The counting at poll centres across Northern Ireland continues on Friday and it could be Saturday before final results are known.
But at this juncture, with 21 MLAs confirmed to be elected, how is the potential new Assembly shaping up?
As it stands, Sinn Fein would be the largest party at Stormont, although many counts still need to be tallied and declared.
Read more: NI election results 2022 LIVE updates as Northern Ireland waits to see who will win Assembly poll
Here are the candidates who have got across the line early on in the counts.
Sinn Féin (14)
Sinn Fein are enjoying an expected strong showing so far at the count centres.
There were predictions that Sinn Féin could return as the largest party following this election, meaning they would take up the post of First Minister.
The party's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill was elected with over 10,000 votes in her Mid Ulster constituency.
She was joined by Linda Dillon and Emma Sheerin later in the evening.
She joins party colleagues Gerry Kelly and Caral Ní Chuilín, who both passed the quota in North Belfast.
Danny Baker celebrates becoming an MLA for the first time after being elected in West Belfast.
In South Antrim, party stalwart Declan Kearney is in, while Deirdre Hargey topped the poll when first preference votes were tallied in South Belfast.
And in Newry and Armagh, another of the party's high profile MLAs was re-elected in Conor Murphy.
He was joined there by Cathal Boylan.
Nicola Brogan, who took the seat in West Tyrone in 2020, records her first Assembly election success after meeting the quota there.
In South Down, both Sinead Ennis and Cathy Mason have been elected for the party.
Philip McGuigan has retained his seat in North Antrim.
DUP (2)
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson topped the poll in his Lagan Valley constituency, although whether he chooses to take up an Assembly seat or retains his Westminster MP role, remains to be seen.
In East Belfast, Joanne Bunting became the first woman to be elected for the DUP in this election.
Alliance (2)
Party leader Naomi Long has retained her East Belfast seat, having served as Justice Minister in the last Executive.
Her colleague Kellie Armstrong topped the poll in the Strangford constituency on her way to becoming the first MLA elected.
UUP (2)
The former party leader Robin Swann, Health Minister during the Covid pandemic, became the party's first candidate elected, holding on to his North Antrim seat.
Another high profile candidate for the party, Robbie Butler, will take up a seat at Stormont once again after holding on to his seat in Lagan Valley.
Independent (1)
Alex Easton, the former DUP MLA in North Down, has taken his seat for the first time as an independent.
He told Belfast Live he intends to remain as an independent amid speculation the DUP may try to entice him back into the party.
Read more: Follow the Northern Ireland election results live using our interactive map
Read more: What happens if a Stormont minister loses their seat?
For the latest politics news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here .
