Galway East 3rd Count: Reid, Spelman eliminated

The third count in Galway East has been completed. That elimination of Aontu’s Martin Ward from Tuam and the distribution of his 670 votes has benefited Independent Sean Canney in the main, but Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara received the second highest transfer.

If that trend continues through subsequent counts, then he cannot be ruled out for a possible seat. The Athenry student is in the comfortable position of being 968 votes ahead of his nearest rival, outgoing TD Ciarán Cannon and 1,204 votes in front of Cllr Pete Roche (FG).

Following the third count, the votes of eliminated Peter Reid (Soc Dem) and Marian Spellman (Labour), totalling 1,782, are being distributed. That fourth count should be completed inside the next hour.

The predictability that was traditionally a trademark of the Galway East constituency is firmly a thing of the past and this is largely to do with O’Hara’s performance. He is very much in the race for a seat and a pictured should begin to emerge when this fourth count is completed.

GALWAY EAST
Number of seats: 3
Electorate: 69,233
Total poll: 42,858
Spoiled votes: 338
Total valid poll: 42,520
Quota: 10,631

THIRD COUNT
Distribution Ward’s votes
Sean Canney (Ind) +248 8,142
Louis O’Hara (SF) +117 7,294
Ciaran Cannon (FG) +19 6,326
Pete Roche (FG) +50 6,090
Anne Rabbitte (FF) +44 5,820
Donagh Killilea (FF) +58 5,004
Eoin Madden (GP) +35 1,977
Peter Reid (Soc Dem) +25 892
Marian Spelman (Lab) +27 890
Reid and Spellman eliminated

SECOND COUNT
Distribution of O’Reilly, MacCanna votes
Sean Canney (Ind) +79 7,894
Louis O’Hara (SF) +69 7,177
Ciaran Cannon (FG) +9 6,307
Pete Roche (FG) +6 6,040
Anne Rabbitte (FF) +14 5,776
Donagh Killilea (FF) +14 4,946
Eoin Madden (GP) +18 1,942
Peter Reid (Soc Dem) +19 867
Marian Spelman (Lab) +18 863
Martin Ward (Aon) +88 670
Ward eliminated.

FIRST COUNT
Sean Canney (Ind): 7,815
Louis O’Hara (SF) 7,108
Ciaran Cannon (FG) 6,298
Pete Roche (FG) 6,034
Anne Rabbitte (FF) 5,762
Donagh Killilea (FF) 4,932
Eoin Madden (GP) 1,924
Peter Reid (Soc Dem) 848
Marian Spelman (Lab) 845
Martin Ward (Aon) 582
David O’Reilly (Ind) 246
Deaglan MacCanna (Ren) 126
O’Reilly, MacCanna eliminated

Photo: Peter Reid of the Social Democrats (front left) with supporters.