They say one vote can make all the difference, and just before 10pm on Sunday night, one vote was enough to suspend activities for the night at the Youth Centre in Carlow following the result of the 13th count for the Tullow LEA.
Our reporter in Carlow, Alan O’Reilly, was at the count centre with the details.
A full recount for Tullow will commence tomorrow at 10am as just 3 votes separate 3 candidates for 2 seats. Carlow Town also suspended to resume tomorrow. #Carlow #LE24 pic.twitter.com/tbZMxsKdNc
— Alan O'Reilly (@saloreilly) June 9, 2024
Around 9.30pm, returning officer Eamonn Brophy declared Brian O’Donoghue (FG) and Jim Deane (SF) elected without reaching quota.
With newly-elected candidate Ben Ward’s surplus set to decide the final seats for the Tullow LEA, O’Donoghue finished with 895 votes, Deane with 893 votes and Catherine Callaghan (FG) with 892 votes.
With just three votes separating the three candidates, and one single vote separating Deane and Callaghan and the result was deemed too close to call and would not be officially declared by the returning officer.
By 9.50pm ‘the next steps’ had been determined with a full recount for the Tullow LEA called, along with the suspension of the Carlow LEA count after a tenth round.
The final count of the night for Carlow is Count 10.
SF's Nicoleta Chiorean has been eliminated following the distribution of Molly Aylesbury's 283 votes.
8 remain to fill 4 seats. Counting resumes 10am Monday.
More: https://t.co/X5FJMsRcIS pic.twitter.com/LcSMYTp8CZ
— KCLR 96FM (@kclr96fm) June 9, 2024
Count 10 saw Sinn Féin candidate Nicolete Chiorean eliminated with votes to be distributed tomorrow morning.
Counting resumes in Carlow at 10am.