Returning officers across the State are making final preparations for tomorrow's Nice Treaty referendum as campaigners enjoy a day off.
A media blackout on campaigning is in effect from this morning, so the daily round of press conferences and photocalls that have dominated activists' lives for the past month has finally ended. No doubt, though, many are on the streets drumming up support in constituencies.
|
|
|
Polling stations open at 9 a.m. with final voting at 9 p.m. No canvassing or distribution of material is allowed within 50 metres of a polling station tomorrow.
Mr Peter Greene, Principal Officer at the Department of the Environment and Local Government is the Referendum returning officer. He will collate the returns from the 42 constituency count constituency centres.
Postal voting for people with illness and diability, as well as certain categories of public servants has taken place. Voting on the islands began on Wednesday though some islands will vote tomorrow.
Nearly three million people are eligible to vote and the Referendum Commission is reminding people that photo identification and a polling card are needed before a vote can be cast.
Voters are reminded that an X rather than a tick should be used to indicate voting intention. Marking X in the box beside Ta/Yes indicates you are in favour of the Treaty while an X in the box beside Nil/No means you do not want the Treaty to be ratified.
Electronic voting has been extended to seven constituencies: Dublin Mid-West, Dublin North, Dublin South, Dublin South-West, Dublin West, Dun Laoghaire and Meath.
Voters using the system will be given a permit upon producing their polling card and photo ID. A machine will be activated and the voter will record their preference by pushing either the "Yes" of "No" button. The vote will only be recorded when the "Cast Vote" button is pressed.
The results from electronic voting will be known on Saturday night while the manual vote count will begin on Sunday morning. The final result is expected by late afternoon.
|
|
Example of ballot paper
|