Turnout reported to be steady across Limerick constituencies

TURNOUT is said to be steady at polling stations across Limerick as voting in General Election 2016 continues.

Around 300 polling booths across the city and county opened at 7am and will remain open until 10pm with the votes being counted on Saturday.

Unofficial figures from polling stations, suggested that around 20% of the electorate in both Limerick consitituencies had cast their vote by lunchtime. By this evening, average turnout was said to be averaging in the low to mid 30% region.

By 6pm this evening, certain areas in the city were reported to have hit 43% - Knockea and Watch House Cross - but other areas were holding in the high 20% and 30% level.

In the county, turnout in Foynes is said to have hit around 46%, with mid 40% levels reported in Pallaskenry. Caherconlish was said to be at 29%.

Close to 3.3m people are eligible to vote nationally. 

Be sure to #UseYourVote, and be sure that you agree with your chosen candidates by checking https://t.co/GH0p9Q41gd

— whichcandidate (@WhichCandidate) February 26, 2016

Voters in the Limerick city constituency are being asked to select four of eleven candidates while voters in the three-seat Limerick constituency have ten candidates to choose from.

Following the closure of polling stations, the ballot boxes will be transferred under garda escort to the UL Arena where they will be kept overnight.

Ballot papers will be sorted by count staff from 9am tomorrow with the counting of the votes expected to get underway around lunchtime.

While trends may become clear early in the day, the result of the first count is not expected until the early evening.

Flashback: @Limerick_Leader front page from February 28, 2011. What will Monday's front page headline be? #GE16 pic.twitter.com/jZik1aQTfq

— anne sheridan (@annesheridan1) February 25, 2016

The Limerick Leader will have a large team of reporters at the count in UL Arena from 9am on Saturday morning to bring you live, rolling coverage from the centre as the election is decided.

Our team will be there from the opening of the boxes, offering tally information, live updates, pictures and reaction, and then as the counts get underway, live reaction and minute by minute updates as they happen. 

Survival kit for tomorrow's election count is ready to go #GE2016 #Limerickvotes @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/XWVNTDKW6F

— David Hurley (@DHurleyLL) February 26, 2016

Comments from readers are very welcome, both directly through our rolling live blog, or on our social media channels.

See www.limerickleader.ie for our live coverage tomorrow morning.