On a clear day, much of the Strangford constituency can be viewed from the heights of Scrabo Tower in Newtownards.
Taking in most of the Ards Peninsula and an area of outstanding natural beauty in Strangford Lough, it also includes the farmland areas around Comber, Killinchy, Killyleagh, Crossgar and Ballynahinch where the countryside has been alive with the sound of tractors and hay balers in recent weeks.
An overwhelmingly unionist constituency, it is still expected that the DUP’s Jim Shannon will keep the seat he has held since Iris Robinson’s resignation in 2010.
That said, the Alliance Party doubled their votes at the last election and took a sizeable bite out of Mr Shannon’s majority.
Boundary changes are also expected to increase nationalist votes to a degree – with Strangford town included in its constituency namesake for the first time as well as all of Ballynahinch and parts of Downpatrick.
Areas like Saintfield and Moneyreagh, meanwhile, have been lost to the newly created Belfast South and Mid Down.
Alliance may hope the influx of nationalist voters will back them tactically, while the SDLP and Sinn Féin will aim to gain ground for the next Assembly election.
The TUV narrowly lost out on returning a Strangford MLA in 2022, and their support in the area could further reduce the DUP majority.
In 2019, there was a 14% vote swing away from the DUP – with Mr Shannon’s majority of 62% cut down to 47.2% (24,036 votes to 17,705).
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong climbed from 14.7% to 28.4% (5,693 to 10,634 votes).
This time around, Alliance will be represented by Lisburn & Castlereagh councillor Michelle Guy.
Although having a lower profile, she will benefit from the Alliance brand and her party returning a Strangford MLA in 2022.
