Just over 20% of the electorate in Meath-East voted in today's by-election.

Figures had been slow throughout the day with the late opening of the polling stations and the bad weather being blamed.

There are 11 candidates running in the by-election, which was called following the death of former Meath East TD Shane McEntee.

It's likely to ba a two-horse race between Helen McEntee of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil's Thomas Byrne.

Transfers will be key and Sinn Féin's decision to call on voters to to transfer to government or opposition candidates could have a massive bearing on the eventual outcome.

boxes will be opened at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, with the first count expected around lunchtime.