APATHY rather than bad weather was blamed for the extremely slow start to polling in Northern Ireland yesterday. At lunchtime there were predictions that less than half the electorate would bother turning out to vote in the 1997 local government elections.
By teatime, voting numbers were said to be comparable to the last local government election four years ago.
One election official in Belfast believed it was the worst turnout in many years. "There is not as much hype in this election. People are a bit sick of elections," he said. Another, official felt voters had little confidence in local government elections and placed more importance on the parliamentary elections.
Tight security enveloped the North with both the RUC and British army protecting polling stations and patrolling the streets around them. In Belfast especially, the security presence was manifest, more so in the west of the city.
There is a strong possibility this election could swing the balance of power away from unionists at Belfast City Council for the first time.
The poles around St Agnes's Youth Club in Andersonstown, west Belfast, were bedecked with Tricolours. A Sinn Fein activist stood outside the polling station directing people to the correct booths and issuing "sample" voting slips. He was convinced of a positive outcome for the party.
Touting for votes outside the West Kirk Presbyterian Church on the Shankill Road in west Belfast was Mr John White of the Ulster Democratic Party. He admitted there was a "degree of apathy". However, he was convinced voters knew that if the unionists did not get out and vote Sinn Fein could "gain City Hall which would increase their power base there".
Beyond Belfast, there was little enthusiasm for another election. However, in some areas, such as Portadown, where the Drumcree issue is high on the agenda, voting was brisk.