With the Northern Ireland Assembly Election set to take place on May 5, many will look at Fermanagh and South Tyrone as a key marker of how the main parties will perform.
In the last Assembly election in 2017, just a few hundred votes helped Sinn Féin to win a third seat in the constituency, but there are a few who will be eyeing up that seat when the votes are counted.
With three of the five current MLAs in the area having been co-opted to their seats at Stormont, they will be hoping to prove their electoral worth to their parties, while the smaller parties and the independents will aim to disrupt things.
Read more: What is NI's voting system and how does it work?
Here’s a rundown of all those candidates standing in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the upcoming ballot:
Derek Backhouse - Independent
Backhouse is a South African pastor who has lived in Co Tyrone since 2013, and is running on anti-establishment ticket.
Rosemary Barton - UUP
Running alongside fellow UUP candidate Tom Elliott, Rosemary is the UUP’s only female MLA at Stormont.
The Co Fermanagh school teacher was first elected to the Assembly in 2016.
Matthew Beaumont - Alliance
The England native will hope to contribute to an Alliance surge across the constituencies in Northern Ireland this election.
He increased the party’s vote share in the last Westminster election but has yet to serve as an elected representative in the area.
Paul Bell - DUP
The longstanding DUP member will be mainly remembered for quitting and later rejoining the party following its leadership tussle last year.
Bell will join current MLA Deborah Erskine as the second DUP candidate on the ballot this time around.
Emma DeSouza - Independent
Perhaps best known for her legal challenge to the UK government’s immigration policy, De Souza will run in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency where she now lives.
DeSouza says she will offer a ‘new voice’ for those in the area.
Jemma Dolan - Sinn Féin
Dolan picked up 14.9% of the first preference vote in 2017 and will want to retain her seat again this time around.
She is the employment and workers’ rights spokesperson for Sinn Féin.
Alex Elliott - TUV
The hardline unionists have chosen Ballinamallard man Elliott as their candidate for the area.
He is a former UDR and RUC member but standing for the party for the first time in this election.
Tom Elliott - UUP
Elliott served has previously served as leader of the Ulster Unionists and as an MLA and MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, but was beaten to the Westminster seat in 2017.
He is making his political comeback this year with the party now running two candidates in the area.
Deborah Erskine - DUP
Co-opted into the seat formerly occupied by her mentor and former First Minister Arlene Foster, Erskine is a former press officer for the party and has worked as a journalist in Co Fermanagh.
Erskine has been accompanied by Foster on the campaign trail and will like to emulate
Adam Gannon - SDLP
The local teacher is the only SDLP candidate in the constituency and will hope to win back the seat lost by the party in the last Stormont election.
He has served as a councillor in Fermanagh & Omagh since 2019.
Colm Gildernew - Sinn Féin
Colm was co-opted into his seat after his sister Michelle Gildernew was elected as an MP for the same area in 2017.
He served as chair of the Health Committee at Stormont during the last term.
Emmett Kilpatrick - People Before Profit
People Before Profit will be hoping to add to the one Stormont seat they currently hold in West Belfast.
He describes himself as an ‘eco socialist' on his Twitter account.
Denise Mullen - Aontú
Mullen has served as a councillor in Mid Ulster since 2014 and jumped ship from the SDLP to join Aontú in 2019.
On the party's website the Moy woman says her 'life is centred around her family and community'.
Read more: North Belfast election: Alliance surge threatens second Sinn Féin seat
Aine Murphy - Sinn Féin
Murphy was co-opted to the seat vacated by Sean Lynch in 2021 and will be looking to hold on to the third seat held by the party.
Donal O’Cofaigh - Cross Community Labour Alternative
Trade unionist O’Cofaigh has been an outspoken campaigner on issues around workers and the environment.
He was elected to the local council in the 2019 local elections.
Kellie Turtle - Green Party
Described as a ‘feminist activist’, Turtle is a first time candidate for the Greens in the constituency.
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