In Pictures: All the best images from Day 1 of General Election 2020 in Laois-Offaly

Day 1 of General Election 2020 has come to an end – and what a roller-coaster it has been.

The story across the country was one of the same – an astonishing Sinn Fein surge.

That was replicated in Laois-Offaly as Brian Stanley topped the poll with a surplus of 5,000.

Count 2 saw the distribution of Stanley’s surplus with the majority of those going to People-Before-Profit’s Stephen Tynan and Independent Carol Nolan.

Count 3 saw the elimination of Noel O’Rourke (Renua) and John Daly (The National Party) but once again the distribution of their votes didn’t elect anyone.

So, Pauline Flanagan (Fianna Fail), has now been eliminated and her votes will be transferred in the fourth count.

Returning officer Paul Featherstonhaugh then announced that counting was postponed and will resume at 9am on Monday morning when Pauline Flanagan’s 1,874 votes will be distributed.

They will mostly be expected to benefit her Laois Fianna Fail colleague Sean Fleming with fellow Portlaoise candidate Noel Tuohy of Labour also expected to benefit.

However, they again won’t be enough to get anyone over the line with the next lowest candidate then eliminated and their votes distributed.

That is expected to be Stephen Tynan as he is more than 400 votes behind Labour’s Noel Tuohy.

Tuohy will be the next to be eliminated unless he overtakes Ken Smollen from Tullamore who is close to 600 votes ahead of him at the moment.

The state of play after the 3rd count

1. Brian Stanley (Sinn Fein) – 16,654, ELECTED on the 1st Count
2. Barry Cowen (Fianna Fail) – 8,919 (+30)
3. Sean Fleming (Fianna Fail) – 8,190 (+74)
4. Charlie Flanagan (Fine Gael) – 7,675 (+34)
5. Carol Nolan (Independent) – 6,362 (+180)
6. Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy (Fine Gael) – 4,594 (+66) (+9)
7. Peter Ormond (Fianna Fail) – 4,137 (+5)
8. Pippa Hackett (Green) – 3,991 (+70)
9. John Leahy (Independent) – 3,862 (+137)
10. Ken Smollen (Democratic Party) – 3,261 (+88)
11. Noel Tuohy (Labour) – 2,664 (+68)
12. Stephen Tynan (People Before Profit) – 2,243 (+115)
13. Pauline Flanagan (Fianna Fail) – 1,874 (+24)
14. John Daly (Irish National Party) – 557 – Eliminated
15. Noel O’Rourke (Renua) – 356 (+66) – Eliminated

Check out the pictures below and be sure to come back to us for more action bright and early tomorrow morning:

SEE ALSO – Check out all the 2020 General Election coverage on LaoisToday