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Voting under way in Euro election | Voting under way in Euro election |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Voting is under way in the European elections and will continue until 2200 BST on Thursday. | Voting is under way in the European elections and will continue until 2200 BST on Thursday. |
Seven candidates are competing for Northern Ireland's three MEP seats. | Seven candidates are competing for Northern Ireland's three MEP seats. |
They are the TUV's Jim Allister, the Green's Stephen Agnew, Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun, the DUP's Diane Dodds, and the SDLP's Alban Maginness. | They are the TUV's Jim Allister, the Green's Stephen Agnew, Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun, the DUP's Diane Dodds, and the SDLP's Alban Maginness. |
Also standing are the Conservative and Ulster Unionists' Jim Nicholson and Alliance's Ian Parsley. Results will not be announced until Monday. | Also standing are the Conservative and Ulster Unionists' Jim Nicholson and Alliance's Ian Parsley. Results will not be announced until Monday. |
BBC Northern Ireland's political editor, Mark Devenport said nationalists and unionists were reporting a steady turnout in rural areas. | |
Electoral Office sources describe the morning as fairly quiet, in line with previous elections. | |
Figures were posted up in individual polling stations at noon showing how many people had voted so far, but the statistics aren't being collected centrally. | |
System | System |
The European election uses the proportional representation. | The European election uses the proportional representation. |
"Voters here are well used to proportional representation - nevertheless more than 5,500 people spoiled their votes in the last European election by putting Xs on their ballot paper," said Mark Devenport. | |
"So it's worth remembering that today you should mark the paper with a 1, 2, 3 and so on for as many candidates as you choose. | "So it's worth remembering that today you should mark the paper with a 1, 2, 3 and so on for as many candidates as you choose. |
"Turnout tends to be lower in European elections than Westminster and Assembly polls - one innovation this time is that polling stations will display the number of voters who have turned out at noon, five and nine o'clock." | "Turnout tends to be lower in European elections than Westminster and Assembly polls - one innovation this time is that polling stations will display the number of voters who have turned out at noon, five and nine o'clock." |
Registered voters must present one of the following to poll staff before they can be issued with a ballot paper - a polling card is not required: | Registered voters must present one of the following to poll staff before they can be issued with a ballot paper - a polling card is not required: |
• A UK, Irish or EU passport | • A UK, Irish or EU passport |
• A photographic Northern Ireland or Great Britain driving licence | • A photographic Northern Ireland or Great Britain driving licence |
• A Translink Senior SmartPass | • A Translink Senior SmartPass |
• An electoral identity card | • An electoral identity card |
• A Trankslink 60+ SmartPass | • A Trankslink 60+ SmartPass |
• A Translink War Disabled Smartpass | • A Translink War Disabled Smartpass |
• A Trankslink Blind Person's Smartpass | • A Trankslink Blind Person's Smartpass |
Voting in other European Union member states takes place on different days - polling in the Irish Republic, for example, is on Friday. | Voting in other European Union member states takes place on different days - polling in the Irish Republic, for example, is on Friday. |
However, voting on 19 islands off the west coast of Ireland is taking place on Thursday morning. | However, voting on 19 islands off the west coast of Ireland is taking place on Thursday morning. |
Almost 2,600 people on the islands off the coasts of Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Cork will vote ahead of the rest of the country. | Almost 2,600 people on the islands off the coasts of Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Cork will vote ahead of the rest of the country. |