91热爆

Text Election

• Mark Devenport
• 7 Mar 07, 12:32 PM

It's polling day which means that until 10pm tonight I am in purdah, hiding my analysis away discreetly behind a veil, whilst the voters make up their minds.

One thing I do want to mention though is that 91热爆 NI is providing a free text service to your mobile phone with regular updates on how the count at the Assembly election is going - who's winning those coveted seats and who'll be the power-brokers at Stormont.

We think it's a UK election first, so to sign up text the word "election" to 81222. Don't bother putting in the inverted commas. You'll get updates on the winners and the state of the parties from two o'clock on Thursday March 8.

Alan asked where the Belfast constituency votes are being counted, given that the CIty Hall isn't being used. The counting will take place in the Nugent Hall, which is behind the King's Hall at Balmoral. The election officials there and elsewhere should have a turnout figure for us around lunchtime on Thursday with the first results due early in the afternoon.

Gareth Lee and Gerard G ask what's the new name of this blog going to be? I presume that's a reference to the fact that the election will be over at 10pm tonight. To be honest I'm not sure about the technicalities - the blog is on a shared platform with my counterparts in Scotland and Wales, whose elections happen in May. So maybe we'll continue to use the election name for a while even though technically everything should be done and dusted by Friday. I was thinking of keeping the blog going at least until the devolution deadline of March 26th just to see how things go.

However this does raise two questions I'm happy to get your opinions on - should this blog carry on after March 26th? And if it does what should I call it?

All suggestions (well almost all) appreciated...

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