Polls open for older voters

EARLY BALLOTS:ISLANDERS OFF the west coast may begin voting on Wednesday but thousands of older voters have already cast their ballots in the general election.

Residents of nursing homes and some hospitals and hospices in the 43 constituencies have been casting their votes since Wednesday. Voting in a number of institutions also took place on Saturday and will continue this week until Wednesday.

The final figures for older voters and hospital residents who have cast their votes will not be known until after the close of polling on election day, Friday, February 25th.

Returning officers in each constituency make special arrangements to facilitate early voting in consultation with residential homes and hospitals. It is a practice that has been in place for a number of years.

Under election rules “special voters” in residences such as nursing homes can opt to vote there if unable because of disability to get to a polling station.

An estimated 8,000 nursing home and hospital residents are registered as special voters in the 43 constituencies.

A number of returning officers contacted confirmed electors had begun or completed voting in their nursing homes. In 24 constituencies contacted, returning officers confirmed that just fewer than 5,000 residents were eligible.

In the six constituencies under the remit of the Dublin city returning officer, 636 voters in 46 institutions, including hospices, will begin casting their votes today.

Special voters in the six constituencies in county Dublin cast their votes on Friday. A spokesman for the returning officer said there were 673 eligible voters in 26 nursing homes and hospitals and at each election “voting takes place on the Friday before polling day”.

In the five Cork constituencies, almost 1,000 special voters were eligible to vote in 57 nursing homes and hospitals and voting took place last week.

In South Tipperary, 84 people voted on Wednesday and Thursday, while in North Tipperary 445 special voters were eligible to cast their vote. Balloting in the constituency began last week and will conclude today.

The constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny has 153 registered special voters, while in Limerick and Limerick city 371 residents in 16 homes voted on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. In Kerry North and Kerry South, 500 special voters were eligible to cast their vote in 20 institutions on Wednesday and Thursday.