Counting is under way in the Irish presidential election, with early indications pointing towards a victory for independent candidate Catherine Connolly over Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys. The election, held to replace outgoing President Michael D Higgins, has seen a notable number of spoiled votes, reflecting voter discontent.
The counting process began at 9am local time on Saturday at 32 count centres across Ireland, following polls that closed on Friday evening. Voters had a choice between two main candidates, Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, although a third candidate, Jim Gavin, remained on the ballot despite withdrawing from the race earlier in October.
Early tallies from various constituencies, including Dublin Bay South and Dublin North West, show overwhelming support for Catherine Connolly. For instance, in one Dublin constituency, she received 69 first preference votes compared to 20 for Humphreys, with a significant number of spoiled ballots. Similar patterns are emerging in other areas, suggesting a comfortable lead for Connolly.
A striking feature of this election is the high rate of spoiled votes, which are being tallied as second in some areas after Connolly. Voters appear to have used their ballots to protest issues such as immigration, crime, and the limited candidate choice, with estimates suggesting up to 6% of votes could be spoiled, compared to 1.2% in the 2018 election.
Catherine Connolly, an independent TD backed by left-wing parties including Sinn Féin, Labour, and the Social Democrats, has a background as a psychologist and barrister and is from Galway. Heather Humphreys, the Fine Gael candidate, served in cabinet positions such as social protection and justice and comes from a Protestant background in Monaghan.
Turnout in this election is speculated to be low, potentially failing to surpass the record low of 43.8% from 2018. The election used proportional representation via single transferable vote, and the quota for victory is 50% of the valid poll plus one. If no candidate reaches the quota on the first count, a second count will take place.
Political reactions have been swift, with Fine Gael acknowledging the likely defeat and emphasizing unity behind the next president. Sinn Féin praised Connolly’s campaign and criticized the tactics of other parties, while noting the high spoiled vote rate indicates voter disengagement. The official result is expected to be announced at Dublin Castle later today.
The inauguration of the new president is scheduled for November 11th, with Michael D Higgins remaining in office until midnight on November 10th. The winner will become Ireland’s tenth president, marking a new chapter in the country’s political landscape.