Chief Electoral Officer Graham Shields has defended the slow pace of counting saying it was important to be ‘accurate’
Robinson says DUP win ‘for Kerr’
The DUP and Sinn Fein look set to remain the biggest parties in the NI assembly as counting resumes with two thirds of the seats still to be filled.
Counters worked until 0300 BST on Saturday to finish counts at Newry and Armagh and Upper Bann. Eleven of the twelve MLAs retained their seats.
Jo-Anne Dobson of the UUP is the new face in Upper Bann.
There are cliffhanger races shaping up for all the parties across Northern Ireland.
Final results will not be in until later. Trends suggest a strong showing for the DUP, Sinn Fein and Alliance.
The overall outcome is less certain for the Ulster Unionists and SDLP.
In West Tyrone, the DUP has requested a recount. The issue centres on the six votes separating Ross Hussey, UUP and the DUP’s Alan Bresland.
In the same constituency, Sinn Fein is locked in a battle with the SDLP. It has also narrowed the gap in Foyle.
But there was disappointment for the party in Upper Bann and Mid Ulster.
The DUP has strong potential for gains in Lagan Valley, South Antrim, East Antrim and North Belfast. There is also a possibility for a gain in South Belfast.
Alliance is going to win a second seat in East Belfast and is fighting for another gain in North Down.
So far, Ulster Unionist deputy leader John McCallister is clinging on in South Down and so is his Strangford colleague David mcNarry.
TUV leader Jim Allister is battling it out with the Ulster Unionists for a seat in North Antrim.
In Newry and Armagh, Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy topped the poll. Dominic Bradley, SDLP and Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy were also elected in the first round.
Cathal Boylan, SF, William Irwin, DUP and Mickey Brady SF retained their seats.
In Upper Bann, Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd was elected with 6,649 first preference votes, followed by Sydney Anderson and Stephen Moutray, DUP. In the seventh round Jo- Anne Dobson, UUP, Dolores Kelly, SDLP, and Sam Gardiner, UUP, were all elected below quota.
Official figures showed the turnout percentage to be well down on previous polls.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.