Northern Ireland election Just over one million people are entitled to vote today in the European Parliament election in Northern Ireland. They are among the first to vote among the 25 member-states.
The election will be held using a register updated on May 1st, which is subject to controversial new conditions aimed at eliminating fraud.
As with the Assembly election of last November, each individual elector must register to vote - a process previously undertaken by heads of households.
The new arrangements were introduced following claims and counter-claims concerning electoral abuse.
Those eligible to vote today will have provided personal information, typically their National Insurance number, and will have signed their application.
If they present themselves at a polling centre and claim a vote, each elector will have to provide one of a number of means of identification which carries an officially accepted photograph of the bearer, such as a driving licence or a valid EU passport.
The chief electoral officer, Mr Denis Stanley, is responsible for the compilation of the register, the conduct of the election and the count.
He told The Irish Times that the guidelines governing the election were unambiguously laid down in what he called "a raft of legislation", including the Electoral Fraud Act (Northern Ireland) 2002, which sets down the new conditions on the right to vote.
The total registered to vote has fallen following implementation of the Act.
Some 1.199 million were registered in 2001 - some 100,000 higher than the total included on today's register.
Sinn Féin has been most vociferous in condemning the new arrangements, claiming the new measures are an attempt to target its popular support. The party says current procedures are a massive disenfranchisement exercise, and it has run registration campaigns among its grassroots.
The election will be held in 612 polling places across the North, usually schools and halls, and conducted by 1,532 polling staff.
As with the election in the Republic tomorrow, the votes will not be counted until after polls have closed at 9 p.m. on Sunday across the rest of the EU.
As Northern Ireland is being treated as a single EU constituency with three seats, the votes will be verified after the close of polls tonight before being transferred to the King's Hall in Belfast where counting will begin on Monday morning.
With seven candidates vying for the three seats, the result should be known by the afternoon and early indicators should be available by mid-morning.
Mr Stanley said he had no responsibility regarding turnout and that his functions related to the register, conduct of the election and the count.
Mr Stanley has said that new polling screens, disabled facilities and other facilities would be in place for today's election.
The count should be more accessible with the King's Hall being acquired for the count and new guidelines in place for scrutiny.