Assembly election numbers at a glance

The list of Assembly election candidates is in and we're looking at the numbers.

The Assembly election campaign now begins in earnest as the final list of candidates running in next month’s election has been confirmed.

A total of 228 people are putting their fates in the hands of the electorate on 2 March, which marks a 17 per cent decline in the number of candidates that stood at the 2016 poll. This is commensurate with the 17 per cent reduction in seats now available, with only 90 MLAs – rather than the more familiar cohort of 108 – returning to Stormont.

Of the five major parties, the UUP has made the most significant cutback in candidates, with nine fewer running. The DUP is fielding six fewer nominees whilst their former Executive partners, Sinn Féin, have dropped by five: 39 to 34. The number of Alliance contenders has fallen by two and the SDLP is squeezing its offering to 21, having run 24 hopefuls last time out. The Green Party has sustained, however. Former MLAs Steven Agnew and Clare Bailey are, once again, joined by 16 party colleagues.

People Before Profit's cast of candidates has increase from three to seven. The TUV, meanwhile, has raised its tally by only one. These moves are perhaps indicative of the two parties' high expectations for success three weeks from now. The Conservative Party, the Workers Party and the Cross Community Labour Alternative join them in standing more aspirants than they did in May.

This ‘snap’ election has resulted in fewer political parties contesting seats than in 2016. The NI Labour Representation Committee, Animal Welfare Party, Democracy First, Northern Ireland First and the South Belfast Unionists are all notable by their absence.

In the record-breaking constituency of West Tyrone, which saw 18 candidates battle it out last year, 15 will vie for the five Assembly seats. Indeed, the field is just as crowded in East Antrim and East Londonderry. At the other end of the scale, voters in Newry and Armagh will receive a ballot paper listing only nine names.

There is much ministerial experience on offer to the people of Strangford, four of their 13 choices being either current or former ministers. Belfast East, East Antrim and West Tyrone, on the other hand, have no prospective MLAs with such experience.

The next date to note is 14 February, the deadline for registering to vote before election day. 

We've broken down some key figures in the table below: