TURNOUT IN the poll to elect the State’s ninth president was uneven around the country yesterday while officials reported that some people had opted not to vote in the two referendums.
Dublin County Sheriff John Fitzpatrick said last night that voting was slow to begin with but had picked up after business hours.
“It’s varied around the country, but it’ll cross the 50 per cent mark anyway, I’d imagine, because the weather is good and there are no major football matches on or anything,” he said.
Mr Fitzpatrick said turnout was at 40 per cent in Shankill at about 6.30pm, but remained as low as 10 per cent in Tallaght late into the evening. However, a late surge resulted in a firgure of 48.8 per cent being recorded in Jobstown, Tallaght, while the Shankill figure rose to 53 per cent.
Meanwhile Dundrum was busy all day with a final turn out figure of 65 per cent.
The sense in Cork city was that voting stations were generally quiet for most of the day, but turnout had risen to 52 per cent in Beaumont by 8pm. The figure was 48 per cent in Kanturk, Co Cork, where Independent candidate Seán Gallagher’s wife, Trish, is from. Mr Gallagher yesterday did not rule out a career in politics if he was unsuccessful in securing the presidency.
Voters were also offered ballot papers relating to the referendums on reducing judicial pay and Oireachtas inquiries.
Mr Fitzpatrick said: “Talking to presiding officers, quite a number of people didn’t take them at all, saying they didn’t know enough about it.” Mr Fitzpatrick also said he understood voting had been slow in Dublin West, where a byelection took place to replace late former minister for finance Brian Lenihan of Fianna Fáil.
Labour Party candidate Michael D Higgins voted with family members in Bushypark National School in Galway yesterday morning. “I feel there has been a real surge in feeling towards me since last Friday evening and I think it gathered even further momentum after Monday night’s debate,” he said.
The first-count figures for the presidential election should be available late this evening, with the result of the Dublin West byelection expected at about the same time. The final outcome could be known at about midnight but is thought more likely to be announced at lunchtime tomorrow.
