Sorting of votes underway in Donegal for General Election

Votes are currently being sorted and verified with tally men and women keeping a close eye to try and get an indication of who has done well.

The Inishowen boxes were the first open and Sinn Fein’s Padraig MacLochlainn, who is from Inishowen, looks to have picked up a substantial number of first preferences there.

His party colleague, Pearse Doherty, is also doing well in the peninsula and Fianna Fail’s Charlie McConalogue, who is from Inishowen and former Minister for Agriculture and the Marine, also looks to have a strong number of first preferences.100% Redress Party’s Charles Ward is tallying in behind MacLochlainn, Doherty and McConalogue in Inishowen. However, the official figures won’t be available until all votes are officially counted.

It is very early days, with thousands of votes still to be sorted and counted for the rest of Donegal. There are 20 candidates and five seats and the count is expected to last well into Sunday and maybe Monday.

The candidates are outgoing TDs Charlie McConalogue (Fianna Fail), Pearse Doherty, (Sinn Fein), Padraig MacLochlainn (Sinn Fein) and Thomas Pringle (Non-Party), who are seeking re-election. Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh is not running in this election.

The rest of the candidates are: Nikki Bradley (FG), Vincent Bradley (Non-Party), Nuala Carr (Green Party), Carol Gallagher (People Before Profit), Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher (FF), Noel Jordan (SF), Claudia Kennedy (FF), Niall McConnell (Non-Party), Eamon McGee (Irish Freedom Party), Arthur McGuinness (Non Party), Gerry McKeever (Non-Party), Kim McMenamin (The Irish People), John McNulty (FG), Frank O’Donnell (Non-Party), Mary T.Sweeney (Aontú) and Charles Ward (100% Redress Party).