NI Election 2022: slight drop expected in overall voter turnout

There are early indications that voter turnout in the Stormont Assembly election may be slightly down on the last polling day in 2017.

Official turnout figures announced on Friday morning as counting started included 61.74% in North Belfast, 58.42% in Strangford, 60.11% in East Antrim, 64.36% in South Belfast, 60.13% in North Down and 64.66% in West Belfast.

The overall average turnout at the last Northern Ireland-wide Assembly election in 2017 was 64.8%.

The first of the 90 MLAs are expected to be returned by Friday afternoon but counting is set to continue into the early hours of Saturday.

Some 239 candidates are running across 18 constituencies.

We’re expecting the first seats to be filled in the afternoon.

FOLLOW OUR LIVE RESULTS BLOG ONLINE

Read more:

NI Election 2022: Key points from party manifestoes

NI Election 2022: LIVE Results

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