Live Updates: Election Day 2
11.00
KINNEGAD LEA
Denis Leonard (Labour) becomes the first candidate elected after passing the quota after the seventh count.
The Kinnegad count will resume at 9am in Moate tomorrow morning.
11.00
BREAKING: Mullingar has gone to a recount, scheduled to take place at 9am tomorrow morning as five votes separate Julie McCourt (1,053) and Gerry Heery (1,048).
Bill Collentine (1,076), Aoife Davitt (1,133), and Andrew Duncan (1,119) will be elected tomorrow morning.
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10.45
Still no white smoke here in Moate yet. Denis Leonard (LB) is expected to get elected on the next count which will be announced soon. There is huge last minute drama in the Mullingar LEA as there is said to be only single digits separating Heery (FG) and McCourt (SF) in the final count.
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10.00
As the transfers are being counted in the Mullingar LEA it appears to be extremely tight between Heery (FG) and McCourt (SF). There is word on the floor of the count centre that a possible re-count will be called if the final result is so close.
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9.50
Cllr Ken Glynn has said he is “absolutely delighted, elated and very humbled” after securing his fifth consecutive term on Westmeath County Council.
Click here to read his reaction in full.
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9.40
All eyes are on the blue ballots from Mullingar to see where the transfers are going and who will get over the line. Tensions are high in this very competitive battle.
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9.30
BREAKING:
The remaining four seats in Mullingar will be filled after the next count following the elimination of Fidelma Bennet (Labour).
Her 877 votes will be shared among the remaining candidates after the eighth count.
All eyes are on the sixth and final seat; Just 29 votes separate Julie McCourt (942) from Sinn Fein and Gerry Heery (913) from Fine Gael.
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9.25
Sinn Fein’s Maureen Pigott has been eliminated in Kinnegad after the sixth count and her 501 votes will now be split between the remaining candidates.
Nobody has been elected yet in Kinnegad and things have come to a snails place after an hour and a half of time elapsed between count five and six.
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9:20
Paul Hogan is now appearing to be the slight front-runner in the fight for the final Athlone seat according to the tallies. However, transfers are still very changeable and the seat could still go to Tom Cleary (IND), Conor Dowling-Linehan (SF) or even Louise Heavin (GP).
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8:50
Green Party candidate Hazel Smyth has been eliminated after the seventh count in Mullingar. and becomes the first incumbent to lose their seat. Her votes will now be distributed amongst the remaining candidates. It looks to be an interesting battle for the final seat between Gerry Heery (FG) and Julie McCourt (SF) with 40 votes between them following this count. There are two more counts to go before all the seats are filled.
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8:35
Half of the council seats have now been filled with the government parties of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael currently holding the most seats with seven between them (5 FF and 2 FG). The Independents have taken two seats through poll toppers Mick Dollard and Kevin 'Boxer' Moran. Johnnie Penrose retained his seat for Labour in the Moate LEA.
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7.50
Aontu's Laura O'Neill has been eliminated in Kinnegad on the fifth count and her 397 votes will be split between the remaining candidates.
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7.40
John Dolan has taken the fourth seat in Athlone, leaving one more up for grabs.
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7.30
Emily Wallace says "very hopeful" of transfers coming her way and securing a seat in Kinnegad.
"Hopefully they come through and I'd just like to thank everyone for their support; hopefully I can return the favour by working hard for constituents for the next five years," she says.
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7:05
After count five in Mullingar, Ali Morris from the Social Democrats has been eliminated and her 347 votes could play an important role in who takes seat number six.
Currently holding the seat is Gerry Heery (FG) with 797 votes, but hot on his heels is Julie McCourt (SF) with 769 votes.
Also in contention for the sixth seat is Labour's Fidelma Bennett with 602 votes.
Hazel Smyth now looks sure to be eliminated, with the rest of the incumbents, Andrew Duncan, Bill Collentine, and Aoife Davitt a certainty to retain their seats.
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7.00
Almost half of the seats are now filled with 9/20. Here is the latest make-up of the new county council.
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6.30
Frankie Keena and Aengus O'Rourke celebrate getting elected.
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6.18
Patrick Hussey has been eliminated in Mullingar after the third count and his 222 votes will now be split among the remaining candidates.
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6.15
Aengus O'Rourke and Frankie Keena have both been elected for Fianna Fail in the Athlone electoral area after the second count.
Ray Lennon of the Labour Party has been eliminated.
There are two more seats available in Athlone and in contention is Conor Dowling-Linehan (563 votes) from Sinn Fein and independents Paul Hogan (530) and Tom Cleary (507)
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6.00
KINNEGAD LEA:
Sinn Fein's Frances Monahan and Fine Gael's Anthonia Izekor have been eliminated after count four.
Between them, there are 357 votes to divide among the remaining candidates.
No councillors have been elected in Kinnegad yet, but Denis Leonard is on top of the poll with 1,502 votes and could be elected on the next count if transfers go his way.
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5.55
WATCH: Ken Glynn reacts to taking the second seat in the Mullingar electoral area.
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5.40
Ken Glynn has been elected on the second count in the Mullingar LEA.
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5.30
Sinn Fein's Damien Rooney has been eliminated after count three in Mullingar and his 210 votes will now be divided among the remaining candidates.
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5.25
Here is the final leader board for the Moate LEA where Johnnie Penrose (LB) and Liam McDaniel (FF) take the final two seats joining Vinny McCormack (FF) and Tom Farrell (FG) who were elected earlier.
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5.00
KINNEGAD LEA
After the third count in Kinnegad, Sarah Herraty from Ireland First has been elimated and her 133 votes will be shared among the remaining candidates.
No councillors have been elected yet in Kinnegad.
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4.53
MOATE LEA
After the fifth count, all seats have been filled by the incumbents.
They are Tom Farrell, Vinny McCormack, Johnnie Penrose and Liam McDaniel.
Independent Michael O'Brien finished in fifth with 1465 votes.
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4.45
Cllr Ken Glynn is elected on the second count. Four seats remaining in Mullingar.
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4.30
Fidelma Bennett says she’s being “pragmatic” when asked how she feels about her chances of being elected.
She’s currently placed eighth with 537 votes but is still in with a chance of returning a seat for Labour Party in Mullingar if transfers go her way.
She hopes “lady luck” will be on her side.
“It could easily go to other candidates, but I’m hoping for the best”.
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4:18
INTERESTING: One ballot box from Delvin had a 93% turnout last Friday which could potentially be the highest in the country for a single box.
There were 369 votes cast in the box with the majority split between Niall Gaffney (139) of Fianna Fáil and David Jones (127) of Sinn Féin.
Could it be because Delvin has not had a councillor elected in the village for two decades and decided enough was enough? Who knows.
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4:15
Here is the current leaderboard for the Mullingar LEA after the first count earlier today. We are still awaiting the second count
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4:00
Mick Dollard says he's "elated" to be first elected in Mullingar. He remains the county's longest-serving public representative with 40 years of experience behind his belt.
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3.55
Here is the make-up of the Westmeath County Council after four candidates have been elected. The four elected are Tom Farrell (FG) and Vinny McCormack (FF) in Moate, Mick Dollard (IND) in Mullingar and Kevin 'Boxer' Moran (IND) in Athlone.
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3.40
MOATE LEA:
Vinny McCormack takes the second of four seats up for grabs in Moate after the fourth count.
That means Paul Hogan's 873 votes will be shared among the remaining candidates.
Hogan is also running in the Athlone LEA where he faces losing his seat unless he's one of the biggest beneficiaries of Kevin 'Boxer' Moran's over 2,000 surplus votes on the second count.
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3.25
Robert Troy is happy with his party's performance and has one eye on the general election.
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3.23
KINNEGAD LEA:
Carol Okeke of the Green Party has been eliminated after the second count and her 122 votes will now be shared among the remaining candidates.
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3.00
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2.55
No candidate has been elected after the first count in the Kinnegad LEA. Here is the leaderboard. Ian McGauley from the Irish People Party has been eliminated.
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2.50
Mullingar has elected its first councillor!
Independent veteran councillor Mick Dollard received 1696 first preference votes, 372 over the quota on the first count, and his votes will now be shared among the remaining candidates.
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2.35
The Athlone LEA leaderboard after the first count.
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2.30
Sinn Fein's John Lawlor has been eliminated in the Moate electoral area after the third count and his 445 votes will now be shared among the remaining candidates.
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2.25
The Westmeath Nationalist Alliance have their say on this year's local elections.
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2.20
Kevin 'Boxer' Moran has been elected on the first count in the Athlone LEA. He becomes the second candidate to be elected joining Tom Farrell who was elected this morning.
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1.55
'There wasn't enough space for me'
Irish Freedom Party candidate Shane Lynam says it was an uphill battle for him in the Moate LEA against many established candidates, after he was elected on the second count.
Click here to read his thoughts.
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1:45
The doubtful votes in Mullingar are continuing to be checked now, the hope is the first count is approaching.
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1:25
Minister Peter Burke very happy with Fine Gael performance so far
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1:05
MULLINGAR LEA:
Sinn Féin candidate Julie McCourt is "optimistic" about taking the sixth seat in Mullingar, despite being over 150 votes behind Fine Gael's Gerry Heery.
She says she's "appreciative of everyone who came out to vote for her" last Friday and adds things are "still up in the air," but she and her team are remaining "positive".
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12.55
MOATE LEA:
After Cllr Tom Farrell's surplus is divided, no candidates have made the quota.
Vinny McCormack gained 147 of the 360 votes available from Farrell's surplus, the most of any candidate, and he needs just 48 more votes to be elected on the third count.
Shane Lynam of the Irish Freedom Party has been eliminated and his 277 votes will now be transferred across the remaining candidates.
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12:05
Doubtful votes in the Athlone LEA are being adjudicated at midday today in the count centre.
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11:55
"This one's for you"
After becoming the first elected councillor in Westmeath, Tom Farrell remembered his son Eoin Farrell who passed away from an illness in 2022.
Click here to read Tom's full reaction.
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11:35
Some more faces from the count:
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Senator Paul Daly was there for the long haul.Image 2 of 12
Supporting their grandfather, Tom Farrell, at the count, from left, Donnacha, Daithi, Ódhran and Ayda Farrell.Image 3 of 12
Going through doubtful votes in the Moate LEA box, from left, Senator Paul Daly, Kilbeggan, Ancel Boyce, Ballynacargy, Des Cawley, Multyfarnham and Alan Shaw, Athlone.Image 4 of 12
In conversation at the count centre, Ronan Farrell, Walderstown, John Gavin, Mount Temple, and Minister Peter Burke.Image 5 of 12
Catching up with the nationwide situation, former councillor and retired senator, Camillus Glynn.Image 6 of 12
Candidate Niall Gaffney, third from left, with, from left, Eamonn Bray, Rachel Martyn, originally from Mayo, and on right, Niall's father, John Gaffney.Image 7 of 12
Cllr Ken Glynn, enjoying a quiet moment with his parents, retired senator Camillus Glynn and Margaret Glynn.Image 8 of 12
Looking relaxed, Cllr Mick Dollard and Cllr Aoife Davitt.Image 9 of 12
Some more faces from the count!Image 10 of 12
Pat Byrne, Ballynacargy, counting Moate LEA ballot papers at the Moate count centre.Image 11 of 12
Tom Farrell is hoisted onto the shoulders of jubilant supporters.Image 12 of 12
Proud grandfather Tom Farrell - elected to Westmeath County Council for a third term - with his grandchildren Donnacha, Odhran (in his arms), Daithi and Ayda Farrell.-----------------------------------------------
11:30
A busy day of election action concluded late last night. Here are five talking points from yesterday.
Five talking points from elections day one
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11:20
Candidates are steadily arriving for day two of the local election count in Moate.
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Sean Jones, David Jones (Sinn Fein candidate) and Darren Jones.Image 2 of 5
Team Labour: Martin Plunkett, Jimmy O'Connell, Pat Boyce and Amy Boyce.Image 3 of 5
Fianna Fáil's candidates in the Kinnegad electoral area, Alfie Devine and Niall Gaffney.Image 4 of 5
Bill Collentine and Westmeath County Council chief executive Barry Kehoe.Image 5 of 5
Paddy Cheevers, Noeleen Fanning and Faolán Kennedy.-----------------------------------------------
10:40
WATCH: Moate LEA - Count 1 Results
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10:20
Proud grandfather Tom Farrell - elected to Westmeath County Council for a third term - with his wife Goretti, grandchildren Donnacha, Odhran (in his arms), Daithi and Ayda Farrell.
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10:05
Here is how thing's stand in Moate LEA after the first count. Tom Farrell topping the poll. His surplus will now be distributed.
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9:40
We're off! Tom Farrell has become the first candidate to be elected to Westmeath County Council by topping the poll in the Moate LEA.
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9:15
The first count for the Moate LEA is expected to be announced at 9.30am.
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9:00
Good morning from Moate count centre. We are back again for day two of the local elections count in Westmeath. We will be bringing you all the latest news as it happens here on our live updates throughout the day.