For a minute my mind blocked out 'blogger' and I thought Slugger had won on a write-in campaign.

After nearly a week of not going near a computer I'll obviously have to start blogging again!

The phone has already been ringing with the issues which people really care about - speed bumps! Time to start working as well as blogging.

Slugger regular Chirstopher Stalford seems almost certain to be elected in the Laganbank ward. I hope he appreciates the 0.07 of a vote he gained by transfer from Alex Maskey.

Isn't Mark a "politician" blogger ? He may not blog as often as in the past, but his contributions are excellent.

Philip Weir would also count - not sure if he's still a blogger or not, but he's now a DUP Councillor for Craigavon Central.

"I hope he appreciates the 0.07 of a vote he gained by transfer from Alex Maskey"

And before anyone asks it wasn't me ;)

Clive, two for the price of one! Sorry Philip!! An embarassment of riches!!

Davros, you're right of course. What I meant to say was 'elected' politician. Have now amended it!

So we've got Clive McF, Philip Weir and Christopher Stalford?!

Sounds like way more than an 8% DUP surge on Slugger!

All the best guys. (Seriously cool manifesto btw.)

Stalford's in!

Congratulations, Chris! I must admit, I was rooting for Allan Leonard, but there you go... Well done all the same from this Laganbank resident.

Interesting to note that the John Hunter effect is still alive and well ( named after anti-Agreement UUP candidate in 1998 Assembly elections squeezed out as being "a No man in a Yes Party")- among UUP casualties are anti-Agreement men Joe Gaston (Ballymoney), Robert Oliver (Craigavon), Peter Brown (Ballymena), Albert Colmer (Down), and Jack Dolan ( Limavady) -all except Oliver were serving councillors-some for over 20 years. The only clear victor in this category was Trevor Wilson (Cookstown)

RUTH PATTERSON IS IN IN BALMORAL!!!!!
DUP BIGGEST PARTY IN CITY HALL!!!!
RUTH PATTERSON FOR NEXT MAYOR!!!!

Have we seen our last SF Mayor for at least four years then?

Have we seen our last SF Mayor for at least four years then?

Depends on Alliance, the Unionist parties do not have an overall majority.

On Balmoral:

Jim Kirkpatrick DUP polled better than Ruth Patterson. She got in on the last count - What happened there?

Esmond Birnie UUP lost by 0.9 of a vote, and Sinn Fein's candidate Steven Long was close.

A glorious day for the DUP in Belfast. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me!

By my calculations there is a Unionist majority of 24:22 in Belfast City Council.

However Alliance still hold the balance of power with 4 Cllrs.

There goes the neighbourhood (well, the tricolour at least).

Is it good for Unionism overall though Stalford?

"Jim Kirkpatrick DUP polled better than Ruth Patterson. She got in on the last count - What happened there?"

Its called vote management - no-one ever remembers what count people got in on, its all about the seats won. If it means that candidates have to sweat it out a bit until the last count to pick up extra seats then who really cares.

There must be particular irony in the fact that Jim was the former UUP man who had the preferences to spare for his new party colleague?

yerman,

The DUP got the two seats in the end, but the funny thing is that Ruth Patterson was struggling and seems to not have been the favourite. Why so?

It was thought Sinn Fein would take the seat.

Methinks we also have Cllr. IJP ...

Perhaps if there were a UKIP presence in Belfast I'd bother me arse to go out... There is not much choice for a capital L Libertarian here... (here intended as 'usually Belfast', since I'm on business in the US all of May).

Perhaps if there were a UKIP presence in Belfast I'd bother me arse to go out... There is not much choice for a capital L Libertarian here

As a small l libertarian... UKIP? Libertarian? You have to be kidding! McCartney took the New Labour whip!

Fogey - are you miximg your UKUPs and your UKIPs?

The Nationalist march in Belfast has been halted. Come the next election Belfast City council will be a much extended council,likely to encompass Newtownabbey and Castlereagh at least.

A Unionist majority is guaranteed.

The only clear victor in this category was Trevor Wilson (Cookstown)

Sorry to disappoint you DB but I also was returned and most definitely count as anti agreement. Interesting to note that the DUP in Antrim went into the election with 6 and came own with 6 but 3 sitting Councillors including an MLA lost their seats to their running mates.
We lost one seat and that was someone who was seen as being a Trimble supporter.

DUP offering big signing on bonuses for any who want to join. I have already been approached twice since Friday.

Had to laugh at the count at Belfast yesterday - Adams and McGuinness turned up, with a entourage of hoods - expecting to se Steven Long returned in Balmoral - hung around for about half an hour then cleared off again when it became clear that Ruth was taking the final seat - hilarious!

apologies Steve48 (Nicholl-I presume?). But what are you going to do in a party likely to be led by Sylvia, or Ken, or the Gimp? You'll be as big a freak as your colourful colleague Jim Sands, who I am sorry to see was not elected, and so I suppose that means there won't be a reprint of "The Committee" :0).

How on earth can you , and Burnside ( who was extremely gracious in defeat BTW, unlike a certain Nobel laureate who couldn't bring himself to shake the hand of his conqueror) chjange party direction, or even revive the rotting corpse?

personally I don't expect to see any of the three above in the frame.

As for the rest I am looking forward to starting with a clean sheet and working from there. Sure its a challenge but having seen the antics between members of the DUP over the last few weeks I much prefer the opportunities where I am.

Visioner,
You don't seem to understand the PR system. The DUP got 2 candidates elected in Balmoral. Last time they got only 1 near the last count aswell.

Stalford,
Well done

Peter,
After the reshaping of the city council there will be a definate unionist majority.
Naomi Long of the Alliance said they wouldn't again vote in a SF lord major. But, the alliance are hard to trust...

After the reshaping of the city council there will be a definate unionist majority.

Not necessarily. Remember Twinbrook, Poleglass, etc.

young Fogey,
if we were going on the model of the constituencies are some of those areas not in lagan valley?
Anyway the 3-4 census wards in west belfast are well outwayed by the huge areas like ballybeen, tullycarnet and dundonald in castlereagh. Don't forget also about the creeghy rd and many areas of north- north belfast!