Martina Anderson making her way to the EU election count centre accompanied by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson is being tipped to top the European Parliament election poll.
Counting is under way in Belfast’s King’s Hall with result of the first preference votes expected at around 2.00pm.
A total nine candidates are seeking election with the three sitting MEPs expected to be returned for another term.
They are Diane Dodds, of the Democratic Unionist Party, the wife of DUP MP Nigel Dodds, Jim Nicholson of the Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson.
Ms Anderson, from Derry’s Bogside, has been an MEP since she replaced party colleague Bairbre de Brún in May 2012, having previously served as an MLA on the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2007.
In the last EU election in 2009, Ms de Brún was elected on the first count after gaining 126,184 first preference votes, 26% of the votes cast.
Diane Dodds, with 88,346 first preference votes (18.2%) and Jim Nicholson with
88,346 votes (17.1%) were also elected after the third count.
The SDLP’s Alban Maginness had 78,489 first preference votes (16.2%).
However, no one is expected to get elected on the first count this time round.
In 2009 when the turnout was just 43%, the quota was 125,000 votes.
However, this time round the turnout is in the region of 50% and as a result the quota is expected to be around 150,000.
Ms Anderson has arrived at the count centre, accompanied by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
While she said she was confident of getting elected, she stressed she was not taking anything for granted.
Stating the result was in the “lap of the gods,” she said: “Obviously I am hoping we retain the seat. There has been a lot of speculation as to where I have been positioned but I have been very grounded throughout the campaign.
The nine candidates are:
• Anna Lo, Alliance Party
• Mark Brotherston, Conservative
• Diane Dodds, Democratic Unionist Party
• Ross Brown, Green Party
• Martina Anderson, Sinn Fein
• Alex Attwood, Social Democratic and Labour Party
• Jim Allister, Traditional Unionist Voice
• Henry Reilly, UKIP (United Kingdom Indpendence Party)
• Jim Nicholson, Ulster Unionist Party
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