VOTERS across Gwent took to the polls on Thursday to cast their votes in the European Elections.
The was a feeling of frustration among voters that Brexit had not implemented, with many seeing it as an opportunity to provide the mainstream parties with "a wake-up call."
The UK was supposed to have left the EU at the end of March - but MPs have been unable to agree the type of deal we'll be leaving with. The EU agreed to push back the exit date to the end of October - but only on the condition the UK took part in the European Parliament Election.
In the 2016 referendum, all of the Gwent authorities, with the exception of Monmouthshire, voted to leave the European Union.
Blaenau Gwent had the biggest majority in favour of Brexit (62-38), followed by Torfaen (59.8-40.2), Caerphilly (57.6-42.4) and Newport (56-44).
Speaking in Risca, 72-year-old Roland Podmore, from Rogerstone, said: "It's a shake-up for this Government.
"A lot of people I know are using it as a wake-up call for the main parties."
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David Mort, 51, Risca, agreed.
He said: "It's a wake-up call to the main parties.
"I’m disgusted by how they have handled Brexit. We voted to get out so we should be out.
"Everybody I have spoken to feels the same. We have had enough."
Torfaen had the second highest percentage of leave voters in the referendum.
Jason Matthews, 49, from Pontypool, said: "We shouldn’t have gone in to Europe in the first place. We are finally getting out of it.
"We can get deals from America and from Japan.
"My friends are voting. A lot of them just want to get out of the EU."
In Usk, restaurant owner Rocco Gurnari, 68, said that he felt it was important to vote in every election.
"It’s important to vote so we can have a say on how we want things to be done, especially now with Brexit.," he said.
"It’s important to vote every time in my opinion.
"I have a lot of people come in to my restaurant that have said they are voting."
Neil Mansbridge and Marilyn Purbrick, both 76, cast their vote in the Gaer.
Mr Mansbridge said: "I don’t think these elections are very important. We don’t know how long they will be in office for.
"It is still important to vote in them though."
"No people have been round campaigning," added Ms Purbrick. "All we have seen about it is in the paper and the leaflets through the door."
Also casting her vote in the Gaer was 67-year-old Julie Blunt.
She said: "It’s important because women fought for the vote, so I need to vote.
"The election is a total waste of time and it is a waste of money, but I need to vote as I can’t complain about the outcome if I don’t."
Wales is represented by four MEPs in the European Parliament.
Unlike most other elections, votes are not counted and declared as soon as polls close. As elections are being held in all 28 EU countries, results are not counted until polls in every country have closed.
As a result, results will be counted and declared four days later, on Sunday, May 26. All council areas will count their area’s votes on Sunday evening before sending them to Pembrokeshire County Council, which will collate the results and determine who has been elected to serve as MEP for Wales.
The declaration of the winners is expected around midnight. The Argus will be reporting live from the declaration on May 26, so keep an eye on our website for full coverage.
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