Irish local and European elections 2019 – when and where are they, what is the divorce referendum and how do I check if I’m registered to vote?
Voters across Ireland will go to the polls on May 24 and in some areas, people will be asked to vote on four different issues
LOCAL and European elections will take place in Ireland later this month - and a referendum on divorce laws will also be held.
Here's the lowdown on what you need to know when voting.
When are the local and EU elections?
Voting will take place on Friday May 24, 2019.
There are 31 councils in Ireland and each will be holding an election.
And in the European elections, you’ll be voting for our MEPs across three Irish constituencies.
And if you live in Waterford, Limerick and Cork, you’ll have an additional vote in the directly-elected mayor plebiscite.
Who can vote?
Irish and other EU citizens resident in Ireland aged 18 and over are entitled to place their vote provided that they are registered to do so.
Those who are not yet registered still have a chance to do so until May 7, two weeks before polling day.
If you are unsure as to whether you are registered you can check here on the Register of Electors, where you can also find the forms to apply in case you are not.
Where can I vote?
Voters in Ireland must vote in a specific polling station based on their home address.
When you are registered to vote you will receive a polling card which will contain the address of the polling station where you can go and cast your vote. Polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm in all constituencies.
All voters must bring some in-date ID to the polling station such as a drivers licence, PPS card or passport.
Voters should also be aware that online voting is not possible in Ireland.
What am I voting for?
The Members of the European Parliament are elected every five years. The parliament represents the interests of EU citizens at a European level.
59 candidates across three constituencies (Dublin, Midlands North West and South) were officially nominated for the 13 Irish seats in the European Parliament on April 15, 2019. Of these 59 candidates, voters will elect 11 MEPs.
But Ireland is actually voting for 13 MEPs, as if Brexit goes through, Ireland will receive two more seats than our current allocation.
Ireland uses a voting system called the 'single transferable vote' which means that voters rank the candidates on their polling cards in order of preference.
To be elected a candidate needs to receive a minimum number of votes, known as the quota. If the votes obtained by the by a candidate surpass the quota they are immediately elected.
Two other votes will also be taking place that day that citizens are also entitled to have their say in.
In the local elections, citizens will be voting for their local councillors.
While in the divorce referendum, voters can choose whether to allow the Oireachtas to reduce the five year limit a couple must live apart in order to legally separate and also to regulate the recognition of foreign divorces.
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What are the mayoral plebiscites?
The mayoral plebiscites that will be held in Waterford, Limerick and Cork will ask the voters in those local authority areas if they want to vote directly for their mayor on a five-year term basis.
It’s not the actual vote for the candidates, as that’s predicted to happen in 2022.
