The counting of ballot papers in the Northern Ireland council elections is set to resume this morning.
DUP and Sinn Féin candidates have already made gains with two-thirds of the ballots counted by yesterday evening.
Latest results show the DUP has increased its share of the vote by some 7.8 per cent; Sinn Féin's increase stands at 3.2 per cent. Reports also suggest the Ulster Unionist Party's vote is down by almost 5 per cent.
Republicans did well generally across Northern Ireland and in West Belfast in particular.
In Upper and Lower Falls, it claimed nine of the 10 seats. However, the party lost a seat to Alliance in east Belfast, the area where murder victim Robert McCartney lived.
Among the losers were the UUP's Ken Maginnis, who has served on Dungannon district council for 20 years.
The SDLP vote is down by just over 2 per cent but the Alliance Party has gained some new seats.
More than 900 candidates are running for seats in 26 council areas.