ELECTION 2022: South Antrim – Sinn Fein’s all-Ireland chairman Declan Kearney trounces all to seize seat
![Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 6th May 2022 -
Northern Ireland Assembly Election Count at Ulster University, Jordanstown
Sinn Feins Declan Kearney who has made the required amount of votes at the first count.
Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimg/TUFZMTM4NDI0MzU0.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 6th May 2022 -
Northern Ireland Assembly Election Count at Ulster University, Jordanstown
Sinn Feins Declan Kearney who has made the required amount of votes at the first count.
Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.](/img/placeholder.png)
He easily reached the 7,623 quota with 9,185 first preference votes.
Mr Kearney – who is the cousin of dissident victim Peadar Heffron, maimed in a 2010 bomb attack – has previously scored well in the area.
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Hide AdHe took 6,891 first preference ballot papers in 2017, with Steve Aiken of the UUP coming runner-up with 6,287.
![ELECTION 2022](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimg/TUFZMTM4Mzk5OTgx.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
![ELECTION 2022](/img/placeholder.png)
This time around Mr Kearney’s surge put him nearly 2,000 votes clear of anyone else.
The other results are as follows:
John Blair, Alliance: 7,315
Pam Cameron, DUP: 6,899
Steve Aiken, UUP: 5,354
Trevor Clarke, DUP: 4,943
Mel Lucas, TUV: 4,371
Roisin Lynch, SDLP: 3,139
Paul Michael, UUP: 2,821
Roisin Bennett, Aontu: 657
Veronica Lesley, Green: 539
Jerry Maguire, PBP, 251
Andrew Moran, Ind., 262
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