Massive local vote in Glenamaddy and Williamstown
INDEPENDENT Tim Broderick has topped the poll in the Ballinasloe area once again and has been elected on the first count.
He was joined by Moylough’s Michael Connolly of Fianna Fail whose first preference vote also well exceeded the quota which is set at 1,894.
Connolly and Broderick take the first two seats in this six-seat electoral area the geography of which has changed considerably since 2014. It now includes large chunks of the Tuam area, including Glenamaddy and Williamstown.
Voters in those areas have clearly voted to keep their councillors local with candidates Peter Keaveney FG and Declan Geraghty succeeding in securing a massive vote for the area between them.
Keaveney who was elected in the Tuam area in 2014 has 1,632 first preference votes while Geraghty, backed by Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice and aiming to retain the seat held by Ind Des Joyce, received 1,541.
It’s an anxious wait now for FG’s Aidan Donohoe and Michael Finnerty, who have both seen their vote fall, while environmental campaigner Aisling Dolan IND has polled very strongly in the urban areas of Ballinasloe and is also in contention for a seat.
Number of seats: 6
Electorate: 13,462
Valid poll: 13,251
First count
Tim Broderick IND 2,362
Michael Connolly FF 2,168
Peter Keaveney FG 1,632
Declan Geraghty IND 1,541
Dermot Connolly SF 1,387
Aisling Dolan IND 1,082
Aidan Donohue FG 845
Michael Finnerty FG 697
Mike Kelly FF 511
Ken Campbell SD 407
Harriett Bruce IND 311
Kenneth O’Brien FF 308
* Broderick and Connolly elected