Updated 10pm Monday - Some of the most talked about election candidates as well as a number of former members of the Cabinet may end up not being elected, results trickling in from the counting hall in Naxxar show.

In the second district, Labour’s Glenn Bedingfield got 173 first count votes, no surprise since Joseph Muscat was contesting the district. By the eighth count Mr Bedingfield had 1,075 votes but incumbents Carmelo Abela, Chris Agius, Helena Dalli and Joe Mizzi were all ahead of him. Mr Bedingfield, a controversial blogger employed as a prime ministerial aide, was, however, well ahead of another incumbent, Stefan Buontempo, a former parliamentary secretary, who is likely to miss re-election. 

At this stage Mr Bedingfield's chances are far from over, not least because Dr Muscat, and Helena Dalli, elected from two districts, could well give up their seat. 

Should that happen, it would be a repeat of history for Mr Bedingield, who also inherited Dr Muscat's seat in the European Parliament when Dr Muscat resigned to become PL leader.

On the fifth district, things appear to be a bit better for Mr Bedingfield. This district too was contested by Dr Muscat, who was elected outright. 

But well ahead of him, apart from Dr Muscat, are Owen Bonnici and new candidate Julia Farrugia, and the former PL president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi.

Back to the second district, the PN’s Salvu Mallia got just 76 seats on the first count and made no progress in subsequent counts, with no chance of election from this district.

The situation is the same in the 12 district. With Simon Busuttil garnering most of the PN votes here, Mr Mallia got just 39 on the first count and his tally did not exceed 114 by the fifth count, leading to his elimination.

PN veteran Josie Muscat is unlikely to make a return to the House, winning just 244 votes on the third district which includes his hometown Żabbar and failing to inherit any more. He got 666 votes from the second district, but the PN only has one candidate elected from this district, and that is Stephen Spiteri.

On the eighth district, Radio 101 presenter David Thake got 636 votes and then inherited some votes from Beppe Fenech Adami to reach 1,045 by the 11th count. David Agius, Therese Comodini Cachia and Claudette Buttigieg are also ahead of him. But Mr Agius, like Dr Fenech Adami, is likely to get elected from two districts, leaving his hopes alive.

Norman Vella, also contesting on this district, has little chance.

In the 12^th district Mr Thake is trailing Simon Busuttil, Robert Cutajar and Claudette Buttigieg with the possibility that Dr Busuttil may give up his seat here. But St Paul’s Bay mayor Graziella Galea is close to Mr Thake and could well overtake him.

Incumbents facing an uncertain future

A number of outgoing members of the Cabinet and serving MPs are also uncertain of being re-elected.

Paula Mifsud Bonnici (PN),a former shadow minister, failed to get re-elected from the first district, despite getting 600 more votes than last time.

Former Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils Stefan Buontempo fared very badly in the second district and, apart from the other incumbents, is also trailing Mr Bedingfield.

In the fourth district, Mr Buontempo trails Chris Fearne, Konrad Mizzi, Silvio Parnis, Byron Camilleri and Andy Ellul.

Labour’s Luciano Busuttil is also in for some anxious moments. In the first district, he trails Jose’ Herrera, newcomer Aaron Farrugia, Deo Debattista and Silvio Parnis.

In the fifth district, he trails Joseph Muscat, Owen Bonnici, Glenn Bedingfield, Roderick Cachia, Joseph Cutajar,  Joe Farrugia and Carlo Stivala.

Former Labour MP Godfrey Farrugia, now a Democratic Party candidate, is unlikely to be elected from the fifth district, where he trails Ryan Callus, Clyde Puli and Peter Micallef of the PN.

Marlene Farrugia is still in with a shot in the 10th district, where the battle is tight among a number of candidates

In the seventh district, his chances are only marginally better. He trails Beppe Fenech Adami, Jean Pierre Debono and newcomer Sam Abela on a district where the PN can only hope to get two candidates elected.

Her partner Marlene Farrugia is still in with a shot in the 10^th district, where the battle is tight among a number of candidates.

Labour candidate Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, a former PN candidate, is unlikely to return to the House. He is trailing Ian Borg, Edward Scicluna, Charles Azzopardi, Silvio Schembri and Gavin Gulia.

On the eighth district, Claudette Buttigieg appears to have run into trouble because of the candidature of MEP Therese Comodini Cachia, who is ahead of her. Also ahead are Beppe Fenech Adami and David Agius.

Also ahead are Beppe Fenech Adami and David Agius. Ms Buttigieg could scrape through if Dr Fenech Adami, elected from two districts, gives up his seat here.

Therese Comodini Cachia’s success could be a political life-saver for Francis Zammit Dimech if he fails to get re-elected from the ninth or tenth districts, where things do not look good. He could well inherit Dr Comodini Cachia’s seat in the European Parliament.

Former Minister George Pullicino has also run into problems in the ninth and tenth districts but could scrape through from the tenth.

Another former minister who is struggling is Labour’s Manuel Mallia, also on the tenth district. He may make it through if Evarist Bartolo, also elected from the 12^th district, gives up his 10^th district seat.

But that could be curtains for former Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri, struggling in the 11^th and 12^th district.

In the 11^th district, she trails  Anthony Agius Decelis, Chris Cardona and newcomer Alex Muscat.

She is running third in the 12^th district behind Mr Bartolo and Michael Farrugia.

In the thirteenth district, Labour MP Franco Mercieca is facing the prospect of losing his seat to former Qala mayor Clint Camilleri.

Chris Said and Marthese Portelli are expected to be elected for the PN. Should Dr Portelli be elected from two districts, Frederick Azzopardi would be re-elected, a pleasant surprise for the long-time MP who had originally decided not to stand.