NI Election 2022: Voters urged to wear masks to polling stations

Voters in Northern Ireland's assembly election on Thursday are being encouraged to wear masks at polling stations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

People can also use their own pens or pencils on ballot papers, according to the chief electoral officer.

Last month, Virginia McVea confirmed people with Covid can vote in person.

On Wednesday, she said staff will "do everything that we can to protect you within the polling station".

"We would encourage you to bring your own mask," she continued.

"If you are nervous, please bring your own pen or pencil into the polling booth. You can use that."

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Ms McVea said polling stations will be ventilated and protective screens will be in place to protect voters

"If you have any anxieties, speak to staff," Ms McVea added.

"But you will see the kind of protections and public safety measures that you have become used to in other places, like sneeze screens, automatic hand-sanitisers, gloves and wipes."

• People with Covid can vote in person

It is no longer a legal requirement for people in Northern Ireland to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces, since the remaining Covid-19 restrictions were removed in February.

Polling stations open at 07:00 BST on Thursday and close at 22:00.

More than 1.3 million people are on the electoral register in Northern Ireland.

Counting will begin on Friday with the first results expected early in the afternoon.

Just over 1,000 staff will be spread across three centres where votes in the 18 constituencies will be counted.

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