Counting begins in West Belfast vote to choose new MP
Sinn Fein's Paul Maskey wins West Belfast by-election
(40 minutes later)
Counting has begun in the West Belfast by-election to choose a new MP to replace Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.
Sinn Fein candidate Paul Maskey has been elected as the new MP for West Belfast.
The by-election was called after Mr Adams resigned earlier this year to become a Sinn Fein TD in Louth.
Mr Maskey took 70.6% of the vote in Thursday's by-election with 16,211 votes. The turnout was 37.53%.
Six candidates are vying for the post. Paul Maskey is running for Sinn Fein and Alex Attwood is the SDLP candidate.
In second place was the SDLP's Alex Attwood on 3,088, with Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit third on 1,751.
Other candidates are Brian Kingston, DUP; Bill Manwaring, Ulster Unionists; Aaron McIntyre, Alliance Party; and Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit.
The by-election was held after Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams resigned earlier this year to become a member of the Dail in the Irish Republic.
The polls closed at 2200 BST on Thursday and about 100 poll staff are counting the votes at Belfast's King's Hall.
Brian Kingston of the DUP took 1,393 votes, Bill Mainwaring of the UUP 386 and Aaron McIntyre of the Alliance Party 122.
There is no official figure for the turn-out, but party activists think it will be around 40%.
In parts of the Shankill, the turn-out is believed to be as low as 25% and in one box there were only 63 votes.
This is a solid Sinn Fein seat and the front runner, Mr Maskey, is expected to succeed Gerry Adams. The result is expected at about 0200 BST on Friday.
