VOTING HAS taken place, slowly but steadily, across Northern Ireland’s 18 six-seat constituencies for the fourth Stormont Assembly since the Belfast Agreement in 1998.
Elections were also being held to fill the 582 seats on 26 local councils – the first since 2005. Voters were also deciding on the voting system for Westminster elections – the first UK-wide referendum since 1975.
The first wet weather in more than two weeks hampered voter turnout early yesterday, but a drier evening helped to facilitate the usual evening rush.
Polls closed at 10pm and a turnout of about 60 per cent was anticipated.
The PSNI confirmed last night it had stepped up patrols to ensure there was no disruption from dissident republican groups.
It said it had, in conjunction with the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland, put thorough and robust plans in place for the elections.
Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie had said that despite the increased security, the PSNI presence would be low-key. She said: “I want to reassure you that this is a carefully planned and very significant police operation, but one which we regard as absolutely critical to ensuring that everyone who chooses to do so can be facilitated to safely cast their vote.
More than 1.2 million electors were offered the three separate ballot papers. Polling officials took time to explain to voters the intricacies of the various ballot papers being offered.
Both the local council elections and the Assembly poll are being conducted using the single transferable vote (STV) version of proportional representation and ballot papers were to be marked numerically. Referendum papers were simply to be marked with an ‘X’.
Counting begins today in the Assembly election, with the first results expected by early evening. Counting continues tomorrow.
The referendum results will also be collated this afternoon and a result is due this evening. Counting in the local government poll does not begin until Monday.
The main party leaders voted early. Peter Robinson, the outgoing First Minister and DUP leader, voted in East Belfast, while Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliott voted in Balinamallard, Co Fermanagh, before engaging in a tour of the county’s polling stations.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is not a candidate following his winning a seat in the Dáil last February. Outgoing Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness voted in his native Derry, accompanied by Sinn Féin candidates.
SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie voted in Crossgar in South Down, while Alliance leader David Ford went to his local polling station in South Antrim.
There was concern, especially among unionist parties, that voters would stay at home in increasing numbers following a lacklustre campaign. However it was also noted that the Assembly term just ended was the first to have been completed without suspension.
Debate has centred more on policy than the constitutional question, a development privately welcomed by senior party figures.