HOW TO VOTE in Ireland
The European elections will take place in Ireland on 24 May 2019. Irish and other EU citizens resident in Ireland and aged 18 or over can vote provided they register before the deadline, which is 14 days before polling day.
Voters in Ireland have to vote in a specific polling station based on their home address.
If you are registered to vote, you will receive a polling card, which will have the address of the polling station where you can go to cast your vote. Polling stations will be open between 7.00 and 22.00. If you have not received a polling card, you should contact your local authority.
For more information, please visit the Citizens Information’s website
You can visit www.checktheregister.ie to see if you are registered to vote and find the forms to apply in case you are not.
Yes, you can if you have been permanently resident in Ireland since 1 September 2018. But you must register to vote before 10 May (14 days before polling day) at the latest. If you’re an EU citizen resident in Ireland who wishes to register their vote in Ireland, you can download the EP1 from checktheregister.ie in order to be added to the Register of Electors.
In Ireland there are three constituencies: Dublin; Midlands North West; and South. For the 2019 election, the Oireachtas has confirmed that the State will be divided as follows among those constituencies for the 13 Members of the European Parliament representing Ireland:
- A four-seat Dublin constituency comprising the counties of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin; and the city of Dublin.
- A four-seat Midlands-North-West constituency comprising the counties of Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath; and the city of Galway.
- A five-seat South constituency comprising the counties of Carlow, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow; the cities and counties of Limerick and Waterford; and the city of Cork.
Ireland uses a form of proportional representation called the single transferable vote, which means that voters rank the candidates, as many or as few as they wish, in order of choice. Candidates are numbered 1,2,3 and so on.
To be elected, a candidate needs to receive a minimum number of votes, known as the quota. If the votes obtained by any candidate surpass the quota, they are immediately elected.
All surplus votes obtained by an elected candidate (the difference between their vote and the quota) are then transferred to other candidates according to the preferences expressed by voters.
Votes are recounted and other candidates who clear the quota are also elected. Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated with their votes transferred to the voters’ second preference. The transfer of votes and elimination of candidates continues until all seats are filled.
Candidates must register by 15 April and the official list of candidates will be available shortly after that time. In the meantime, an unofficial list based on media reports is available on the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland's website
Those with a physical illness or disability, a visual impairment or a reading or writing disability will be able to avail of at least one of the following:
- Vote at an alternative polling station in the same constituency if the local station is inaccessible. You must apply in writing to the returning officer at least one week before polling day.
- Be helped to vote at the polling station by a companion or the presiding officer
- Vote by post – if you have a physical disability or illness that prevents you from going to a polling station, you may qualify to vote by post. You must apply to your local authority to be included in the Postal Voters List at least 22 days (excluding Sundays and public holidays) before polling day.
- Vote at a hospital, nursing home or similar institution if it is your home, and if you have a physical disability or illness that prevents you from going to the polling station. You must apply to your local authority to be included in the Special Voters List at least 22 days (excluding Sundays and public holidays) before polling day.
To find out more, visit Facilities for voters with disabilities
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