page_title: Politics of Northern Ireland
section_title: Voting patterns
hierarchical_section_title: Politics of Northern Ireland / Political representation / Voting patterns
caption_attribution_description: English: Shows the percentage of votes, or first preference votes, cast for unionist, nationalist and other candidates in elections in Norhern Ireland
context_page_description: Since 1998, Northern Ireland has devolved government within the United Kingdom. The government and Parliament of the United Kingdom are responsible for reserved and excepted matters. Reserved matters are a list of policy areas, which the Westminster Parliament may devolve to the Northern Ireland Assembly at some time in future. Excepted matters are never expected to be considered for devolution. On all other matters, the Northern Ireland Executive together with the 90-member Northern Ireland Assembly may legislate and govern for Northern Ireland. Additionally, devolution in Northern Ireland is dependent upon participation by members of the Northern Ireland Executive in the North/South Ministerial Council, which co-ordinates areas of co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
  Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly are by single transferable vote with five representatives elected from 18 parliamentary constituencies. Eighteen representatives to the lower house of the British parliament are elected from the same constituencies using the first-past-the-post system. However, not all of these take their seats.
context_section_description: Voting patterns break down as follows:
  2019 Westminster election – unionists 43.2%, nationalists 38.9%, others 17.9%
  2017 Westminster election – unionists 49.2%, nationalists 41.2%, others 9.6%
  2015 Westminster election – unionists 50.2%, nationalists 38.5%, others 11.2%
  2010 Westminster election – unionists 50.5%, nationalists 42.0%, others 7.5%
  2005 Westminster election – unionists 51.4%, nationalists 41.8%, others 6.8%
  2001 Westminster election – unionists 52.9%, nationalists 42.7%, others 4.4%
  1997 Westminster election – unionists 50.5%, nationalists 40.2%, others 9.3%
  2019 European election – unionists 42.9%, nationalists 35.9%, others 21.2%
  2014 European election – unionists 51.0%, nationalists 38.6%, others 10.5%
  2009 European election – unionists 49.0%, nationalists 42.2%, others 8.8%
  2004 European election – unionists 48.6%, nationalists 42.2%, others 9.2%
  1999 European election – unionists 52.3%, nationalists 45.4%, others 2.3%
  2017 Assembly election – unionists 44.8%, nationalists 40.0%, others 15.5%
  2016 Assembly election – unionists 48.5%, nationalists 36.4%, others 15.1%
  2011 Assembly election – unionists 48.3%, nationalists 41.5%, others 10.2%
  2007 Assembly election – unionists 48.6%, nationalists 42.0%, others 9.4%
  2003 Assembly election – unionists 52.1%, nationalists 40.5%, others 7.4%
  1998 Assembly election – unionists 50.6%, nationalists 39.7%, others 9.7%
caption: Shows the percentage of votes, or first preference votes, cast for unionist, nationalist and other candidates in elections in Northern Ireland
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