Ireland is just one week away from electing a new President, with just two candidates in the running for the prestigious post.
This October will see Michael D Higgins retire from his role after serving the maximum of two terms (14 years).
Following a gruelling process in which Independent candidates tried to get their names on the ballot, the final two have been confirmed as Independent TD Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, who has been put forward by Fine Gael.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin dramatically pulled out of the contest after it emerged he failed to pay back a former tenant €3,300 in overpaid rent, but his name will still be on ballot papers.
Here is all the important information for first-time voters (or if you’ve forgotten how the process works)…
What date is Ireland's presidential election?
The Presidential Election will take place on Friday, October 24. Polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 10:00 p.m.
The election of a President must take place within 60 days of the current President’s term ending. Michael D Higgins was inaugurated for his second term on November 11, 2018, meaning the election had to take place on or before November 10, 2025.
Ireland's outgoing President Michael D. Higgins. (Getty Images)
Who are the candidates?
Following a lot of controversy over who would be on the ballot, the two candidates are Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys.
Independent TD Catherine Connolly from Galway has received the backing of several left-wing parties, including Sinn Féin, People Before Profit, and Labour.
Meanwhile, former Fine Gael deputy leader Heather Humphreys is her party’s nominee.
With just two candidates on the ticket, it is the smallest list of potential Presidents since the 1990 election, even smaller now with Gavin no longer running.
Can I vote?
Irish citizens aged 18 years or older are eligible to vote. You must be registered to vote with An Coimisiún Toghcháin, with Chief Executive Art O’Leary urging those not registered to do so.
Speaking to RTÉ, he said: "Your vote is your voice, and if you don’t vote, you allow other people to speak for you and you would never allow that to happen in any other part of your life."
The deadline to register for a postal vote was Monday, September 29, while the deadline to register/update details for voting in-person was Tuesday, October 7th.
How do I register to vote?
You can register or check if you are registered to vote online at Check the Register. You can also check where you’re polling station is — this information will also be available on your polling card.
Your polling card will arrive by post ahead of the Presidential Election and should be brought to the polling station alongside a form of ID.
If you do not receive your polling card but are registered, you can still vote. ID will still be required.
How do I fill out a ballot sheet?
If this is your first time voting, fear not; it is very straightforward. On arriving at the polling station, voters will enter a private voting compartment to complete the provided ballot paper.
Candidates will appear in alphabetical order and will have their photograph beside their name.
Indicate your preference by writing ‘1’ beside your first choice, followed by ‘2’ beside your second choice, and so on. You do not need to put a number beside each candidate.
What voting system does Ireland use?
The Single Transferable Vote system is used in Irish elections. First, the minimum number of votes needed to guarantee the election is calculated. This is called the quota.
Ballot papers are then sorted according to first preference votes for each candidate, with those hitting the quota following the first count deemed elected.
If no candidate receives more than the required number of votes, they are not elected, and the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated.
Their second preferences will then be distributed.
What is a spoiled vote?
Ballot papers that cannot be counted are referred to as spoiled votes. Spoiled votes can be due to the paper being left blank, voters ticking their preferred candidates rather than numbering them, or their writing being unclear.
If a voter writes their name on the ballot paper, this is also a spoiled vote.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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