EXHAUSTION, exasperation and frustration were the earliest emotions from candidates in Upper Bann.
And given past finishing times in Banbridge (it would be unkind to say they're not great at counting in this part of the world), everyone's digging in for the long haul.
Four out of the last five electoral counts in the town's leisure centre - Assembly, Council and Westminster - have extended beyond midnight, including one where the victorious and vanquished chanced upon the milkman when eventually departing at sun-up.
The DUP's Carla Lockhart, seemingly a racing certainty for Stormont (some are tipping as a possible poll-topper), admitted she was "really tired already" - and that was before the counters had even adjourned for lunch.
She attributed that exhaustion to early mornings and late nights on the campaign trail - but she better get prepared for at least one more sleepless night.
Frustration and exasperation came in equal measure from veteran Dolores Kelly, who is in a real dogfight to retain her seat for the SDLP.
Elected last time at the sixth stage of the process but nearly 300 shy of the quota, she accepts she's on the "vulnerable list" again, especially given that the quota is likely to come in at around 6,600 (she only mustered 4,846 first preferences in 2011).
But she was angry early at nationalist rivals Sinn Fein being allowed twice as many 'tallymen' per candidate than her party, which she claims breaches Electoral Commission guidelines.
"Sinn Fein had 11 tallymen for each of their two Upper Bann candidates. They clearly broke the rules and I'll be asking why."
Mrs Kelly admitted it had been a "difficult campaign", and in what was perhaps an early hoisting of the white flag she added: "Apathy is becoming the bigger killer to democracy".
Turnout in Upper Bann was up from 55.3 per cent in 2011 to 59.3 per cent this time.
