Election 2024: Key transfers will define a close battle in Ballina
A tally with 90% of boxes show that once again, Mark Duffy (Ind) and John O’Hara (FG) will win the first seats in the Ballina Municipal District.
A number of boxes from Attymass, Ardnaree and Lacken NS remain untallied.
Duffy has tallied around 1,931 votes and if this translates to the count later today, he may surpass the quota which is expected to be around 1,850 votes. O’Hara with 1,791 votes may not be far off but it is worth keeping in mind the tally is incomplete and he will likely do well in the untallied Attymass box.
Michael Loftus (FF) is poised to take the next seat with 1,273 tallies while first-time candidate Joe Faughnan (Ind) has also fared well and may well take the seat left vacant by the retiring Seamus Weir in Knockmore. He received 1,070 tallies and will be transfer-friendly with fellow Independent Mark Duffy.
The final two seats may come down to the wire between Annie-May Reape (FF) with 976 tallies, David Alexander (FF) with 884 votes and Jarlath Munnelly (FG) with 834 votes. Fine Gael will be hopeful that O’Hara can transfer strongly to Munnelly and prevent Fianna Fáil taking three seats in Ballina after the poor performance of Hugh Rouse (FG), who tallied just 360 votes. Munnelly should also be expected to poll well in the untallied box from Lacken.
It looks as though there is too much ground to gain for Una Morris (SF) in what was another poor showing for Sinn Fein. Her running mate Antonio Cafolla tallied just 206 votes. The destination of Morris’s transfers will prove fascinating in the race between Alexander and Munnelly – all three are Killala-based.
Joe Doocey (Ind) tallied 343 votes and while he might have too much ground to make up to contend with the frontrunners, he will gain a good transfer from fellow Independents Garie Beattie, Jo Mullen and Keith Howley, who tallied 143, 97 and 64 respectively.
Independent Willie Nolan tallied 305 votes and his transfers may well benefit candidates based in Ballina such as Reape.
The first count for Ballina is not expected until later this afternoon. Belmullet is expected to be concluded shortly in the Ruby Room and Westport’s count will be taken up at that stage. Counting in Swinford will get underway around 2pm.
