Counting started at 9am in the presidential election.
- Boxes are being opened across the country, as the counting of votes in the presidential election gets underway.
- Independent Catherine Connolly, Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin (Fianna Fáil) are on the ballot.
- Tallies should give us an idea by mid-morning whether there is indeed a clear win for independent Catherine Connolly, but a first count result won’t come until this evening.
10.22am Boxes opened at 9am and votes are being sorted across the country ahead of counting.
The early picture seems to back up the opinion polling with Catherine Connolly holding an early lead in most constituencies across the country.
But from the boxes already open this morning the story is the sheer volume of spoiled votes across the country.
Those have a series of different motivations and slogans – quite a few people have written Maria Steen’s name, Enoch Burke for President has also been recurrent vote.
Some contain anti-migrant messages.
In some early boxes, the number of spoiled votes is significantly higher than the vote for Heather Humphreys.
The volume of spoiled votes will likely delay the result this evening.
Other spoiled votes were less serious – including votes for Brad Pitt and Dustin the Turkey.
While three miraculous medals have been found in a box in Limerick, in an election day staple.
10am Early tallies suggest Catherine Connolly is set for a large victory with Heather Humphreys behind by a ratio of over two-to-one in some constituencies.
Dublin, Kildare, Galway, Meath, Wexford, and Clare all show strong leads for Ms Connolly so far.
9.40am Further reports of a high number of spoiled votes.
9.30am Initial reports from Dublin suggest a strong lead for Catherine Connolly along with a high number of spoiled votes.
