Northern Ireland Assembly Election 2022: The rumour mill

Counting is underway in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election and rumours are emerging as to who could be elected - and who could be danger of losing their seat.

We have a round-up of all the talk from the count centres. But there's still a long way to go before the final result is known.

LAGAN VALLEY

Lagan Valley is one of the key constituencies.

Robbie Butler has polled very well, our reporter Paul Reilly.

Pat Catney in with a shot - he is very transfer friendly, Paul says, but Alliance could get that last seat.

STRANGFORD

The DUP's Peter Weir and UUP's Mike Nesbitt are both thought to be in danger of losing their seats.

The Alliance's Kellie Armstong has been elected - the first to be declared.

BELFAST NORTH

Nichola Mallon is in "a huge fight," according to her SDLP party leader Colum Eastwood. She served as Minister for Infrastructure in the last Assembly, but is understood to be under pressure to keep her seat.

Mr Eastwood said Sinn Fein had done "enormously well" from the nationalist vote and "people just didn't like being told by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson a nationalist couldn't be First Minister and frankly we are being squeezed as a result".

BELFAST SOUTH

Green Party leader Clare Bailey is under pressure in these early stages of the counting process.

Edwin Poots is said to be relaxed - but as UTV Political Editor Tracey Magee quips: "Edwin Poots is always relaxed."

However, early indications from the tallies suggest the TUV has been polling well.

Alliance say they believe they will get both Paula Bradshaw & Kate Nicholl across the line.

NORTH DOWN

Alex Easton is polling well and Paul Reilly reports it could be his "best ever" election result. He is running as an independent after leaving the DUP. He tells UTV's Paul Reilly he’ll be elected as an Independent and will stay an Independent.

Alliance could take two seats with the Green's Rachel Woods a potential causality.

Peter Shirlow tells UTV's Vote 22 programme it appears Mr Easton's departure from the DUP and his work at grassroots has paid off. However, "his phone won't be stopping" should the DUP need him to secure the most number of seats.

UPPER BANN

Not a comfortable count for UUP leader Doug Beattie. There have been rumours from the count centre he is struggling to outpoll his running mate Glenn Barr.

The SDLP's Dolores Kelly also looks like she could lose out while Alliance's Eoin Tennyson is quietly confident, although saying little.

For Sinn Fein, John O'Dowd looks assured to be returned - with potentially Liam Mackle coming in with a second seat for the party.

But as Gareth Wilkinson reports - this all comes with a health warning.

FOYLE

"Foyle is going to be fascinating," commentator Deirdre Heenan tells UTV's Vote 22 with speculation growing there may not be a unionist representative. The DUP's Gary Middleton could be under pressure. Sources have told Tracey Magee Sinn Fein's reorganisation of the party in Derry has played out well with voters.

EAST BELFAST

Alliance are polling well, rumours in the Titanic count centre suggest, with both leader Naomi Long and Peter McReynolds.

MID ULSTER

Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill looks set to smash the quote, the counts suggest. It looks like four could be through on the first count.

WEST TYRONE

Alliance are understood to be polling "substantially well", UTV Sara's O'Kane reports.

FERMANAGH AND SOUTH TYRONE

Tom Elliott is remaining tight-lipped on rumours he could be set to return to politics.

How we know what we know

The counting process is done in a very open and transparent manner. Parties are allowed to have people in the count centre and watch the votes being ticked off. Often they will have one person behind the counter who will tally up votes which can give a good indication of how their campaign has gone. Our journalists keep their ears open and chat with the parties on what their thoughts and feelings and get their projections.

ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS CENTRE