Voting picks up after slow start

A steady stream of voters went to the polls across Northern Ireland today for what could be one of the most defining elections in years.

By early afternoon, electoral officials reported a pick up in the slow start and anticipated an evening rush.

It was expected that the race to win several of the province’s 18 seats could be a very close-run thing – with recounts predicted in a number of seats when counting takes place tomorrow.

A total of 105 candidates are chasing the 18 seats and more than ever the outcome of the fight between the Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Unionist Party on one side and Sinn Féin and the SDLP on the other is likely to determine the future of the peace process.

Nearly one million people were eligible to vote at over 600 polling stations.

Electoral officials were hoping there would not be too much confusion among voters who were required to not only vote for a single Westminster candidate but also for local council candidates under the proportional representation system.

Voters entering the polling booths were individually reminded that it was an X for MPs but 1,2,3 etc for local councillors. There are 918 hopefuls chasing 582 seats on 26 councils.

While the Westminster votes will be counted tomorrow, the local council count will not begin until Monday, and will take two days.

Meanwhile teachers and clergymen in Derry were preparing to help with the collection of ballot boxes in some parts of Derry at the close of voting.

They were doing so in a bid to avoid the ritualistic election night attacks on police accompanying ballot boxes away from polling stations.

The scheme, backed by the chief electoral officer, involves five schools being used as polling stations.

Charlie O’Donnell, principle of Holy Child Primary School in the Creggan area of the city, is one of those involved and said they hoped to break the cycle of violence around the close of poll.

“I don’t think it has any political motive at all. I think it is just a source of entertainment for the young people who seem to hang around corners and when it comes to the close of poll, look for the PSNI to throw stones at,” he said.