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FEWER THAN A million and a half people voted in this presidential election, making it the lowest turnout in the history of the State.
The turnout for the presidential election was 43.87%, with 1,492,338 casting a vote, resulting in 1,473,900 valid votes. The Irish electorate comprises of 3,229,672 people.
The lowest turnout had been in 1997, when 47.6% of the electorate or around 1.26 million people voted, and Mary McAleese won. The highest turnout for any presidential election was for the first one in 1945, which was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Seán T O’Kelly. Around 1 million out of a 1.8 million electorate voted: a turnout of 63%.
Today there were reports from Jobstown, the area where water protesters clashed with Labour leader Joan Burton, that just 9% had turned up to vote.
In the last presidential election in 2011, 1.7 million people voted out of an electorate of 3.1 million, representing a turnout of 56.1%.
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.
Although not directly comparable, it’s interesting to note the turnout in the last few referendums since it includes a similar electorate figure.
The Eighth Amendment referendum saw 2,159,655 people vote, which is a voter turnout of 64.13%. This was higher than the same-sex marriage referendum in 2015, which had a turnout of 61%.
The children’s rights referendum in 2012 had a turnout of 34%.
The highest turnout in any referendum was for the 1972 question on joining the European Economic Community when 70.1% turned up to vote.
- with reporting from Stephen McDermott
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Not voting is an insult to the Irish leaders and rebels that fought to get that vote.
@Christopher Mc Quillan: more like an insult to those that ran for the office
@Christopher Mc Quillan: no its not. Or ancestors fought for freedom and equality and now it’s about power and division. The dail the government and the presidency are not fit to role this land.
Not voting is a mid finger. But nothing changes. Grumble online and go back to mediocre poor life while your taxes and money lines the pockets of the people asking for your vote.
@Christopher Mc Quillan: could everyone stop going on about 102 years ago! It’s not doing us any favours.
Complain about traffic not history.
@Christopher Mc Quillan: May i ask why ?
@Christopher Mc Quillan: that’s what happens when the vote is on Friday on a bank holiday weekend.
@Christopher Mc Quillan: I think it’s more of people not wanting to vote for any of the candidates in front of them. I don’t haven’t voted in the last 2 elections for the dail as not one candidate appealed to me as they are all the same. Party politics is the biggest load of horses!*t I can think of. There’s no forward thinking or actually wanting to do what’s right for the people of this country which the people who fought for the freedom of this country dreamed of. It’s all about spin, opinion polls and looking after themselves instead of looking after every citizen whether rich or poor but as equals under our constitution
@Christopher Mc Quillan: I won’t vote for gangsters
I think people are sick of the establishment politics. Change of politicians and new political parties is badly needed.
@Adrian: then they need to go out and vote for an alternative. Not voting is disengaging with democracy
@Adrian: yes they are, SF took a right hammering in this election. Maybe she should’ve put the party name on the posters
@Adrian: yes they are, SF took a right hammering in this election. Maybe she should’ve put the party name on the posters for
@Aisling: look into setting up your own party. Its like a 10 year process to my knowledge. There is some kind of road block for new parties to get recognition to operate properly
It is a demonstration of just how irrelevant the office of president is to the average citizen
If ye want to break the record give us the water referendum
I voted but when you have the two largest parties not even arsed to put forward a candidate what do you expect. Why are the media not writing about fg HQ writing to their councilors telling them who not to give their vote. What ever you think of what Casey said Leo had no right to comment. I’m starting to really believe if you want change in this country it’s the media that needs to be tackled before the Politicians
@David Clarke: that’s nonsense and I’ve seen many people trotting it out today. It is a ridiculous double standard that you think that Peter Casey can say whatever he wants publicly with impunity but that Leo Varadkar has no right to criticize him. Of course he has the right.
@Pump-Jim Spice Latte: so you think it’s ok for the so called leader of the country comes out and interferes in an election.He hadn’t the manners and ball to run a candidate and tells the people to give Higgins their vote and call another candidate racist. You know he should of waited till after the election. The lowest turn out ever. I vote sf and I’m also delighted Mary Lou got her wings clip as well,can u not see the bigger picture people are sick of the whole lot of them. When that happens dangerous things can happen
I’m surprised there were even that many. Higgins half heartedly phoned in his campaign as he knew he’d get in with such massive cross-party backing and the rest apart from Casey were weirdly muted and ineffectual. Is this the future, just boring us into electoral submission?
24% of eligible voters voted for what the disgraceful establishment parties would have you believe is an extremely popular president!
That is because nobody cares. While it’s lovely to have someone you trust not to be only in it for themselves. The reality is Mickie D,(not mac donalds) will be meeting and greeting people on our behalf for the next 7 years. With all of the turmoil going on in the country. From Garda impotence to housing disasters to immigrant issues. He will play little or no part in deciding our future. It’s a pity, because I think if he had more control we’d be better for it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I’m glad none of the corporate w!nkers got to pr themselves for a term.
#iandmanyothersdontreallycare
Well they don’t do anything. Wtf we voting for? SSomeone to be high paid job and have no work while people of Ireland are screwed!!!
Yet its claimed a historical vote. Work that one out.
People should be utterly ashamed for not getting out and voting. Whatever way you vote.
The people often most likely to bitch and moan are more often then not the same people who are too lazy to go out and vote in our country.
@Barry Somers: I recking if you asked someone that didn’t vote today they would probably say “what are you talking about I never even knew there was an election on today” followed by “who was in it”
@Barry Somers: Who do you think you are? I left for work before the polls opened and returned after they had closed. I am sure there are more like me. I was out working and paying taxes so yer man can sit on his Aras and splash 10k on looking after his dogs.
@Tom Sullivan: i thought you were entitled to take time off work to vote?
@Barry Somers: I don’t blame anyone for not voting in this pathetic election. Our main plolitical parties had no interest in it apart from being seen to back the favourite horse, so why should we? I hate Fianna Fail but I’m beginning to yearn for the days when they had some stomach for the fight; at least Sinn Fein did, even though their candidate was underwhelming
@Tom Sullivan: indeed. All elections should be held on a Saturday and Sunday to maximise turnout and a minimum turnout to make it valid : say 70%. Anything else is a deliberate attempt to ‘gerrymander’ the poll.
@Tom Sullivan: the pools open at 7 and close at 10. Perhaps you could apply for a postal vote or even re-register to a different voting area.
You’ll find it was fewer than one and a half million.
No cares
Surely the lack of voters tells us the next vote should be on whether we need a president or not
A insult to let them know the people know there robbing the country and tax payer
My only hope is that the 20% of Casey voters are the entirety of those kinds of people (since conservative leaning people tend to always vote) and the low turnout means they are a smaller overall population group.
@Keith O’Reilly: delusional you are. People that voted are mostly likely the people who would normally vote and most of them were people directed to do so by FG/FF/Labour. I didn’t vote for many reasons, main one was I didn’t want to take time of work. But I would have voted for Casey because Leo said not too. Roll on a GE
@Keith O’Reilly: I’d wager the opposite tbh
@Mr E: It is probably a little bit of wishful thinking on my part just cos I don’t want Trump style politics in this country.
BTW I wouldn’t vote for FG/FF/Lab if you paid me to! (I voted for Ní Riada this time)
@Mr E: But yeah roll on a GE so I can vote for anyone but FG/FF or Lab (I mean not the Renuas of the world either, I have standards
@Mr E: But yeah roll on a GE so I can vote for anyone but FG/FF or Lab (I mean not the Renuas of the world either, I have standards
1984
People understand that voting today means nothing . The EU Runs and makes the law now in this country . Any vote is simply to change the grey suit caretaker lackey taking their orders from brussels . Vote for who you want but it changes nothing .
The People have spoken once more. O well have to except the democratic vote. ….fock it.
@Braonain Proinseas: Sorry less than half the people have spoken. The people that didn’t vote can see through the bullshit.
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