The North Down count has finished with five MLAs elected - and Alliance's Connie Eagan taking the final seat.
Ms Eagan's win, announced late on Saturday afternoon, is a gain for the party, doubling their representation in the constituency.
The constituency's five MLAs now are Independent Alex Easton; the DUP's Stephen Dunne; Alliance's Andrew Muir and Connie Eagan and Ulster Unionist Alan Chambers.
Alex Easton topped the poll in North Down yesterday making it five mandates in a row for the former DUP man.
The now independent unionist is understood to be the first candidate to claim the top spot from the constituency’s Assembly voters without a party affiliation.
Mr Easton quit the DUP after Jeffrey Donaldson was ratified as the party’s new leader last July.
It followed a turbulent few weeks that saw Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots lose the role to the current MP.
Mr Easton told us he felt “elated, over the moon and very humbled” following his victory.
“I think that’s a record for Northern Ireland,” he explained.
“I’ve also got the largest Assembly vote in North Down and I’m the first independent MLA for North Down ever elected.”
But Mr Easton told us he didn’t take it for granted that he would be re-elected “so I worked my socks off and I will do it from the time I’m elected to the next election”.
“I’m good at working on the ground and I think the people of North Down have recognised that.”
Asked if he felt vindicated after leaving the DUP, he added: “Absolutely, without question.
“I’m quite happy to be on my own, to make the right choices and do the right votes in the Assembly for my constituents.”
The North Down man’s victory was followed by triumph for the Alliance Party, who took two seats in North Down at the expense of Green Party NI’s Rachel Wood.
Ms Wood was co-opted to replace former party leader Steven Agnew when he resigned.
In a devastating election for the Greens, both she and party leader Clare Bailey lost out after what was a very fruitful last term.
Ms Woods conceded at 5.15pm on Friday saying on Twitter: “Thanks to the 2734 in #NorthDown who came out to vote with their number 1 vote in #AE22.
“Being your MLA for 2 years and the @GreenPartyNI candidate in this election has been the biggest privilege, you have no idea. We accomplished so much and actually made law.”
Alliance Party MLA Andrew Muir was elected late on Friday, in another success for the party after passing the 6,958 quota in the fifth stage, with 6,969 total polled votes.
Read more: Follow the Northern Ireland election results live using our interactive map
Read more: NI election results 2022: What happens if Sinn Fein wins Assembly poll
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