Cllr Jimmy Carr.
The count in the historic election for the new Derry-Strabane “super council” will get underway this morning.
Ballot boxes, which were stored overnight under tight security, are due to be opened at 9.00am in Templemore Sports Complex and, following verification, the count will begin to determine the make up of the new “super council” which will come into operation on 1 April next year.
The first results are expected to be declared by mid-afternoon.
In needed, the count will be suspended overnight and resume tomorrow.
A total of 71 candidates are contesting the 40 seats up for grabs in the newly drawn up seven district electoral areas (DEAs), five in Derry and two in Strabane.
They are: Ballyarnett (6), Derg (5), Faughan (5), Foyleside (5), The Moor (5), Waterside (7) and Sperrin (7).
All eyes will be on the Ballyarnett DEA to see how outgoing Councillor Jimmy Carr performs after he stood as an Independent candidate following the decision of the SDLP to withdraw support for him just two days before voters went to the polls.
Gary Donnelly.
There is keen interest also in the Moor DEA where Independent Gary Donnelly is hoping to make inroads into the republican vote.
In the Faughan and Waterside DEAs, the UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) – which has put forward three candidates in a Derry election for the first time – is hoping to impinge on the unionist vote.
In Strabane, the interest is in how supporters of long-serving Independent James O’Kane, who is not seeking re-election, will have cast their votes this time round.
The results in the European election, which also took place yesterday, will not be known until all 28 countries have voted and a central count is completed in Belfast’s King’s Hall on Monday.
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