Carole Howard
{{Short description|Former High Sheriff of Belfast}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = December 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Carole Howard
| office = High Sheriff of Belfast
| term_start = 15 January 2018
| term_end = 16 January 2019
| predecessor = Tom Haire
| successor = Tommy Sandford
| office1 = Member of
Belfast City Council
| term_start1 = 2 May 2019
| term_end1 = 18 May 2023
| predecessor1 = Mairéad O'Donnell
| successor1 = Fiona McAteer
| constituency1 = Titanic
| term_start2 = 22 May 2014
| term_end2 = 2 May 2019
| predecessor2 = New district
| successor2 = Eric Hanvey
| constituency2 = Lisnasharragh
| office3 = Member of
Castlereagh Borough Council
| term_start3 = 5 May 2011
| term_end3 = 22 May 2014
| predecessor3 = Peter Robinson
| successor3 = Council abolished
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland
| death_date =
| party = Ulster Unionist (since 2021)
| otherparty = Alliance Party (until 2021)
}}
Carole Howard is a former Northern Irish politician who was High Sheriff of Belfast from January 2018 to 2019, as well as a Belfast City Councillor from 2014 until 2023, latterly for the Titanic DEA.{{cite news|title = NI: Alliance councillor appointed High Sheriff of Belfast|url = https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/alliance-councillor-appointed-high-sheriff-belfast|work = Irish Legal|date = 3 January 2018|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite web|title = Alliance Party Facebook|url = https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158570124544741&set=a.10150187158844741&locale=fr_CA|website = Facebook|date = 3 May 2019|access-date = 6 December 2024}}
Background
Howard first stood for election on behalf of the Alliance Party at the 2011 local elections, winning a seat in Castlereagh's Central District.{{cite news|title = BBC News - Election 2011 - Northern Ireland council elections - Castlereagh|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/council/html/95y.stm|work = BBC News|date = 11 May 2011|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite web|title = Castlereagh Council Election Results 1993-2011|url = https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgcastlereagh.htm|website = Ark elections|access-date = 6 December 2024}}
She was re-elected at the 2014 local elections, this time for the successor Lisnasharragh District in Belfast.{{cite web|title = COUNCILLOR CAROLE HOWARD|url = https://minutes.belfastcity.gov.uk/documents/s54727/Councillor%20Carole%20Howard%20-%20CV.pdf|website = Belfast City Council|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite web|title = Belfast City Council Elections 2014|url = https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/nlgbcc.html|website = Ark elections|access-date = 6 December 2024}}
In January 2018, Howard was made High Sheriff of Belfast, making her the first Alliance representative to hold the office since 2000. She said: "It is a great honour to have been elected to the post of High Sheriff, and I pledge to serve the people of Belfast, and to support the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor in carrying out my duties to the best of my ability. I will continue to work hard for our city during my time as High Sheriff, and hope to bring a positive contribution to making Belfast a better and brighter city for all its citizens."{{cite news|title = Alliance Party Councillor sworn in as Belfast's new High Sheriff|url= https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/alliance-party-councillor-sworn-in-as-belfasts-new-high-sheriff/36491947.html|work = Belfast Telegraph|date = 15 January 2018|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite news|title = Belfast High Sheriff post first for Alliance in two decades|url = https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-high-sheriff-post-first-for-alliance-in-two-decades/36449992.html|work = Belfast Telegraph|date = 2 January 2018|access-date = 6 December 2024}}
She was elected on the sixth count for the Titanic District at the 2019 election.{{cite news|title = Titanic: in Belfast results - NI Local Election 2019|url = https://elections.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ni-local-election-2019/belfast/titanic|work = Belfast Telegraph|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite web|title = Belfast City Council on X|url = https://x.com/belfastcc/status/1124395836220346370?lang=en|date = 3 May 2019|access-date = 6 December 2024}}
In December 2021, Howard joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), by asserting that she has pro-Union views and "feel that I can now openly and comfortably express them to help promote a confident, progressive brand of unionism." Leader Doug Beattie welcomed her to the party, saying: "I am absolutely delighted that Carole has decided to join the Ulster Unionist Party. Carole is exactly the type of elected representative we want to attract, encourage and promote. She has a long-established track record of dedicated public service and I am glad that she wishes to continue that public service with the Ulster Unionist Party."{{cite web|title = Councillor Carole Howard joins the Ulster Unionist Party|url = https://www.uup.org/councillor_carole_howard_joins_the_ulster_unionist_party|website = Ulster Unionist Party|date = 13 December 2021|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite news|title = Belfast Alliance councillor Carole Howard switches to Ulster Unionist Party|url = https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/belfast-alliance-councillor-carole-howard-22441718|work = Belfast Live|date = 13 December 2021|access-date = 6 December 2024}} Alliance described Howard's decision as "an act of bad faith."
She unsuccessfully contested the Ormiston District at the 2023 local elections, being the last candidate eliminated, with 847 first-preference votes.{{cite web|title = Ormiston - Belfast City Council elections|url = https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/ormiston|website = Belfast City Council|date = 20 May 2023|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite web|title = Belfast City Council on X|url = https://x.com/belfastcc/status/1660042302117621761|website = X|date = 20 May 2023|access-date = 6 December 2024}}{{cite news|title = Belfast result - Northern Ireland Council Elections 2023|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2023/northern-ireland/councils/N09000003|work = BBC News|access-date = 6 December 2024}}