Vote counting begins in Scotland on independence

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond poses for photographs after casting his ballot at Ritchie Hall in Strichen, Scotland, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Polls opened across Scotland in a referendum that will decide whether the country leaves its 307-year-old union with England and becomes an independent state.
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond poses for photographs after casting his ballot at Ritchie Hall in Strichen, Scotland, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014. Polls opened across Scotland in a referendum that will decide whether the country leaves its 307-year-old union with England and becomes an independent state.

EDINBURGH, Scotland — The polls have closed and vote counting is underway in Scotland's historic referendum on whether to end the country's 307-year-old union with England.

Polling places reported a heavy turnout Thursday. More than 4.2 million people were registered to vote — 97 percent of those eligible.

As soon as the polls closed, vote counting began at 32 regional centers across Scotland. The final result on the independence vote is expected sometime after midnight Friday central time.

A vote for independence will trigger 18 months of negotiations on how the two countries will separate their institutions before Scotland's planned Independence Day on March 24, 2016.

Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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