Isle of Man general election results awaited

Results awaited in Isle of Man general election

Counting begins in the island's 12 constituencies to elect 24 members of the House of Keys.

Polling stations across the island opened at 08:00 BST on Thursday until the polls closed at 20:00.

Exit polls conducted by Manx Radio predict seven outgoing MHKs will lose their seats, including Environment Minister Clare Barber and Education Minister Daphne Caine.

Former ministers Onchan MHK Julie Edge, Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper, and Rushen MHK Michelle Haywood are also predicted to lose their seats.

In Ayre and Michael, the exit polls suggest Chief Minister Alfred Cannan is in a fight to retain his place in the House of Keys, with only 1% between him and the candidate in third.

Overall, the exit polls suggest there will be 15 new MHKs, including eight women, down from 10 elected in 2021.

A third of the seats in the Keys are not being contested by outgoing MHKs, which means there is guaranteed to be eight new faces in Tynwald.

Following the exit polls, it appears that Chief Minister Alfred Cannan is in a tight race to retain his seat in Ayre and Michael. However, polling stations across the island have shown that there are no clear winners yet.

The exit polls predict that eight new faces will be elected as Members of the House of Keys, including several women who were not on the ballot in 2021.

Chief Minister Cannan has been a strong contender for re-election, but his chances have been boosted by the results of the exit polls. The Chief Minister's office has yet to comment on the outcome.

The election is expected to take place on Tuesday, with voting taking place from 08:00 BST until the polls close at 20:00.

It remains to be seen how the election will play out, but one thing is clear: there are no clear winners yet. The outcome of the election will have significant implications for the future of the island.

The results of the election will also determine who will be nominated as the new Chief Minister and Speaker of the House of Keys on 13 October.

As the election draws to a close, voters are left wondering what the future holds for the island. The outcome is far from certain, but one thing is clear: it's going to be an interesting few days ahead.

The Isle of Man general election results awaited