Limerick Decides: Voting begins in Presidential Election and Blasphemy Referendum

TENS of thousands of people are going to the polls across Limerick this Friday morning in the presidential election and constitutional referendum.

Around 300 polling booths opened across Limerick city and Limerick county at 7am, and will remain open until 10pm.

County registrar and local returning officer Pat Wallace is advising voters that ballot papers for the presidential election are white in colour and will feature the name and photo of each of the six candidates which should be numbered in order of preference.

The six candidates in the presidential election are Peter Casey, Gavin Duffy, Joan Freeman, Sean Gallagher, the incumbent Michael D Higgins and Liadh Ni Riada.

The ballot papers for the blasphemy referendum are green in colour with voters being asked clearly indicate their preference by marking the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ box.

In terms of this, voters are being asked whether to remove or retain Article 40.6 of the Constitution which makes blasphemy an offence.

There is no obligation on people to cast votes in both the presidential election and referendum and they are free to vote in just one if they wish.

With more than 140,000 people eligible to vote across Limerick, it’s anticipated polling booths will be particularly busy in the morning, at lunchtime, the early evening, or close to the time the polls close at 10pm.

Those wishing to vote are advised to avoid these busy periods.

Following the closing of the polls on Friday, a major operation will kick-in to bring the ballot boxes to the count centre at Limerick Racecourse in Patrickswell, with count staff sorting and collating the ballot papers from 9am on Saturday.

Those on the register of electors should have received their polling cards in recent days.

An information booklet from the Referendum Commission –  which is chaired by Limerick woman, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy - has also been distributed.

- Stay with the Limerick Leader for updates through today and during the count from the Limerick Racecourse on Saturday