West Tyrone voters going to the polls

VOTERS will go to the polls today (Thursday) to decide who will represent them as the MP for West Tyrone after the first July election for almost 80 years.

Eight candidates are on the ballot paper, including the outgoing MP, Orfhlaith Begley, of Sinn Fein. She will be aiming to retain the seat for a second time, since first being elected in 2018.

The other candidates are Daniel McCrossan, of the SDLP, Matthew Bell, of the Ulster Unionist Party, Tom Buchanan, of the DUP, Stephen Donnelly, of Alliance, Stevan Patterson, of the TUV, Aontu’s Leza Houston and Conservative Stephen Gerard Lynch.

It is five years since voters last went to the polls in the General Election.

Polling stations open at 7am and voting will last until 10pm tonight.

Counting will then take place in the Meadowbank Arena in Magherafelt, instead of Omagh Leisure Complex, which had been the venue for the general election count up until this year.

It is expected that the official declaration will take place sometime around 3am. However, as is customary, this approximate time could change.

pomeroy

One interesting feature of West Tyrone on this occasion is the inclusion of Pomeroy in the constituency. Around 2,500 voters there will be transferring their allegiance from Mid Ulster.

In addition to West Tyrone, much interest locally will also centre on the Fermanagh and South Tyrone and Mid-Ulster constituencies. There will be a change of MP in each of those two, following the retirement of Francie Molloy of Sinn Fein in Mid Ulster and the decision of Michelle Gildernew not to seek re-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

In Fermanagh and South Tyrone, the key battle is expected to be between Pat Cullen, of Sinn Fein, and Diana Armstrong, of the Ulster Unionist Party.

The other candidates in Fermanagh and South Tyrone are Paul Blake, of the SDLP, Carl Duffy, of Aontu, Eddie Roofe, of Alliance, Gerry Cullen, of Cross Community Labour Alternative.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Mid Ulster, the candidates are Cathal Mallaghan, of Sinn Fein, Jay Basra, of the Ulster Unionist Party, the DUP’s Keith Buchanan, Padraig Farrell, of Alliance, Alixander Halliday, of Aontu, the SDLP’s Denise Johnston, Independent John Kelly and the TUV’s Glenn Moore.