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Elections 2019

In the News

20th May 2019

Elections 2019

Voters go to the polls on Friday, 24 May. People will be voting in the European Elections, Local Elections and also in a referendum on divorce arrangements. In addition, voters in Cork City, Limerick and Waterford will be asked their views on directly elected mayors. Source: RTÉ News

Below you will find educational resources to help you inform your students about the upcoming elections and referendum happening this week.

Who Can Vote?

You must be on the electoral register to vote. Irish citizens who are aged 18 and over can vote in the referendum on divorce. Irish citizens as well as EU citizens can vote in the European Elections and Local Elections. You do not have to be an Irish citizen to vote in the Local Elections. You do have to live in the local electoral area. Source: Citizens Information

Watch the following Houses of the Oireachtas video clip with your class, show students how to check the register, and complete the accompanying class activity.

Referendum on the Regulation of Divorce

Do you approve of the proposal to amend the Constitution contained in the undermentioned Bill? Inform students about the upcoming referendum with the following video from the Referendum Commission and teacher created lesson.

Local Elections

Local elections are held every five years to elect councillors to a local authority. Any adult living in the local area is entitled to vote even if they are not an Irish or an EU citizen. You must be on the Register of Electors and over 18 in order to vote.

On the 24th of May, there are 949 council seats up for grabs across 31 local authorities. Can you name the Local Election candidates in your area? The RTÉ Election 2019 website has a list of the Local Election candidates by county council.

Students could read the following Citizen Information article to learn about the function of the local authority. Afterwards, students could examine the new website created by NUIG Galway to:

  • Investigate your local council’s spending and revenue
  • Compare your council to the national average
  • Compare your council to a selection of other councils

European Elections

The next European elections take place on 23-26 May 2019 giving all adult EU citizens the opportunity to select who will represent them in the European Parliament. 

Students can explore the RTÉ Election 2019 website to identify the European Election candidates in Ireland. Get your class to refine this list of European Election candidates to their European constituency. The RTÉ website allows students to filter the candidates by the three European constituencies in Ireland.  Students could also look at the list of current MEP's by country using the European Parliament website.

There are some common rules regarding the elections, some aspects can vary by country, such as whether it is possible to vote by mail or from abroad. The interactive infographic on the right allows students to compare the rules between countries.

Next, get your class to discover how the EU makes a difference to your life.

Plebiscite for Directly Elected Mayors

Voters in Cork City, Limerick and Waterford will have an opportunity to vote in a plebiscite on a proposed directly elected mayor with executive functions (duties). A plebiscite is an electoral poll consulting the public on a proposal. Source: www.mayors.gov.ie

Students can read more about the plebiscite in Cork, Limerick, and Waterford.

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