Elections 2014 - Count underway at Lisburn
Castlereagh East, with six members to be elected, is expected to be the first of the seven district electoral areas to yield figures as to turnout.
Kilulltagh, Downshire East and Downshire West will follow later in the afternoon.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdStormont Health Minister and Lagan Valley MLA Edwin Poots has been on hand in support of DUP candidates, not least his son, sitting Councillor Luke Poots, hoping to secure a seat in Downshire East.
The likely fortunes of Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea’s crisis-hit NI21 party - fielding 12 candidates - is subject to a great deal of speculation, with rumours doing the rounds that the party has in fact polled comparatively well in the circumstances.
It’s early days, but the resulting question on many lips is ‘How well might the party have done but for recent controversy?’