marriage within party policy—was achieved at the 2011 AGM after a unanimous vote. The party supported a no vote in the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum. In February 2015, the Queer Greens party group was set up to become the LGBT issues and activist wing of the party. The group is taking charge of party policy on LGBT rights, issues, welfare, campaigning, lobbying and raising awareness. On 14 January 2016, the party announced that it had selected Ellen Murray as its candidate to contest the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly elections for West Belfast, making her the first openly transgender person to stand for election on the island of Ireland. Leaders Steven Agnew (10 January 2011 – 21 November 2018) Clare Bailey (21 November 2018 – 15 August 2022) Malachai O'Hara (15 August 2022 – present) Election results The party's first electoral success in Northern Ireland was at the local council elections of 2005. Raymond Blaney was elected onto Down District Council and Brian Wilson, formerly of the Alliance Party, took a seat on North Down Borough Council. The party's third local councillor was Ciaran Mussen, elected to Newry and Mourne District Council. At the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election, the Green Party won its first seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly, when Brian Wilson won a seat in the North Down constituency. Overall the party won 11,985 first preference votes or 1.7% of the total – a rise of 1.4% since the 2003 Assembly election. In 2009, the Green Party stood Steven Agnew in the European election he secured 15,674 votes, trebling the Green Party's share of the vote. The Greens fought the election on the Green New Deal, calling for job creation in the green energy sector. The Greens fielded four candidates in the 2010 UK general election, none of which managed to secure a seat. However, the number of votes for Green candidates more than trebled. Brian Wilson MLA stood down ahead of the 2011 Assembly election, in which the party won a seat on North Down council, with their candidate Steven Agnew. Agnew subsequently stepped down from his position on North Down Borough Council as the party took a strong stand against so called 'double jobbing' or dual mandate; he was replaced by John Barry. In May 2016 the Greens picked up their second seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly when Clare Bailey took a seat in South