ELECTION 2024: Live updates from the count - Donegal News
Sunday, June 9
17:30PM
The fourth count of the Milford Electoral Area is as follows: Declan Meehan has topped the poll in the Milford Electoral Area and is the first candidate in the area to be elected to Donegal County Council. So far, in the running for the final two seats are Fianna Fáil’s Liam Blaney on 1802 votes, Independent candidate Pauric McGarvey on 1664 and Independent John O’Donnell on 1,438 votes. Sinn Féin candidate Maria Doherty will have her 1088 votes distributed.
![Donegal election results - Figure 1](https://donegalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a39e00b2-a9af-4927-8ff1-86325cc125fd-1.jpg)
16.50pm
Lifford-Stranorlar Third Count
Third count:
Charles Ward (100%) plus 19 (958)
Gary Doherty (SF) plus 47 (1,262)
Gerry Crawford (FF) plus 31 (1,141)
Dakota McMenamin (SF) plus 20 (894)
Frank McBrearty Jnr (Ind) plus 25 (1,278)
Martin Harley (FG) plus 197 (1,482)
Martin Scanlon (Ind) plus 64 (1522)
Niall McConnell (Ind) plus 28 (999)
Patrick McGowan (FF) plus 73 (1,271)
Tony McDaid (SF) plus 4 (642)
No candidate reached the quota. Tony McDaid eliminated and his votes to be distributed.
16.30pm
Lifford-Stranorlar Second Count
Distribution of Rebecca McDaid’s (Aontu) votes (434)
Charles Ward (100%) plus 59 (939)
Gary Doherty (SF) plus 22 (1,215)
Gerry Crawford (FF) plus 20 (1,110)
Dakota McMenamin (SF) plus 35 (874)
Frank McBrearty Jnr (Ind) plus 54 (1,253)
Garvan Connolly (FG) plus 15 (533)
Martin Harley (FG) plus 24 (1,285)
Martin Scanlon (Ind) plus 48 (1,458)
Niall McConnell (Ind) plus 91 (971)
Patrick McGowan (FF) plus 27(1,198)
Tony McDaid (SF) plus 13 (638)
Garvan Connolly eliminated
16.47
The third count of the Milford Electoral Area is as follows: No candidate has reached the quota of 2,058. Fine Gael candidate Aaron Sweeney had his 515 votes distributes. So far, in the running for the three seats are Independent candidate Declan Meehan on 1,886 votes followed by Fianna Fáil’s Liam Blaney on 1,713 votes, Independent candidate Pauric McGarvey on 1,525 and Independent John O’Donnell on 1,407 votes. 100% Redress candidate Éamonn Jackson will now have his 603 votes distributed.
16:30pm
The second count of the Milford Electoral Area is as follows: No candidate has reached the quota of 2,058. Aontú candidate Kathleen Deeney and Independent candidate Vincent J Bradley had their votes distributed. So far, in the running for the three seats are Independent candidate Declan Meehan on 1,762 votes followed by Fianna Fáil’s Liam Blaney on 1,598 votes, Independent candidate Pauric McGarvey on 1,1446 and Independent John O’Donnell on 1,344 votes. Fine Gael candidate Aaron Sweeney will now have his votes distributed.
15.50pm
How Lifford-Stranorlar voted:
Electorate 21,903
Total poll 11, 533
Spoiled votes 133
Valid poll 11,400
No. of seats 6
Quota 1, 629
First Count
Charles Ward (100%) 880
Gary Doherty (SF) 1,193
Gerry Crawford (FF) 990
Dakota McMenamin (SF) 839
Frank McBrearty Jnr (Ind) 1,199
Garvan Connolly (FG) 518
Martin Harley (FG) 1,261
Martin Scanlon (Ind) 1,410
Niall McConnell (Ind) 880
Patrick McGowan (FF) 1,171
Rebecca McDaid (Aontu) 434
Tony McDaid (SF) 625
No one elected on first count. Rebecca McDaid eliminated. No surplus.
3:30pm
The first count of the Milford Electoral Area is as follows: No candidate has reached the quota of 2,058. So far, in the running for the three seats are Independent candidate Declan Meehan on 1,739 votes followed by Fianna Fáil’s Liam Blaney on 1,391 votes, Independent candidate Pauric McGarvey on 1,391 and Independent John O’Donnell on 1,324 votes. Aontú’s Kathleen Deeney and Independent candidate Vincent J Bradley will now have their votes distributed.
3.20pm
Michaeal Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig, Independent, with 2,125 votes and Michael McClafferty, Independent, with 1,885 votes, both elected in Glenties on the first count.
3.15pm
Results of the first count in Carndonagh – Ali Farren (100% Redress Party) with 2,253 votes and Martin McDermott (Fianna Fáil) with 2,069 votes elected after exceeding the quota.
2.10pm
Independent candidate Michael McClafferty looks at ease in the Highlands Hotel in Glenties as he watches while counting continues. The former Fine Gael man has tallied 1,902 votes, an increase of 900 on his 2019 performance, and is expected to be elected on the first count along with independent councillor Míchael Choilm MacGuolla Easbuig. We expect those results around 3pm.
2pm
Adjudication of spoiled votes in Lifford-Stranorlar LEA due to commence in Finn Valley count centre within 10 minutes.
1.49pm
Predicted poll topper in the Lifford-Stranorlar Local Electoral Area, Martin Scanlon (Ind) has said he is “overwhelmed” by the response he has received. He told the Donegal News he wants to see greater investment in the Finn Valley area, and, if elected, he will work hard to ensure better services and provisions.
1:25pm
Large family picture was just taken amid cheers for Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly in the Aura count centre, Letterkenny. Clearly, Mr Kelly’s team are already celebrating his victory as he’s set to top the poll in the Letterkenny LEA, according to the tallies.
12:40pm
Counting of Milford Electoral Area votes are ongoing at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny. However, we are still waiting for the Letterkenny Electoral Area count to begin. A number of election candidates have arrived at the centre.
12.30pm
Counting of votes ongoing in Carndonagh where a number of the election candidates have arrived in the count centre. Not surprisingly the mood among the 100% Redress Party candidates and supporters is extremely positive.
12.10pm
Sitting Independent councillor, Frank McBrearty Jnr has just arrived at the Finn Valley count centre. He shared a friendly word with gardai, asking them if they were “keeping an eye on the door”.
12.05pm
Sinn Féin’s John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh has arrived at the Highlands Hotel in Glenties upbeat about his performance and chances of retaining his council seat. He is currently in fifth position with 7.4 per cent of the tally and 968 votes. Speaking to the Donegal News he said he was put under pressure from Fine Gael’s Joseph Molloy and Denis Magee of the 100% Redress party.
“There’s a long way to go and a lot of twists and turns in the road but I am hopeful I’ll be able to do it,” he said.
11.55am
Some candidates are already here in Finn Valley Leisure Centre, inlcuding Rebecca McDaid (Aontu) Charles Ward (100% Redress Party) and sitting councillor Gerry Crawford (FF). There is also a garda presence in the centre.
10.45am
Counting is well underway across the different centres. In Glenties, at the Highlands Hotel, the indications are that the results of the first count will be known by around 3pm.
10.10 am
Among the big talking points from yesterday was the performance of the 100% Redress party candidates in Letterkenny and Inishowen. In Glenties, Michael McClafferty (Fine Gael) enjoyed a massive increase in his vote and there were strong showings too from Martin Scanlon (Ind) in Lifford-Stranorlar and Declan Meehan (Ind) in Milford. They can look forward to being officially elected to Donegal County Council later today.
9:44 am
Calm before the storm? Slow start to the day in the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny where the Letterkenny and Milford count is set to take place.
9.33am
Count staff are busy in the Finn Valley Centre this morning. Early indications are that the results from the first count may not be known until 3pm.
9 am
Good morning, we’re settled in and ready for a long and busy day ahead. We have team members working all over the county today from various count centres keeping you updated on everything as it happens. Our reporters Dionne Meehan, Kate Heaney, Jerome Hughes, Diarmaid Doherty, Louise Doyle and Sabrina Sweeney are out and about with our photographers Brian McDaid, Declan Doherty and Eoin McGarvey.
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Posted: 9:09 am June 9, 2024