With the "big rush" expected over the next few hours, the consensus among returning officers across the State is that voting in today’s abortion referendum has been slow this afternoon.
The turnout estimates have varied from five per cent at a station in Cherryorchard in South Dublin at about 5 p.m. to about 30 per cent in Wicklow and 20 per cent in some parts of Cork city by tea-time. Most returning offices have given an average of between 15 per cent and 20 per cent by about 5.30 p.m.
When giving their estimates, the returning office pointed out that people who normally cast their votes between 8-9 a.m. will probably vote this evening. This would probably increase the evening turnout and should be considered when comparing per cents with those in the Nice Referendum vote, they said.
According to the returning office for the Dublin Central/East/West constituency there was an average turnout of 20 per cent by 5.15 p.m. The lowest recorded was in Cherryorchard, while the polling station in Inichore recorded a voter turnout of 25 per cent by 5.30 p.m. The office expects a higher turnout overall than in the Nice Referendum as evening voters boost the count.
This afternoon the average was between 8 and 12 per cent in Galway East/West constituency. The feeling was a lower turnout than for the Nice Referendum but the polling stations were expected to get busy from 6 p.m., the returning office said.
In Limerick East/West the polling was said to be low so far, with a four per cent turnout reported in the city by lunchtime. The picture in Cork North-Central and South-Central constituency was similar - all seems quiet, the returning office said.
The highest figure was at the polling station at Mahon in Cork city where 20 per cent had turnout by about 5 p.m. However the average in the early area for the constituency was about 10 per cent, the office said.
In Wicklow, polling was busier with the returning office estimating about 25 per cent.
"The only comments I have is that there seemed to be an awful lot more men voting in Bray," said the returning officer, adding many stations feel the voting pattern and size are similar to the Divorce Referendum.
In Westmeath there was a low vote estimated by about 3 p.m. with a 12 per cent average. "It will get busier but about 34 per cent turnout was recorded by that time in the Nice Referendum," the returning officer said.
The weather is not keeping them away in Louth, the returning officer said though the turnout seems slow. It was at 15 per cent by 3 p.m., she said.
By about 5.30 p.m. the turnout seemed low in Longford-Roscommon with an average of 16-18 per cent recorded in Longford town.
While in Cavan "not a lot of activity" was reported during the afternoon - ranging from an average of 8 per cent in rural areas to 16 per cent in urban areas.
But by at about 6 p.m., 30 per cent was recorded in one rural station, with 18 per cent in an urban station and 16 per cent in another urban station, the returning officer said.
In the North/South Kerry constituency, the turnout was about 16/17 per cent so far, with 25 per cent recorded in Listowel in North Kerry. Again it was expected to pick up over the next couple of hours.