Alternattiva Demokratika polled 3,810 votes in this election, almost double the 1,929 it polled in 2003.

Prior to the election, one of the many controversies that arose discussed whether AD was taking votes from the PN core voters.

Although this is far from being conclusive, a look at who “inherited” Harry Vassallo’s votes could be indicative.

Dr Vassallo contested the eighth district, getting 313 votes in the first count. He survived until the 11th count, meanwhile collecting votes from the other AD candidate Mario Mallia, and ended up with 498 votes.

In the 12th count, Dr Vassallo’s votes were thus distributed: 78 to Chris Cardona, 36 to Joe Debono Grech and 34 to Edward Zammit-Lewis on the Labour side; 63 to Michael Axiaq, 26 to Ian Castaldi Paris, 20 to Martin Fenech and 37 to Beppe Fenech Adami on the PN side; while 204 votes were non transferable.

Dr Vassallo also contested on the 10th district, where he polled 524 votes on the first count and where, at one point, there were some who thought he stood a chance of being elected, which would have thus led to a very different outcome of the election than the one it had.

Here Dr Vassallo survived until the 12th count, by which time his votes had increased to 625.

In the 13th count, his votes were so distributed: 109 to Evarist Bartolo, 15 to Joseph Cuschieri, 32 to Michael Falzon and five to Adrian Vassallo on the Labour side; 59 to Robert Arrigo, 60 to Dolores Cristina, 30 to John Dalli, 34 to Michael Frendo, 28 to Karl Gouder, 28 to George Pullicino and 31 to Francis Zammit Dimech on the PN side, while 192 votes were non-transferable.