Overview:The DUP and Sinn Féin were last night on track to make significant gains as counting resumes this morning in the Assembly elections.
As counting was adjourned last night, the two main unionist and nationalist parties were on schedule to increase their representation in the Assembly should it be reinstated by the St Andrews Agreement deadline of March 26th.
The British and Irish governments will be happy that neither unionist nor independent republican candidates opposed to a deal by the March deadline made any real impact on the DUP and Sinn Féin.
It seemed certain at the time of writing last night that not only would UKUP leader Robert McCartney fail in his strategy to seriously dent the DUP by standing candidates in 13 constituencies - and running in six constituencies himself - but that he would lose his seat in North Down.
So-called "dissident" independent republican candidates also failed to encroach on the Sinn Féin vote.
It is still unclear, however, whether the DUP will enter into government with Sinn Féin by March 26th.
Successful DUP candidates were holding to the line yesterday that Sinn Féin still had more to deliver before Dr Ian Paisley would agree to powersharing, notwithstanding the continued insistence from the British and Irish governments that the choice on March 26th remained "devolution or dissolution".
A number of seats remain unpredictable as the counts head to a conclusion this evening. It will be transfers that will determine the extent of the DUP and Sinn Féin increases in seats.
Again, while transfers could still save some Ulster Unionist Party seats, it was clear from the initial counts that the DUP has inflicted major damage on the UUP; the DUP vote now doubles that of the UUP.
The SDLP, which entered the election with 18 seats and had ambitions to increase by perhaps three seats, did not fare as well as it expected, although it was still hoping that transfers could gain it final seats in tight constituencies. Last night, however, it appeared it would be doing well to hold 18 seats.
The first politician elected yesterday was DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson in East Belfast. He topped the poll and was returned on the first count with Alliance deputy leader Naomi Long.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams in West Belfast was also one of the first elected, while his party seemed well placed to win a fifth and extra seat in the constituency, most likely at the expense of DUP MLA Diane Dodds.
The Sinn Féin vote in the constituency was well managed, as it was in constituencies such as West Tyrone, where Sinn Féin won a third and extra seat, and in Newry and Armagh where it held its three seats.
Mitchel McLaughlin, who was parachuted from Foyle into South Antrim, caused a shock by topping the poll for Sinn Féin.
The final number of DUP seats remained unclear yesterday. There were likely gains in constituencies such as East Belfast, Strangford and Lagan Valley but there was a possible DUP loss in West Belfast.
Alliance leader David Ford was on target to hold his seat in South Antrim. The party was reasonably placed to win seven seats.
