Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein secured more first-preference votes in the Northern Ireland Assembly vote than its rivals, signaling that it is likely to win the election.
Sinn Fein secured 29% of the vote compared to 21.3% by the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, data collated by Britain's BBC and Ireland's RTE broadcasters showed after the first-preference votes were counted in all 18 constituencies.
Under Northern Ireland's proportional representation voting system, the party that wins the most first-preference votes is not guaranteed of winning the most seats in the regional assembly but it is hard for a party to overcome a significant deficit.
The party’s vice president Michelle O’Neill was elected on the first count in Mid Ulster, with Alliance leader Naomi Long topping the poll in East Belfast.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was elected on the first count in Lagan Valley.
He said he was delighted with his party’s performance in Lagan Valley, adding that it was too early to comment on the overall picture to say what the final outcome might be.
"I think it is going to be very tight at the end as to who will emerge as the largest party," he said.
"One of the key messages for me is that unionism simply can’t afford the divisions that exist."
O’Neill was surrounded by party colleagues and supporters as her result was announced.
She received 10,845 first preference votes and the result was greeted by large cheers in the count center.
Speaking to reporters shortly before her election was announced, O’Neill said she was "very grateful" to be with the people of Mid-Ulster.
Asked about the possibility of her taking the first minister role, she said: "It is very early to say, let’s get all the votes counted.
"I feel very positive."
The first minister of Northern Ireland has always been a unionist, someone who wants to stay part of the U.K. since the leadership position was set up in 1998 following a peace agreement after decades of sectarian violence.
O'Neill said that Sinn Fein wanted to "together work in partnership with others."
"That is the only way we will achieve much, much more for people here, whether in terms of the cost-of-living crisis or trying to fix our health service."