Isle of Man General Election Results Pending as Counting Underway
Voters await the outcome of the general election where 82 candidates vied for 24 seats in the House of Keys.
Polling stations have closed across the Isle of Man, with vote counting now in progress for the general election. The island's 12 constituencies are set to elect 24 members to the House of Keys, with 82 candidates competing for the seats.
Early exit polls conducted by Manx Radio suggest a significant turnover in the legislature, predicting that seven outgoing Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) will lose their seats. This includes three current members of the Council of Ministers. Among those predicted to lose their seats are Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Clare Barber, Education Sport and Culture Minister Daphne Caine, and Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston.
Additionally, former ministers Julie Edge and Lawrie Hooper, along with Rushen MHK Michelle Haywood and the deputy speaker of the Keys, are also anticipated to be unseated according to the exit polls. In the Ayre and Michael constituency, Chief Minister Alfred Cannan is reportedly in a close contest to retain his seat, with a narrow margin separating him and the candidate in third place.
The exit polls indicate that approximately 15 new MHKs may be elected, including eight women. This compares to 10 women elected in the 2021 election. A third of the seats in the House of Keys were not being contested by incumbent MHKs, ensuring at least eight new members will join Tynwald regardless of the election's broader outcomes.
The deputy returning officer for each constituency will announce the vote tallies, total votes cast, and the number of rejected ballots throughout the evening and into the night.