North Belfast: Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party were assured of holding their two seats each after the early counts in North Belfast. DUP MP Nigel Dodds topped the poll with just under 7,000 first preferences while Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly polled 5,414. Both of them easily surpassed the 4,246 quota.
Mr Kelly's surplus guaranteed the early election of first-time running mate Carál Ní Chuilín. Mr Dodd's surplus lifted Nelson McCausland's total, bringing him over the line.
The SDLP had a disappointing showing with Alban Maginness winning 2,212 on the first count. He was expected to benefit from transfers from running mate Pat Convery which would set him on course for the fifth seat.
Fred Cobain of the Ulster Unionists polled 2,498 first preferences and seemed destined to fight for the final seat in a battle with the third DUP candidate William Humphrey.
Raymond McCord, father of the UVF murder victim whose complaint to Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan led to the report on RUC/loyalist collusion, won 1,320 first preferences. This is well above the 213 he polled last >He had clearly won some measure of public sympathy for his stand concerning the police handling of his son's murder. It is thought he polled votes from a range of parties and his transfers could well prove crucial in the determining of the sixth seat.
Fred Cobain retained his seat in 2003 despite a disappointing first-preference tally and it appeared last night he could pull off another coup after polling only about two-thirds of a quota.
Well-known green campaigner Peter Emerson, a regular North Belfast contestant, polled 590 votes.
Four other independents and minority party candidates polled just over 1,255 votes between them.
North Antrim PANEL: Solid performance by DUP lands two early seats with promise of a third depending on unpredictable transfers from independent Raymond McCord.
Sinn Fein wins two seats and successfully replaces outgoing Assembly member.
SDLP on course to retain its sole seat after disappointing first preference showing.
Count seems destined to go to the wire to determine the final seat which could go to either UUP veteran Fred Cobain or the DUP's William Humphrey ends