 1,853 Turnout: 13,426 (61.43%) ||||||||||||||||

## 1993 election

1989: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 Independent Unionist
1993: 3 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1989-1993 change: DUP gain from Independent Unionist
Pottinger - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson* | 25.52% | 2,784 | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Mervyn Jones* | 12.99% | 1,417 | 1,427.35 | 1,461.35 | 1,476.15 | 1,700.15 | | | |
| | DUP | Jim Walker* | 7.27% | 793 | 1,476.55 | 1,478.55 | 1,549.15 | 1,566.15 | | | |
| | UUP | Reg Empey* | 11.87% | 1,295 | 1,380.95 | 1,381.95 | 1,408.8 | 1,418.8 | 1,428.8 | 1,612.8 | |
| | DUP | Robert Cleland | 9.00% | 982 | 1,252.45 | 1,254.45 | 1,307.9 | 1,324.8 | 1,326.8 | 1,379.45 | 1,388.45 |
| | UUP | Alexander Blair | 8.22% | 897 | 919.05 | 921.05 | 931.95 | 960.3 | 979.3 | 1,070.15 | 1,080.15 |
| | UUP | Margaret Clarke* | 6.91% | 754 | 778.75 | 782.2 | 790.1 | 802.55 | 807.55 | 926.65 | 939.65 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joseph O'Donnell | 6.50% | 709 | 709 | 713 | 714 | 754 | 769 | 771 | |
| | NI Conservatives | Dorothy Dunlop* | 4.93% | 538 | 574 | 580 | 595.15 | 624.15 | 644.15 | | |
| | Independent Labour | Colin Ballentine | 2.48% | 271 | 273.25 | 297.25 | 305.25 | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Joseph Bell | 2.08% | 227 | 228.35 | 240.35 | 243.8 | | | | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Samuel Walker | 1.22% | 133 | 214.9 | 216.9 | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Thaddeus Bradley | 0.98% | 107 | 108.35 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 24,293 Valid: 10,907 (44.90%) Spoilt: 482 Quota: 1,559 Turnout: 11,389 (46.89%) ||||||||||||

## 1989 election

1985: 3 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1989: 2 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 Independent Unionist
1985-1989 change: Independent Unionist gain from DUP
Pottinger - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson* | 25.88% | 2,780 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Margaret Clarke* | 13.78% | 1,480 | 1,524.55 | 1,537.55 | | | |
| | Alliance | Mervyn Jones* | 12.07% | 1,296 | 1,309.05 | 1,314.3 | 1,326.75 | 1,599.75 | |
| | DUP | Jim Walker* | 4.59% | 493 | 1,268.35 | 1,479.35 | 1,531.7 | 1,546.7 | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Dorothy Dunlop | 10.98% | 1,179 | 1,225.8 | 1,245.75 | 1,313.9 | 1,344.35 | 1,357.35 |
| | UUP | Reg Empey* | 8.04% | 864 | 921.15 | 942.1 | 1,210.2 | 1,220.2 | 1,226.2 |
| | DUP | Frank Leslie* | 7.15% | 768 | 900.3 | 1,015 | 1,044.05 | 1,056.5 | 1,064.4 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joseph O'Donnell | 5.86% | 629 | 629.45 | 631.9 | 631.9 | 677.9 | |
| | Workers' Party | Sean Flanagan | 5.04% | 541 | 543.7 | 546.7 | 548.7 | | |
| | UUP | David McNutt | 3.91% | 420 | 447 | 457.15 | | | |
| | DUP | John Norris | 2.45% | 263 | 381.8 | | | | |
| | National Front | Stuart McCullough | 0.25% | 27 | 29.7 | | | | |
| Electorate: 24,265 Valid: 10,740 (44.26%) Spoilt: 508 Quota: 1,535 Turnout: 11,248 (46.35%) ||||||||||

## 1985 election

1985: 3 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
Pottinger - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | DUP | Sammy Wilson* | 19.99% | 2,454 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Frank Leslie | 18.11% | 2,224 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Margaret Clarke | 16.28% | 1,999 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Jim Walker | 9.39% | 1,153 | 1,763.12 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Reg Empey | 9.10% | 1,117 | 1,143.6 | 1,442.8 | 1,630.12 | 1,659.16 | 1,660.5 | 1,756.5 | |
| | Alliance | Mervyn Jones | 8.30% | 1,019 | 1,026.56 | 1,039.48 | 1,044.64 | 1,127.4 | 1,272.74 | 1,309.88 | 1,547.28 |
| | UUP | Harry Fletcher | 3.51% | 431 | 449.2 | 546.1 | 569.38 | 594.16 | 595.16 | 706.38 | 727.66 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joseph O'Donnell | 4.61% | 566 | 566 | 566 | 566 | 572.28 | 634.6 | 635.6 | 713.42 |
| | Workers' Party | Francis Cullen | 2.47% | 303 | 304.12 | 306.5 | 312.02 | 398.48 | 496.48 | 514.94 | |
| | PUP | David Ervine | 3.21% | 394 | 402.12 | 442.58 | 448.1 | 459.68 | 460.68 | | |
| | SDLP | Carmel Maginness | 2.77% | 340 | 340.28 | 342.32 | 342.32 | 353.66 | | | |
| | Labour and Trade Union | Stan Dempsey | 1.78% | 218 | 219.68 | 227.16 | 232.44 | | | | |
| | Communist | James Stewart | 0.25% | 61 | 64.08 | 66.8 | 67.16 | | | | |
| Electorate: 24,757 Valid: 12,279 (49.60%) Spoilt: 506 Quota: 1,755 Turnout: 12,785 (51.64%) ||||||||||||