The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, has expressed concern about unionist voter apathy in the European Parliament election but nonetheless said he was confident that the party's candidate, Mr Jim Nicholson, would take the third Northern seat.
Both the SDLP and the DUP were expressing confidence that their respective candidates, Mr John Hume and the Rev Ian Paisley, would head the poll after the first count was completed on Monday.
Mr Trimble said there were indications that a greater percentage of nationalist than unionist voters had gone to the polls on Thursday. In the traditional unionist heartland of North Antrim he was informed that "unionist boxes were turning out at 50 per cent while nationalist boxes were hitting 65 per cent".
But Mr Trimble added: "I expect that Jim Nicholson will be returned as our MEP. I am quite confident of that. And I don't anticipate any trouble. I am confident he will be elected, and elected comfortably."
The other main focus in this election is whether the SDLP leader, Mr Hume, will eclipse Dr Paisley as poll-topper. While an overall turnout of around 50 per cent is expected, political observers said that voting in nationalist areas, particularly west of the Bann, appeared to be higher than in unionist areas.
An SDLP spokesman said the nationalist vote came out fairly strongly and "we think that John Hume will hopefully top the poll".
Mr Ian Paisley jnr, however, said that contrary to what Mr Trimble was saying DUP voters had polled solidly for Dr Paisley in unionist areas. The feedback from party members was that while UUP voters may not have turned out, DUP supporters did.
The Sinn Fein vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, said that the Sinn Fein vote came out in strength for its candidate, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin.
