Nasc’s Policy on Integration - Make Your Mark Campaign - Vote

Make Your Mark Campaign Image

Nasc’s ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign aimed to increase awareness and participation in the political process among immigrants in Ireland. . Immigrants now comprise a large proportion of the population of Ireland but we have yet to see this translate into political representation.
This section of Nasc’s website will give you all the information you require in order to get informed, get registered and get voting. Please follow the links below or feel free to contact our office if you need further information.

 

 

 

 

•Why Should I Vote?

Immigrants are now over 10% of the population of Ireland. Voting in elections is one way of letting public representatives know that you want your voice to be heard and that you want to contribute to Irish society as active residents and citizens.
 
Voting is a democratic right that is enshrined in the Irish Constitution. It is the mechanism through which we choose our public representatives at a local, national and European level. It is your chance to have your voice and the voice of your community heard.

Candidates who are looking for your votes will pay more attention to immigrant needs and concerns if they know that immigrants are voting. Your voice can make a difference!

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•Who Can Vote?

yesTo be eligible to be included on the Register of Electors, you must be at least 18 years old on the day the Register comes into force and be resident in Ireland. The Register usually comes into effect some time in February before then election
yesIrish citizens can vote in every Irish election and referendum
yesBritish citizens may vote at Dáil, European and local elections
yesEU citizens may vote in European and local elections
yesNon-EU citizens can only vote at local elections (this includes asylum seekers)
yesYou can apply to be on the Register of Electors up to 15 days before the date of election

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•How Do I Register?

If your name is not on the Register of Electors when it comes into effect in February, you may still make an application to be included in the Supplementary Register by filling out an RFA3 form available from your local authority office or download here.

You can make this application at any time but in order to be included in the supplement used at an election your application must be received by your local authority at least 15 working days before polling day. Your local authority or Nasc will be happy to assist you in filling out this form if you require assistance.

Please note: if you are a EU citizen and wish to vote in European elections in Ireland you must also complete this form and send it to your home country in order to remove you from that register. See here (link to EU elections page) for more details.

You can find out if you are on the Register by logging on to www.checktheregister.ie

Prior to polling day you will be sent a polling card which will outline what polling station you must go to in order to cast your vote. Polling stations are normally local schools or community centres. You must bring your polling card and picture ID with you in order to cast your ballot.

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•Types of Election in Ireland

Takes place a maximum of every 5 years to elect politicians to the Irish Parliament (Dáil). General elections can be held sooner than five years if the Government is dissolved.

Local Election
Takes place every 5 years to elect candidates to local authorities i.e. City councils, County councils, Town councils or Borough councils. 

European Election
Held every 5 years to elect candidates to the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) represent their constituency at the European Parliament which meets in Strasbourg and Brussels.

Presidential Election
The purpose of presidential elections is to elect Ireland’s president. This occurs every 7 years but may happen sooner if a president becomes incapacitated, is removed from office, resigns, or dies.

Referendum
A referendum is a vote in which the electors must decide on a change to the Irish Constitution.

 

General Election

Local Election

European Elections

Referendum

Presidential Election

Irish Citizen

British Citizen

 

 

EU Citizen

 

 

 

Non-EU Citizen

 

 

 

 

 

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•Voting on Polling Day

yesThe names of the candidates will appear in alphabetical order on the ballot paper, together with their photographs and their party emblem (if they so wish)
yesYou indicate your first choice by writing 1 opposite your first choice and 2 opposite your second choice, 3 opposite your third choice and so on. You can vote for as many candidates as you like. You can vote for just one or you can put a number next to all the candidates in order of preference.
yesIt is important not to spoil your vote. A ballot paper is deemed as a “spoiled” vote if:

  • It does not have an official stamp
  • It does not indicate a clear choice, for example, if you have indicated two No. 1's on the paper
  • If anything is written on the ballot paper by which the voter can be identified

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•The Proportional Representation System

yesIreland uses a voting system known as Proportional Representation (PR) in all elections. Proportional representation means that as a voter, you can indicate your first and subsequent choices for the candidates on the ballot paper.
yesVoters rate candidates in order of preference – 1, 2, 3 and so on without any limit beyond the number of candidates on the ballot. 
yesThe candidate in each district with the most No.1s or first preference votes is usually the first declared winner. However this person almost always has a “surplus” of votes – that is more than the minimum required. This minimum is determined by dividing the total number of ballots by the numbers of seats available. It is called the “Quota”.
yesThe winning candidate’s remaining ballots (those surplus to the quota) are recounted, this time so that the No. 2s for other candidates can be transferred.

Why the PR System?
Essentially, the greatest advantage of the PR system is that if your first choice candidate does not receive enough votes and is eliminated, your vote for your other preferences will still count. In comparison to the ‘First Past the Post’ system, PR more clearly represents the wishes of the electorate, allows minority parties a fairer representation and permits greater opportunities for independent candidates to be elected.

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