BREAKING: Full recount of Swinford Local Electoral Area ordered

A full recount for the Swinford Local Electoral Area has been announced for tomorrow morning (Monday, June 10). 

John Condon, Returning Officer for Mayo, agreed to a full recount of votes in the Swinford Local Electoral Area following a request from Sinn Féin candidate John Sheahan, who finished just one vote shy of Cllr Neil Cruise (Fine Gael), Cllr Adrian Forkan (Fianna Fáil) and Cllr John Caulfield (Fianna Fáil), who were elected without reaching the quota. 

The count for the Ballina Local Electoral Area, which had been scheduled to take place tonight (Sunday), will now take place tomorrow at 10am. Further details on the re-count for the Swinford Local Electoral Area (LEA) will be announced tomorrow (Monday).

The decision to order a recount followed the distribution of Cllr Gerry Murray's (Sinn Féin) votes. The incumbent Charlestown-based councillor was the first to be elected in the Swinford LEA he exceeded the quota of 1,744 on the third count. 

Cllrs Cruise, Forkan, Caulfield and Mr Sheahan were called to a meeting with Mr Condon following a long delay in distributing his surplus of 74 votes. 

Cllr Murray's surplus was then distributed to give Cllr Forkan 1,668, Cllr Caulfield 1,641, Cllr Cruise 1,637, and Mr Sheahan 1,636, leaving just five votes between the latter three. 

“Under the circumstances, I think that a recount is a reasonable request,” Mr Condon told those gathered in the Velvet Room in the TF Royal Theatre and Hotel in Castlebar. 

Seán Forkin, an Independent candidate who was eliminated on the first county after receiving 99 first preferences, alleged publicly that ballot boxes had been 'tampered with overnight' after being taken away from a count centre. 

His remarks drew gasps and laughter from those gathered, before Mr Condon responded: “I have acceded to request for a recount, and as far as I’m concerned, we’re concluded here this evening. I will announce the details of the count in the morning.” 

His remarks were greeted with a round of applause from those gathered.

When questioned by The Mayo News afterwards, Mr Forkin said that he had evidence of ballot boxes being tampered with but failed to produce any. 

Fine Gael's Antoinette Peyton, Tommy Horan of Aontú, and Marion Gordon of The Irish People were also eliminated before the fifth count took place.