FAQs: Voter Registration Confirmation and First Time Voting

I did not receive a polling card; can I vote on May 24^th?

Yes. The polling card simply tells you when and where to vote. You do not require it to vote and therefore it is not a requirement to present a polling card on May 24^th. You are required to have proof of I.D. regardless of whether you have a polling card or not.

I have not voted before or have not voted in this area before; how do I find out where to cast my vote?

If you are not sure about where your polling station is, it is best to contact the relevant city/county council and ask for the location/address of your polling station.

What times are the polling stations open at on May 24^th?

The polling stations are open between 7am to 10pm on Friday, May 24^th.

What forms of I.D. is acceptable to bring to the polling station?

Drivers licence, passport, employee or student identification card with photo, public service card, etc. The full list is here https://www.referendum.ie/general_information/evidence-of-identity-at-polling-stations/

What is the process when I arrive at the polling station?

Some polling stations, usually in urban areas may have a large number of polling booths; information is usually provided at the polling station entrance to indicate which polling booth you should go to. In some polling stations, there may only be one polling booth.

What is the process when I reach the correct polling booth?

When you have located the correct polling booth, give the polling staff your name and address along with a polling card (if you received one) or I.D. if requested. The staff will check your details and if you are on the register (including supplementary register) and an Irish citizen you can vote on May 24^th and will be given a ballot paper. Take the ballot paper to the area provided for voting and cast your vote using the pen or pencil provided. Do not write anything on the ballot paper except as per the instructions on it,  if you do your vote may be deemed spoiled and will not be counted. When finished fold your ballot paper and put it in the ballot box.

Do I have to be an Irish citizen to vote?

You do not have to be an Irish citizen to vote in a local election. However, you must be ordinarily resident in the State on 1 September 2018, to be allowed register on the 2019/20 Register of Electors.

Other Queries:

I have posted/handed in my RFA2/RFA3 application form to my City/County Council before close of business on Tuesday, May 7^th? Am I registered to vote now?

The staff in the local authority will check all your details and check that the form is correctly completed, if all is in order, your name will be added to the supplementary register.

I posted my RFA2 application form two weeks ago but my name is still not appearing on www.checktheregister.ie should I be concerned?

The staff in the city/county councils will be prioritising completion of the supplementary register once the deadline closes on May 7^th.  Some City/County Council may upload the supplementary voter lists to the www.checktheregister.ie website by May 24^th, but some may not, so the fact that your name is not there does not mean you are not registered.

So how do I make sure that my RFA2/RFA3 form was processed and I am registered to vote on May 24^th if my details are not on www.checktheregister.ie ?

If you want to confirm if your name has been included on the supplementary register, you can email the city/county council to whom you posted/sent your RFA2/RFA3 form. The full list is available at http://www.lgcsb.ie/en/irish-local-government. It would be best to get the email address of the relevant section which deals with the electoral register, i.e. usually it is named the franchise section. Send an email with your name, address seeking confirmation that your name is included. Alternatively you can go in person to the city/county council offices and ask to see a copy of the supplementary register. It may take the city/county council a number of days/week after the deadline to complete the supplementary register, so please be aware it will not be available immediately on May 8^th.