# 2023 Newry, Mourne and Down District Council election

The 2023 election to Newry, Mourne and Down 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.
41 members were returned to the council via Single Transferable Vote.

## Election results

Newry, Mourne and Down Borough Council Election Result 2023 :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Sinn Féin | 20 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 48.78 | 48.32 | 37,032 | 11.79 |
| | SDLP | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 19.51 | 17.18 | 13,170 | 5.86 |
| | DUP | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12.20 | 11.90 | 9,124 | 3.40 |
| | Alliance | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12.20 | 9.36 | 7,176 | 1.92 |
| | Independent | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4.88 | 4.71 | 3,608 | 7.78 |
| | UUP | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2.44 | 5.30 | 4,062 | 4.73 |
| | Aontú | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.31 | 1,002 | 0.21 |
| | TUV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.15 | 880 | New |
| | Green (NI) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.77 | 589 | 0.32 |
| Total | Total | 41 | | | | | | 76,643 | |
Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.
The 2023 LG election in NMD saw the further decline of the SDLP and UUP, whereas Sinn Fein and Alliance made gains, with the DUP also gaining two councillors.

## Districts summary

Results of the 2023 Newry, Mourne and Down District Council election by DEA :
| District Electoral Area (DEA) | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | % | Cllrs | Total cllrs |
| District Electoral Area (DEA) | Sinn Féin | Sinn Féin | SDLP | SDLP | DUP | DUP | Alliance | Alliance | UUP | UUP | Independents and others | Independents and others | | Total cllrs |
| Crotlieve | 45.67 | 3 1 | 17.74 | 1 1 | 4.57 | 0 | 5.03 | 0 | 3.42 | 0 | 23.57 | 2 | 6 |
| Downpatrick | 43.45 | 2 1 | 30.71 | 2 1 | 3.27 | 0 | 13.75 | 1 1 | 2.45 | 0 | 6.37 | 0 1 | 5 |
| Newry | 65.15 | 4 1 | 18.15 | 2 | 0.00 | 0 | 7.94 | 0 | 2.72 | 0 | 6.04 | 0 1 | 6 |
| Rowallane | 10.78 | 0 | 16.42 | 1 | 34.17 | 2 | 24.59 | 2 1 | 12.91 | 0 1 | 1.12 | 0 | 5 |
| Slieve Croob | 47.56 | 3 1 | 11.68 | 0 1 | 19.34 | 1 1 | 13.28 | 1 | 4.30 | 0 1 | 3.85 | 0 | 5 |
| Slieve Gullion | 67.92 | 5 | 16.00 | 1 | 2.45 | 0 | 2.03 | 0 | 8.15 | 1 | 3.46 | 0 | 7 |
| The Mournes | 41.87 | 3 | 12.91 | 1 | 25.65 | 2 1 | 8.27 | 1 1 | 3.82 | 0 1 | 7.47 | 0 1 | 7 |
| Total | 48.32 | 20 4 | 17.18 | 8 3 | 11.90 | 5 2 | 9.36 | 5 3 | 5.30 | 1 3 | 7.93 | 2 3 | 41 |

## District results
### Crotlieve

2019: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 2 x Independent
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 2 x Independent, 1 x SDLP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from SDLP
Crotlieve - 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 |
| | Sinn Féin | Selina Murphy | 14.20% | 1,863 | 1,879.00 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Declan McAteer* | 9.40% | 1,233 | 1,310.00 | 1,324.00 | 1,473.00 | 1,577.00 | 1,683.00 | 1,683.25 | 2,507.25 | | |
| | Independent | Mark Gibbons* | 8.47% | 1,111 | 1,143.00 | 1,150.00 | 1,242.00 | 1,610.00 | 1,721.00 | 1,721.75 | 1,793.75 | 1,888.75 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Kate Murphy | 10.65% | 1,397 | 1,402.00 | 1,403.00 | 1,453.00 | 1,491.00 | 1,493.00 | 1,494.50 | 1,611.50 | 1,771.50 | 1,774.62 |
| | Sinn Féin | Mickey Ruane* | 10.57% | 1,387 | 1,413.00 | 1,413.00 | 1,446.00 | 1,570.00 | 1,574.00 | 1,575.00 | 1,618.00 | 1,669.00 | 1,670.04 |
| | Independent | Jarlath Tinnelly* | 7.95% | 1,043 | 1,059.00 | 1,063.00 | 1,142.00 | 1,252.00 | 1,306.00 | 1,306.25 | 1,367.25 | 1,504.25 | 1,513.35 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry O'Hare* | 10.25% | 1,345 | 1,350.00 | 1,350.00 | 1,376.00 | 1,389.00 | 1,391.00 | 1,391.00 | 1,447.00 | 1,512.00 | 1,512.26 |
| | SDLP | Karen McKevitt* | 6.94% | 911 | 948.00 | 964.00 | 1,130.00 | 1,189.00 | 1,305.00 | 1,305.25 | | | |
| | DUP | Keith Parke | 4.57% | 600 | 603.00 | 946.00 | 957.00 | 965.00 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Jim Boylan | 6.24% | 818 | 841.00 | 850.00 | 926.00 | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Daniel Neary | 5.03% | 660 | 710.00 | 742.00 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Ricky McGaffin | 3.42% | 448 | 451.00 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Anne Sheridan | 1.40% | 183 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Hugh O'Reilly | 0.73% | 96 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Finbarr Lambe | 0.18% | 23 | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,313 Valid: 13,118 (61.55%) Spoilt: 140 Quota: 1,875 Turnout: 13,258 (62.21%) ||||||||||||||

### Downpatrick

2019: 3 x SDLP, 1 x Sinn Féin, 1 x Independent
2023: 2 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin and Alliance gain from SDLP and Independent
Downpatrick - 5 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 | Oonagh Hanlon* | 19.32% | 1,579 | | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Gareth Sharvin* | 15.99% | 1,307 | 1,325.59 | 1,348.72 | 1,360.98 | 1,388.78 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Cadogan Enright* | 13.75% | 1,124 | 1,131.67 | 1,172.67 | 1,209.67 | 1,334.80 | 1,377.80 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Philip Campbell | 14.19% | 1,160 | 1,262.70 | 1,266.70 | 1,268.70 | 1,271.70 | 1,377.70 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Conor Galbraith | 7.22% | 590 | 597.41 | 608.41 | 617.41 | 641.41 | 705.06 | 711.06 | 718.34 | 721.23 | 1,166.23 |
| | Sinn Féin | Louise Rooney | 9.94% | 812 | 866.08 | 877.21 | 877.47 | 877.60 | 946.11 | 946.11 | 950.03 | 959.38 | 1,057.38 |
| | SDLP | Aurla King | 7.50% | 613 | 620.67 | 629.67 | 643.67 | 666.67 | 705.80 | 712.80 | 716.16 | 717.86 | |
| | Independent | Éamon Mac Con Midhe | 4.94% | 404 | 409.46 | 415.72 | 418.72 | 435.72 | | | | | |
| | DUP | Sharon Harvey | 3.27% | 267 | 267.26 | 268.26 | 388.26 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Alexander Burgess | 2.45% | 200 | 200.52 | 201.52 | | | | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Declan Walsh | 1.43% | 117 | 117.65 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 15,691 Valid: 8,173 (52.09%) Spoilt: 113 Quota: 1,363 Turnout: 8,286 (52.81%) ||||||||||||||

### Newry

2019: 3 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP, 1 x Independent
2023: 4 x Sinn Féin, 2 x SDLP
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin gain from Independent
Newry - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Sinn Féin | Valerie Harte* | 19.95% | 2,085 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Cathal King* | 18.96% | 1,982 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Geraldine Kearns* | 12.05% | 1,259 | 1,719.88 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Aidan Mathers | 14.19% | 1,483 | 1,526.96 | | | | |
| | SDLP | Michael Savage* † | 8.95% | 935 | 949.84 | 1,151.03 | 1,192.47 | 1,203.34 | 1,382.34 |
| | SDLP | Doire Finn | 9.20% | 961 | 994.04 | 1,120.89 | 1,211.33 | 1,226.98 | 1,357.98 |
| | Alliance | Helena Young | 7.94% | 830 | 845.68 | 925.33 | 963.69 | 988.12 | 1,199.12 |
| | Aontú | Sharon Loughran | 3.04% | 318 | 322.20 | 356.42 | 372.94 | 386.24 | |
| | UUP | Andrew McCracken | 2.72% | 285 | 285.00 | 287.95 | 289.35 | 289.35 | |
| | Independent | Mariya Krupska | 2.00% | 209 | 213.76 | 237.95 | 248.03 | 272.10 | |
| | Workers' Party | Nicola Grant | 1.00% | 104 | 106.24 | 123.94 | 130.66 | | |
| Electorate: 19,901 Valid: 10,451 (52.51%) Spoilt: 172 Quota: 1,494 Turnout: 10,623 (53.38%) ||||||||||

### Rowallane

2019: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
2023: 2 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
2019–2023 Change: Alliance gain from UUP
Rowallane - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | DUP | Jonny Jackson* | 17.60% | 1,414 | | | |
| | SDLP | Terry Andrews* | 16.42% | 1,319 | 1,335 | 1,860 | |
| | DUP | Callum Bowsie* | 16.57% | 1,331 | 1,337 | 1,340 | |
| | Alliance | Tierna Kelly | 12.01% | 965 | 996 | 1,118 | 1,403 |
| | Alliance | David Lee-Surginor* | 12.58% | 1,011 | 1,056 | 1,199 | 1,347 |
| | UUP | Robert Burgess* | 11.66% | 937 | 1,018 | 1,021 | 1,024 |
| | Sinn Féin | Dermot Kennedy | 10.78% | 866 | 872 | | |
| | UUP | Rachel Gracey | 1.26% | 101 | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Ali McColl | 1.12% | 90 | | | |
| Electorate: 15,865 Valid: 8,034 (50.64%) Spoilt: 81 Quota: 1,340 Turnout: 8,115 (51.15%) ||||||||

### Slieve Croob

2019: 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
2019–2023 Change: Sinn Féin and DUP gain from SDLP and UUP
Slieve Croob - 5 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | DUP | Alan Lewis* | 19.34% | 1,723 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Jim Brennan* | 17.61% | 1,569 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Róisín Howell* | 16.19% | 1,443 | 1,443.14 | 1,447.14 | 1,484.39 | 1,531.39 | |
| | Alliance | Andrew McMurray* † | 13.28% | 1,183 | 1,189.02 | 1,244.02 | 1,246.77 | 1,327.02 | 1,521.02 |
| | Sinn Féin | Siobhan O'Hare | 13.76% | 1,226 | 1,226.42 | 1,232.42 | 1,259.87 | 1,301.47 | 1,305.87 |
| | SDLP | Hugh Gallagher* | 8.48% | 756 | 758.80 | 771.80 | 778.50 | 1,082.18 | 1,170.54 |
| | UUP | Walter Lyons | 4.30% | 383 | 603.36 | 604.50 | 604.55 | 607.25 | |
| | SDLP | Will Polland | 3.20% | 285 | 286.40 | 299.40 | 302.45 | | |
| | Aontú | Rosemary McGlone | 2.75% | 245 | 245.70 | 248.70 | 249.50 | | |
| | Green (NI) | Seana Pitt | 1.10% | 98 | 98.70 | | | | |
| Electorate: 15,797 Valid: 8,911 (56.41%) Spoilt: 92 Quota: 1,486 Turnout: 9,003 (56.99%) ||||||||||

### Slieve Gullion

2019: 5 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2023: 5 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x UUP
2019–2023 Change: No change
Slieve Gullion - 7 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 |
| | Sinn Féin | Aoife Finnegan* | 13.16% | 1,934 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Áine Quinn | 13.15% | 1,932 | | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Declan Murphy* | 12.98% | 1,907 | | | | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Pete Byrne* | 9.85% | 1,447 | 1,462.30 | 1,468.30 | 1,472.54 | 1,473.35 | 1,554.56 | 1,670.23 | 2,404.23 | |
| | Sinn Féin | Mickey Larkin* | 10.61% | 1,558 | 1,573.26 | 1,579.30 | 1,640.54 | 1,645.61 | 1,669.12 | 1,719.61 | 1,795.24 | 1,946.24 |
| | Sinn Féin | Oonagh Magennis* | 8.96% | 1,316 | 1,368.55 | 1,376.60 | 1,379.62 | 1,387.95 | 1,411.32 | 1,445.60 | 1,511.77 | 1,617.77 |
| | UUP | David Taylor* | 8.15% | 1,197 | 1,197 | 1,198 | 1,198 | 1,198.09 | 1,226.09 | 1,570.09 | 1,592.15 | 1,628.15 |
| | Sinn Féin | Barra Ó'Muirí* | 9.06% | 1,331 | 1,339.30 | 1,343.30 | 1,348.86 | 1,385.76 | 1,393.08 | 1,432.23 | 1,463.35 | 1,503.35 |
| | SDLP | Killian Feehan | 6.15% | 903 | 904.20 | 913.20 | 913.72 | 917.72 | 1,015.85 | 1,102.07 | | |
| | Aontú | Liam Reichenberg | 2.99% | 439 | 439.50 | 446.50 | 447.66 | 448.05 | 489.09 | | | |
| | DUP | Linda Henry | 2.45% | 360 | 360.10 | 360.10 | 360.14 | 360.14 | 360.14 | | | |
| | Alliance | Caolán Gregory | 2.03% | 298 | 298.90 | 321.95 | 322.47 | 323.10 | | | | |
| | Green (NI) | Molly Ní Mhánais | 0.47% | 69 | 69.15 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 22,734 Valid: 14,691 (64.62%) Spoilt: 266 Quota: 1,837 Turnout: 14,957 (65.79%) |||||||||||||

### The Mournes

2019: 3 x Sinn Féin, 1 x SDLP, 1 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent
2023: 3 x Sinn Féin, 2 x DUP, 1 x SDLP, 1 x Alliance
2019–2023 Change: DUP and Alliance gain from UUP and Independent
The Mournes - 7 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 | Glyn Hanna* | 17.50% | 2,340 | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Rice* | 15.26% | 2,040 | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Willie Clarke* | 14.32% | 1,915 | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Leeanne McEvoy* | 12.29% | 1,643 | 1,643.56 | 1,946.14 | | | | | |
| | SDLP | Laura Devlin* | 10.25% | 1,370 | 1,372.80 | 1,379.64 | 1,476.76 | 1,516.30 | 1,679.41 | | |
| | DUP | Henry Reilly* | 8.15% | 1,089 | 1,622.96 | 1,623.68 | 1,623.86 | 1,626.14 | 1,626.31 | 1,638.11 | 1,835.11 |
| | Alliance | Jill Truesdale | 8.27% | 1,105 | 1,108.64 | 1,116.38 | 1,140.32 | 1,206.76 | 1,249.09 | 1.505.94 | 1,626.94 |
| | TUV | Harold McKee* | 6.58% | 880 | 962.68 | 963.06 | 963.24 | 966.24 | 966.24 | 972.61 | 1,163.12 |
| | UUP | Lloyd Douglas | 3.82% | 511 | 537.88 | 538.06 | 538.60 | 539.60 | 540.45 | 557.70 | |
| | SDLP | Dominic O'Reilly | 2.67% | 357 | 359.62 | 386.52 | 439.26 | 443.16 | 467.13 | | |
| | Green (NI) | Sean O Baoill | 0.89% | 119 | 119.28 | 120.36 | 127.02 | | | | |
| Electorate: 22,227 Valid: 13,369 (60.15%) Spoilt: 179 Quota: 1,672 Turnout: 13,548 (60.95%) ||||||||||||

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

| Date co-opted | Electoral Area | Party | Outgoing | Co-optee | Reason |
| 13 November 2023 | Newry | SDLP | Michael Savage | Killian Feehan | Savage resigned. |
| 24 May 2024 | Slieve Croob | Alliance | Andrew McMurray | Helena Young | McMurray was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly. |
| 8 March 2025 | Slieve Gullion | Sinn Féin | Aoife Finnegan | Martin Hearty | Finnegan was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly. |