Students queue for voter registration

Queues of students intent on registering to vote in the forthcoming general election formed at Garda stations in a number of locations yesterday, including Maynooth, Co Kildare, Galway city and in Tralee, Co Kerry.

The turnout is part of a Union of Students in Ireland (USI) campaign which claims to have directly assisted 80,000 students to register in the last three years. Today, USI will be working with gardaí at DIT campuses in Bolton Street, Aungier Street and Kevin Street in Dublin to step up the process of voter registration.

Potential voters have until February 9th to get their names on the supplementary register of electors.

Completed application forms must be signed by the applicant in the presence of a member of the Garda who must be satisfied as to the person’s identity before signing, dating and stamping the form.

Check the register

To be eligible a person must be 18 years or older on polling day, and must be ordinarily resident in the State. To get themselves on the register, intending voters should complete an application form which is available on

[ checktheregister.ie ]

or can be obtained from city, county or city and county Councils .

If a person is eligible to vote by post, or is unable to vote in person due to a physical illness or physical disability and is resident in a hospital, nursing home or similar institution, and they are not on the Postal Voters List or Special Voters List, as appropriate, they can apply for inclusion in the supplements to those lists.

Aspiring Dáil deputies have until midday on February 11th to get their nomination papers lodged.

Solemn declarations

Candidates who are not members of a registered political party must have their nomination “completed” by either getting solemn declarations of assent by 30 electors, or by the payment of a €500 deposit with the returning officer.