Ulster's voters head to the polls

The people of Northern Ireland head to the polls today for elections which could play a crucial role in determining the success of the peace process.

Voters will choose six MLAs from each of the 18 UK parliamentary constituencies, electing a total of 108 MLAs to sit in the Stormont assembly.

However the results will not be known until Friday due to the complexity of the single transferable vote system, which asks the electorate to list candidates in order of preference.

The system is used in preference to Westminster's first-past-the-post mechanism as it forces the parties into a coalition.

A poll by Ipsos-MORI put the DUP in front with 25 per cent, and Sinn Fein on 22 per cent. The SDLP polled 20 per cent and the UUP 16 per cent.

If the result mirrors those figures, Rev Ian Paisley would become the executive's first minister, with Martin McGuinness as his deputy.

The British and Irish governments insist that a power-sharing executive must be established from the assembly by March 26.

But it remains unclear whether the DUP is prepared to meet that deadline or will seek more time to verify Sinn Fein's commitment to upholding the rule of law.