Bye-Election analysis: Noel Thomas was most popular in County Galway, Kyne and Ogbu won city vote
Fine Gael and Labour were the two most popular parties with voters in Galway City in May’s Galway West Bye-Election, according to analysis of the tallies.
Seán Kyne, who won the seat for Fine Gael, was the most popular candidate among city voters, taking 18% or 3,534 votes in all city boxes.
The Labour Party’s Helen Ogbu was next best, also on 18% with one fewer vote, 3,533 in the city.
Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard, an Independent candidate, was the third most popular city candidate on 12% with 2,387 votes, followed by the overall runner-up, Noel Thomas of Independent Ireland who also polled 12% with 2,343 votes.
Cubbard was most popular in Galway City Central (including Westside and Shantalla), Kyne was most popular in Galway City West (which includes Knocknacarra and Salthill), and Ogbu was tops in her area of Galway City East (including Doughiska).
Sinn Féin’s Mark Lohan was stronger than Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich of the Social Democrats in Galway City (1,631 versus 1,469) according to the tallies.
Thomas, from Maigh Cuilinn, was the most popular candidate in the constituency's rural areas, taking more than one in four of all votes (28%) cast in County Galway, according to the tallies.
He was strongest in Conamara taking 33% and 31% of first preferences in Conamara North and Conamara South respectively. Thomas was also most popular in Athenry/Oranmore with 22% of the vote, compared with 21% for Fianna Fáil’s candidate, Councillor Cillian Keane from Maree, Oranmore. Kyne took 19% of the vote in this Local Electoral Area, where his constituency and party colleague Hildegarde Naughton, the Education Minister is based.
Tom Welby (Ind) was the second most popular candidate in Conamara North after Thomas, taking 24% of all first preference votes followed by Kyne on 19%.
Kyne was second most popular in Conamara South – which includes Bearna, Na Forbacha and Cois Fharraige – with 27% of first preferences.
Keane took the highest number of votes cast in Gort-Kinvara, which includes parts of Oranmore and Clarinbridge, with 37% of the total.
Tallies are essentially estimates. Tallymen and tallywomen, observing on behalf of political parties, take a count of the number one votes as the ballot boxes are opened.
Their figures are compiled to give an early indication of what’s to come – but ultimately, nothing is certain until the official count is complete, and the complexities of Ireland's PR-STV (proportional representation with a single transfer vote) system are played out.
While the ballot remains secret, tallies provide useful information of how each locality within an electoral area voted.
The figures used in this article were the tallies supplied by the Fine Gael’s tally team.