Politics

Fine Gael TDs urged to write to new voters in drive for Yes vote

Almost 66,000 voters have been added to the electoral register ahead of referendum

Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Niall Collins said the party would be emailing all members asking them to vote, as well as encouraging others in their social circle to do so. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons/The Irish Times
Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Niall Collins said the party would be emailing all members asking them to vote, as well as encouraging others in their social circle to do so. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons/The Irish Times
Fiach Kelly
Mon May 18 2015 - 01:00

Fine Gael TDs are being asked to send letters to all recently registered voters to ensure they turn out to vote Yes in the same-sex marriage referendum on Friday.

With polls showing strong support for a Yes vote among younger voters, parties and campaign groups will launch major efforts to increase turnout among those who traditionally stay away from polling stations. Almost 66,000 voters have been added to the electoral register ahead of the referendum, bringing the total number of eligible voters to 3,212,688.

Fine Gael will ask its deputies to send letters to those who are newly registered, and the party will also use social media and emails to get its own vote out. Labour said it was sending out 100,000 leaflets this week and had identified 150- 200 areas to canvass in Dublin with the aim of increasing turnout.

It will also distribute badges saying “I voted Yes” and will encourage people to post pictures of themselves going to the polling station. However, it was stressed that pictures are not allowed in polling booths. Sinn Féin’s director of elections, justice spokesman Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, said the party’s “primary responsibility is to get Sinn Féin supporters out”.

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Social media

“We will be sending out emails to our membership to do the usual call-around [of voters], as well as texts and through social media.”

Fianna Fáil is holding a press conference today outlining its "get out the vote" effort, and justice spokesman Niall Collins said it would also be emailing all members asking them to vote, as well as encouraging others in their social circle to do so.

It will also use social media to get its message out. Among the campaign groups, Mothers and Fathers Matter, the most prominent group advocating a No vote, said its efforts would be on a "community by community" basis by local organisers, and will involve driving people to polling stations.

Reminders

Yes Equality will be changing its posters this week to encourage people to vote, as well as posting new videos online. One of its videos will explain how to vote to those who have never done so before.

It will also send email and text message reminders to those who registered with its “pledge to vote” campaign and a special website to remind people to vote.

Those who register with the website will choose what time on Friday they will cast their ballot, and will get a text message 24 hours and one hour beforehand. Brian Sheehan of Yes Equality said people are 30 per cent more likely to vote if they choose a time.

Yes Equality volunteers will return to areas they have already canvassed in the coming days and will visit pubs in the major urban centres after work on Friday to remind people to vote.