Polling underway in local government elections

Voting is underway in the 2019 local government elections.
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Polling stations opened this morning at 7.00 am and will remain open until 10.00 pm.

Sixty-eight candidates are contesting 40 seats in Mid and East Antrim.

The DUP, which has 15 elected council members in the borough, is fielding 19 candidates, the largest number of all parties, across seven District Electoral Areas.

Meanwhile, the UUP has selected 12 candidates for the election, having secured nine seats at the 2014 poll.

The Alliance Party will be fielding eight candidates across the borough, while only one has been nominated from the SDLP alongside four Sinn Fein representatives.

Traditional Unionist Voice secured five seats, in the last local government election, with local party members hoping their nine candidates can build on this at the poll.

The PUP will be standing two representatives, Ukip will be fielding two candidates, one candidate is standing for the Green Party in Larne and the Democrats and Veterans Party will have one candidate in the Carrick Castle DEA.

Nine independent candidates have announced their intention to stand in the contest.

Voters must provide suitable identification including: a UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) (provisional accepted); a UK, Irish or EU passport; an Electoral Identity Card; a Translink Senior SmartPass; aTranslink 60+ SmartPass; a Translink War Disabled SmartPass; a Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass.

The single transferable vote system will be used in this election with candidates ranked in order of preference.

The count will be held on Friday at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena.