Voters Must Apply to Register by 12 November and Postal Voters by Sunday 10 November

07 November 2024 –  An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission is urgently calling on people to check the register to ensure they’re registered to vote in the upcoming General Election, and that their details are correct.

Following confirmation from the Taoiseach that polling day will be Friday, 29 November statutory cut-off deadlines will, once the election is called, apply for people who want to vote in the General Election.

Everyone who is eligible and wants to vote must be on the electoral register. The deadline for registering to vote, if you not already registered, or to update your details if necessary is Tuesday 12 November. Everyone is encouraged to check the register now.

The window to register for postal and special voting is short at only 2 days once the election is called, so those who are eligible need to act fast before the likely deadline of Sunday 10 November.

2024 is the biggest election year in history with half of the world’s population having the opportunity to go to the polls in 72 countries. In Ireland, over 6.7m individual votes have been cast in national referendums and elections so far this year.

Mr Art O’Leary, Chief Executive of the An Coimisiún Toghcháin, stated:

“The 174 TD’s we elect to the 34^th Dáil on Friday 29 November will decide on our behalf what laws are passed, changed or removed. Time and time again in Ireland’s elections we have seen the value of every single vote, so don’t miss out and make sure you’re registered to vote.

“The election campaign is the time to have conversations with your family and friends about the election, whether it’s at the breakfast table with family, over a drink with friends, or in your group chats to decide your vote, but if you’re not registered by Tuesday 12 November you will miss your chance to have your say.

“It takes under three minutes to register on checktheregister.ie with your Eircode and PPS Number – your vote is your voice.”

Among its functions, An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission, is tasked with building awareness of Ireland’s elections and increasing the numbers of people voting through education and information campaigns.

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For further information, please contact:

Brian Dawson, Communications and Public Engagement Manager, 

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission,

086 0749344 Brian.dawson@electoralcommission.ie 

Editor’s Note:

For further information on registering to vote, including registration for postal and special voting, visit www.electoralcommission.ie/register-to-vote/

Who can vote in a general election?

You can vote in a general election if you are:

• An Irish or British citizen
• Resident in Ireland
• Aged 18 or over on the day of the election
• Registered to vote

Postal Voting:

Postal voting is provided for in respect of certain categories of person as specified in electoral law.

These include:
– Members of An Garda Síochána
– Members of the Defence Forces
– Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/partners
– Those who are unable to vote in person at their local polling station because of an illness or disability
– Electors whose occupation, service or employment makes it likely that they will be unable to vote in person on polling day
– Full-time students registered at their home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State
– Anonymous Electors or members of the household of the person whose safety would be at risk if their name and address were published on the register of electors
– Prisoners

The relevant forms to apply for a postal vote are available from Check the Register or your Local Authority. Please see Local Authority contact list.

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission

An Coimisiún Toghcháin is a statutory, independent body, established on 9 February 2023 with responsibility for a broad range of electoral functions set out in the Electoral Reform Act 2022. An Coimisiún is central to Ireland’s electoral system, carrying out a range of existing electoral functions, including:

• responsibility for the registration of political parties;
• promoting public awareness of, and working to increase public participation in the State’s electoral and democratic processes through education and information programmes;
• overseeing the modernised Electoral Register, making recommendations and setting standards in relation to its maintenance and updating;
• the regulation of online paid-for political advertising, ensuring transparency in respect of online political advertisements during the period of an election or referendum campaign; (Legislation not yet commenced); and
• responsibility for the investigation and monitoring of online disinformation, online misinformation and manipulative or inauthentic behaviour online during election campaign periods, as well as functions to prevent manipulative or inauthentic behaviours online. (Legislation not yet commenced).

An Coimisiún is also tasked with several new electoral roles, including:

• making reports for the Minister in relation to local electoral boundaries;
• preparing research programmes and conducting research on electoral policy and procedure, and providing advice, as required, to the Minister and Government;
• the preparation of ex-post reports on the administration of electoral events;
• the decision-making, oversight, secretariat and supporting services associated with explaining the subject matter of referendum proposals, the promotion of public awareness of referendums and encouragement of the electorate to vote at referendum polls; and
• the conducting of reviews and making reports in relation to the constituencies for the election of members to the Dáil and the election of members to the European Parliament.

It is anticipated that the initial set of functions assigned to An Coimisiún will be expanded upon as it builds capacity and expertise.