Election count under way in Kirkwall

Just over half of the county’s registered voters turned out for yesterday’s council election and counting is now under way, with the first of the results expected around 9am.

Forty-six candidates are in the running for the 21 seats in six wards across Orkney. Fourteen members of the previous council are standing again, with a third opting to retire from the council chamber.

Radio Orkney is broadcasting live from the election count, in Kirkwall’s former bowling alley, as the votes are tallied up and the winners announced. As well as the programme, Radio Orkney will have Facebook and Twitter updates from the count, as well as analysis from former councillors Roderick McLeod and Mike Drever in the studio. Orkney Islands Council will also be updating an election blog from the count site.

We will also be updating our website, throughout the morning, as the winners are announced.