In order to vote in Ireland, you must be registered. The list of voters is called the Register of Electors and you can inspect it to see if your name is included. You can check the register in any local authority (South Tipperary County Council) office, post office, Garda station or public library.
A new draft Register is compiled each year and is published on 1 November. If you need to add your name or change your entry in the draft Register, you can do this before November 25th each year. You can download an RFA1 form to do this or you can obtain it from your post office or public library. Forms are also available from your local authority and this is where completed forms should be returned to.
If you register to vote in November 2008, you will then be elegible to vote in the forthcoming local elections of 2009.
If you forget to register for the full register, you will still be able to vote by applying for inclusion of the supplemental register. You can make this application at any time, but in order to be included in the supplement used at an election, your application must be received by your local authority at least 15 working days before polling day.
To do this you need to fill out form RFA3.
Local Elections
Local elections are held in Ireland every 5 years in the month of May or June. At these elections, members of the local community elect Councillors to represent the community in local authorities. The next round of local elections will take place in May or June 2009.
There is a week for nominating candidates to stand at local election; this takes place 4 weeks before the polling day. On the polling day, voters may vote by secret ballot in their local polling station. The electoral system is based on proportional representation with single transferable vote.
You do not have to be an Irish citizen to vote in a local election but you must be over 18 years of age and you must live in the local electoral area. You must also be registered on the Register of Electors compiled every year by County and City Councils.
People living in towns may vote in a Borough or Town Council election as well as the County Council election. The Town or Borough Council election will be held at the same time as the County or City Council elections. You will be given two ballot papers and you can vote for candidates on both Councils.
The candidate selection convention for the local elections was scheduled for the evening of Saturday the 13th of September, 2008.
Senator Dan Boyle attended this convention and Bar-B-Q.
Bernard Lennon was chosen as the candidate for the Clonmel electoral area for 2009 local elections.
