- 12 candidates are contesting 4 seats:
Sheikh Mohiuddin AHMED (Ind), Mary BUTLER (FF), Paudie COFFEY (FG), Ciara CONWAY (Lab), David CULLINANE (SF), John DEASY (FG), Una DUNPHY (AAA-PBP), John HALLIGAN (Ind), Grace O'SULLIVAN (Greens), Mailo POWER (Renua), Edward QUILTY (DDI), John D. WALSH (Ind).
2358: JOHN HALLIGAN ELECTED ON THE EIGHT COUNT
The moment John Halligan was elected to the Dail for Waterford #ge16 pic.twitter.com/rFAonaejX0
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 27, 2016
2245:
We’re onto the last count in Waterford. Deasy leads Coffey by just over 450 votes for the final seat. #ge16 pic.twitter.com/bWAX7nJfKL
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 27, 2016
2200: This is the crucial one. If Paudie Coffey is to gain on John Deasy then Ciara Conway's transfers must be favourable.
2157: DAVID CULLINANE ELECTED ON THE SIXTH COUNT
Here’s the moment David Cullinane was elected as a TD for Waterford #ge16 pic.twitter.com/YJK5wpMPmc
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 27, 2016
2112: Touch and go on whether we'll get this done tonight. Some saying we'll be back here at 10am tomorrow. Me? I'm confident.
2111: Good brisk pace to counting now. Here's the scheme of things after count 5
2039:
2038: NOBODY ELECTED AFTER 3RD AND 4TH COUNTS.
1951: Unsurprisingly no major changes with Butler's election surplus of less than 300 votes. Edward Quilty and Sheikh Ahmed have now been eliminated and their votes will be distributed.
1946: NOBODY ELECTED AFTER 2ND COUNT.
1926:
1924: We are still waiting for the results of the 2nd count, but Sinn Fein are clearly confident that Cullinane will be passing the quota because Martin McGuinness has just arrived.
Martin McGuinness has arrived in Waterford ahead of David Cullinane’s election #ge16 pic.twitter.com/sVBSBLllrV
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 27, 2016
1726: Butler succeeded the quota on the first count with 10,603 votes.David Cullinane has come 2nd in count 1 with 9739, followed by John Halligan on 8306, John Deasy on 7641, and Paudie Coffey on 7209, and Ciara Conway way back on 2268.
1725: MARY BUTLER IS ELECTED ON THE FIRST COUNT
1620: This is when the excitement ends and the waiting begins! Murmurs the first count result will now be closer to 5pm.
1529: Word on the street is we should be getting a first official count result here in the next hour.
1526: Another soon to be successful candidate has arrived.
Mary Butler of Fianna Fáil has arrived at the Waterford count. She will be elected later today. #ge16 pic.twitter.com/ERz65AsYSm
— Beat 102 103 (@beat102103) February 27, 2016
1429: Local councillor Adam Wyse just told me the count centre brings back bad memories for him because he has his WIT exams here in a few weeks. He's 21 years old.
I feel ancient.
1428:
“A proud day” says David Cullinane as he arrives at the Waterford count. He has all but claimed a seat. #ge16 pic.twitter.com/XqJQ6Y36l5
— Stephen Long (@Stephen_Long) February 27, 2016
1323:
Votes. Lots and lots of votes. #ge16 pic.twitter.com/Eh03LzRLXw
— Stephen Long (@Stephen_Long) February 27, 2016
1257: A suggestion that Deasy will pull away from Coffey once Conway's transfers come into play. But some Butler transfers could also go to Coffey because they are both from Portlaw.
1253:
1251: We have a final tally. Standby.
1244: So, it is looking more and more likely that Mary Butler and David Cullinane will be Waterford TDs for the first time. John Halligan is favourite to take seat number 3, leaving a straight shootout between Paudie Coffey and John Deasy to take the 4th and final seat.
That would have been unthinkable a number of weeks ago.
1200: Here is how it's looking after 75% of the tallies
1130: All boxes are open here in Waterford and it's looking like a 5-horse race for 4 seats! Mary Butler is on course to win a seat for Fianna Fail, John Halligan and David Cullinane are polling well, and John Deasy and Paudie Coffey could be on a collision course with each other for one Fine Gael seat.
We'll have the latest on Beat News at 11.50.
1023:
Couple of tally sheets from Waterford. Butler and Cullinane doing well so far #ge16 pic.twitter.com/ynJ3g56Cro
— Stephen Long (@Stephen_Long) February 27, 2016
1015: Still very early days but Mary Butler is doing well in the early tallies. It would be a "disaster" at this stage if she isn't elected according to one supporter.
0926: Just spoke to local councillor and FG member Damian Geoghegan who says "the leadership will have to take responsibility" if the exit polls are to be believed. The party will struggle to hold onto both Deasy and Coffey's seat with the figures reported nationwide.
0924:
And they’re off in Waterford #ge16 pic.twitter.com/Ty5lyUAxpA
— Stephen Long (@Stephen_Long) February 27, 2016
0900: Welcome to our live blog for the election count in the constituency of Waterford. I'm Stephen and I'll be keeping you updated on the county across the day.
First some background info. This is a 4-seat constituency which is being contested by 12 candidates. The four outgoing TDs John Deasy, Paudie Coffey, Ciara Conway and John Halligan are all hoping to retain their seats, while Mary Butler of Fianna Fail and David Cullinane of Sinn Fein appear to be the leading contenders to challenge them.
The boxes will be opening here at the count centre in WIT at 0900, and we should have the first indication on how tallies are going by mid-morning. The first official count result is not expected until mid afternoon at the earliest.
As well as this blog you can keep updated by tuning into Beat 102-103 and following our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
