Overnight count reinstated for North election

Counting for the North's Westminster seats at the next General Election will take place overnight, it was announced today.

Chief electoral officer in the North, Douglas Bain, confirmed that counting in the 18 constituencies would be brought into line with the UK following a public consultation exercise.

"Bringing this process into line with other parts of the UK means that Northern Ireland's 18 Members of Parliament will no longer be the last to be elected," he said.

"Changing to overnight counting of votes at Westminster elections allows the results to be available much quicker and people will be able to read the results in their morning papers."

The last overnight count in the North took place in 2000, when the Democratic Unionist Party's William McCrea won a by-election for the South Antrim seat.