23/05/2019

Voters Head To Polls In European Elections

It's the vote that wasn't supposed to happen, but citizens across Northern Ireland will cast their ballots today on who they wish to represent them in the European Parliament for the next term.

Candidates are running across the other 27 EU member states, with a total of 751 MEPs to be elected across the bloc.

11 candidates are contesting the three Northern Ireland seats. The DUP, Sinn Fein and UUP are each defending their position within the European Parliament with representatives from the Green Party, TUV, Alliance, Conservative, SDLP, UKIP and Independent parties contesting the election.

Polling stations will close at 10pm, with a total of 1,278,951 people eligible to vote.

The election takes place every five years in EU countries. Northern Ireland uses the single transferrable vote (STV) system, in which voters rank candidates by numerical preference.

Polling cards are not required to vote but voters will require some proof of identity.

The following will be accepted:

• Driving licence

• A UK, Irish or EU passport

• An Electoral Identity Card

• A Translink Senior SmartPass

• A Translink 60+ SmartPass.

Voting in some of the other EU countries does not end until 10pm on Sunday so counting to determine results in Northern Ireland is due to begin on Monday.



(JG/CM)

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