THERE have been celebrations here at the Meadow View Sports Centre in Magherafelt as Sinn Fein’s Jemma Dolan reaches the quota on the first count for Fermanagh South Tyrone.
Outgoing MLA Ms Dolan comfortably reached the quota 8,958 with a total of 9,067 first preference votes.
A total of six candidates have been eliminated in the first count, Donal O’Cofaigh (602 first preferences), Emmett Kilpartrick (103), Emma DeSouza (249), Kelly Turtle (335), Denise Mullen (927), Derek Backhouse (128).
The second count is now underway, with both Jemma Dolan and the six eliminated candidate’s transfers now being distributed.
As always, it looks like every transfer will count here in the constituency, which is always famous for it’s closely run races.
So far, the DUP’s Deborah Erskine is sitting on 5,272 first preference votes, while her party colleague Paul Bell is on 4,255.
For the UUP, outgoing MLA Rosemary Barton is on 2,912 while former party leader Tom Elliott is on 5,442.
Sinn Fein are polling well overall, with Colm Gildernew sitting on 7,562 first preferences while Aine Murphy is on 7,379.
The Alliance Party’s Matthew Beaumont has also put in a good show for his party, picking up 2,583 first preferences.
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