Local Elections: fewer than 90 votes separating five candidates in Donegal LEA
Tallies indicate a big battle for seats as the count gets underway in Donegal Town
The count is underway in the St John Bosco Centre, Donegal Town, with the first count not expected until after lunchtime.
With all boxes opened in the Aura Centre, Letterkenny, on Saturday, the official count moved to Donegal Town on Sunday morning.
Micheál Naughton (FF) looks set to top the poll on first preference votes, with tallies indicating 1,817 votes. This is still short of the quota of 1,937.
Noel Jordan (SF) is sitting in second place, on 1,538.
After this, it gets very close, with only 88 first prefernece votes separating the next five candidates in the six-seater Municipal District (MD).
Michael McMahon (SF) is on 1,358, newcomer Jimmy Brogan is on 1,335. Donegal Town Mayor Pauric Kennedy who is son of the late Fianna Fáil counncillor, Peter Kennedy, is running as an independent candidate. He has secured 1,310 votes. Manus Boyle (FG) is on 1,278 and his party colleague Barry Sweeny is on 1,270.
Independent councillor Niamh Kennedy is in eighth position going into the count, on 1,096.
Transfers will really come into play in this close fought constituency.
The remaining candidates are as follows:
Martin Hegarty, Fianna Fáil, 742 votes
Diarmaid Doherty, non-party469 vot, es
Linda Boyle, Sinn Féin, 441 votes
Claudia Kennedy, Fianna Fáil, 286 votes
Patrick Brogan, Aontú, 277 votes
Derek Vial, non-party, 180 votes
John Molloy, The Irish People, 131 votes