JUST over 2.7 million people are registered to vote in the June 6th election, an increase of more than 150,000 on 1992. Those entitled to vote but still unregistered can join a supplementary register by applying to the local authority before next Wednesday, May 21st. Voting will be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The number of seats and constituencies - 166 and 41 - is the same as before. But population changes mean the former five seat Kildare constituency is now two three seaters, North and South; while the former three seaters of Mayo East and West are combined in a five seat Mayo constituency.
Changes allowing postal votes to those whose work takes them away from home do not take effect until the next register of electors. But 1,702 disabled voters have the postal vote for the first time. Just under 19,000 postal and "special" votes will be issued for this election (compared with 23,000 in 1992), with the Defence Forces accounting for almost 12,000.
The turnout in the 1992 election was 68.5 per cent. Fianna Fail took 39.1 per cent of the vote; Fine Gael 24.5; Labour 19.3; the Progressive Democrats 4.7; Democratic Left 2.8; others 9.6. The vote left Fianna Fail with 68 seats; Fine Gael 45; Labour 33; the Progressive Democrats 10; Democratic Left four; others six.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/d408b07e-0ff8-4a26-8878-74aec64dccc4.png)