Euro turnout down on last poll

Johnny_the_fox

bbc
Turnout at the Northern Ireland European election is down by more than 5% on the 1999 poll.
Out of more than 1m people eligible to vote, the final figure was 51.72% for Thursday's election.

The poll was heaviest in the west of the province with Fermanagh/South Tyrone registering the highest poll at 66.75%, while turnout was lowest in North Down, with 38%.

It's understood both the DUP and Sinn Fein candidates have polled strongly.

The figures were calculated after electoral officials checked all the ballot papers on Friday to ensure the vote was in order.

Officials at eight different centres checked that the number of votes in the ballot boxes matched those cast on Thursday.

The counting will not begin until Monday morning as legislation requires that no results should be announced until after the last country in Europe has finished voting.

The last country in Europe does not finish voting until 2100 BST on Sunday.

Seven candidates are chasing the three Northern Ireland seats. Polling began at 0700 BST on Thursday and ended at 2200 BST.

The DUP believes its candidate, Jim Allister, has defended its seat, but history could be made if Sinn Fein displaces the SDLP.

The third seat usually goes to the Ulster Unionists, but observers are watching to see the extent of the impact on Jim Nicholson's vote made by Independent candidate John Gilliland.

why euro turnout down... is the Is it because no cares about europe or is it because the people in the north are feed up with the parties?

pauldeehan

It's cause they're lazy bastards who don't exercise their right to vote. They'd all be crying and kicking up a fuss if they weren't allowed to vote.

Mr_Roger_Bongos

Whats the point in voting?

No matter if sein fein get a lanslide victory they will always be limited by the narrowmindedness of the D.U.P.. I.R.A. dump arms, its not enough, I.R.A. dump more arms, its still not enough.

No progression is being made on any of these issues.

If the politicians got their fingers out and organised a bit of investment into northern ireland, it would cut unemployment, improve national income and reduce the number of people on the streets causing problems and violence.

Politics sucks in N.Ireland. Theres far too much buraucracy (sp), more people are employed in an inactive stormont, than the Prime Minister of the U.K. employs in his office!! It fuggin ludicrous!

If Sein Fein had any sense, they would get a catholic candidate, with no political or military background, and start their own independant party. This way they would put northern ireland first, and the D.U.P would be unable to stand in their way, becasue this new party would not speak for the I.R.A. and therefore the D.U.P couldnt claim "WE WONT WORK WITH TERRORISTS!"

i realise that ive used the D.U.P most in this post, but even if the UUP got the majority the small amount of hard line D.U.P would still stop progress.