The first tally is almost complete in Galway East and it looks like there’s a strong possibility that little will change here.
Seán Canney stormed home from the opening of the first box in Galway East and looks likely to be comfortable re-elected with 7,383 votes or 18.4%
Sinn Féin Louis O’Hara polled extremely well, taking second place among first preferences with 6,525 votes for a 16.3% share.
But with transfers now coming into play it will be a challenge for him to hold onto that lead.
Fine Gael’s two candidates Ciaran Cannon and Peter Roche are both neck and neck in competition for one of the three seats, at 15% and 13.9% vote share respectively.
Fianna Fáil’s Anne Rabbitte also stands a strong chance of being returned to her seat.
Though she is polling 5th after the final tally with 5,508 votes she could push her way up the rankings with transfers, especially from her party colleague Donagh Killilea who sits below her on the rankings.
With the biggest are of uncertainty being which Fine Gael candidate will be claiming a seat it seems strongly possible at this time that the profile of Galway East will not change overmuch from the last Dáil.
