Knowledge (XXG)

Right of Irish expatriates to vote

Source đź“ť

74:
Expatriates intending to return to Ireland within eighteen months may retain their Irish address for electoral purposes, but must be present to vote in person. Maintenance of the electoral register is inefficient and emigrants often remain listed years after leaving; some return specifically to vote,
144:
including 1 million who have lived in Ireland. Most proposals would enfranchise only the subset of this 1 million who left Ireland a limited time before. The number is still large relative to a resident population (including children) of 4.8 million; however, Iseult Honohan suggests that swamping
139:
and the potential benefits of increasing its engagement with the state, and a moral debt owed to reluctant emigrants. Arguments against include the possibility of the emigrant vote swamping residents, and that emigrants' views may conflict with residents'. Of 70 million nonresidents claiming Irish
988: 920:
the proposed referendum on extending the franchise at presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the State which it is intended will be held on the same date as the local and European elections in late May/early June
278:, which leaves Northern Ireland subject to some EU rules despite no longer participating in EU decision-making. Among the mitigations suggested in the report was allowing Irish citizens resident in Northern Ireland to vote in 868: 250:, the referendum would be postponed; it also agreed that the proposal would be "an extension of the franchise to all citizens resident outside the State, including citizens resident in Northern Ireland". The resulting 888: 145:
could be prevented by making emigrants vote in a dedicated emigrants' constituency rather than in the constituency of their last Irish residence, so that expatriates would have lower
32: 1039: 221: 64: 692: 842: 298: 967: 365: 843:"Fifth Report: Amending the Constitution to give citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in Presidential elections at Irish embassies, or otherwise" 56: 193:", and recommended that Irish citizens abroad should have the right to vote in Dáil elections. In 2015, a report on reform of the Seanad commissioned by the 787: 128: 657: 239: 441: 605: 586: 297:
Oireachtas All-party committee on the Constitution (2002). "Chapter 4: Northern Ireland and emigrant participation in national political life".
178: 96: 869:"Coveney publishes an Options Paper on extending the eligibility for citizens resident outside the State to vote at presidential elections" 806: 279: 177:(parliament) committee on the constitution considered the matter in 2002; it recommended no extension of the franchise, but that among the 20: 1019: 755: 498: 227: 478: 523:
Working Group On Seanad Reform p.44 "non-resident graduates can register to vote in the university members elections at present";
319: 181:(prime minister) should be "a person or persons with an awareness of emigrant issues". In 2014, the Oireachtas joint committee on 84: 60: 751: 846: 307: 190: 631: 557:"Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill 2019 – No. 68 of 2019 – Houses of the Oireachtas" 75:
which is technically illegal but difficult to enforce. There is no requirement of residency for public representatives.
135:
to vote in the Republic. Arguments in favour of expatriates voting include the economic and cultural importance of the
372: 231: 68: 1034: 243: 275: 36: 889:"Announcement by the Taoiseach on Voting Rights in Presidential Elections for Irish Citizens outside the State" 146: 116: 40: 1044: 52: 154: 150: 141: 525: 456: 238:
listing seven options for eligibility criteria and associated implementation measures, and promised a
162: 44: 28: 903: 186: 530: 461: 271: 24: 112: 483: 352: 208:
elected, from an electorate extended "to Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and to holders of
205: 76: 48: 933: 342: 334: 201: 132: 124: 987:
Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU (9 December 2021).
811: 697: 937: 111:
Since the 1990s there have been proposals to allow emigrants to vote in elections to the
235: 209: 182: 136: 189:
communication on "the consequences of disenfranchisement of Union citizens exercising
1028: 255: 92: 404: 246:. In February 2019, the government decided that, due to the urgency of dealing with 120: 16:
Ineligibility of nearly all Irish expatriates to vote in nearly all Irish elections
556: 338: 100: 251: 197: 174: 158: 356: 157:
to the Dáil, so proposals to allow expatriates to vote for the Seanad or the
194: 165:
would provide symbolic inclusion without jeopardising government stability.
131:
have advocated for change. A related issue is a proposed right of people in
968:"Northern Ireland voters should be allowed to vote in European elections" 88: 347: 67:
introduced in 2019 proposed allowing non-resident citizens to vote in
267: 247: 47:
personnel but not their spouses. An exception is in elections to the
444:. Dublin: Citizens Information Board. 29 March 2018. Overseas voters 80: 35:
are those serving abroad on government business; this includes
845:. Convention on the Constitution. November 2013. Archived from 320:"Should Irish Emigrants have Votes? External Voting in Ireland" 242:
on whichever option it would select, to be held alongside the
230:
in 2013 recommended allowing expatriate citizens to vote in
786:
Joint Committee on European Union Affairs (November 2014).
505:. Oireachtas. 25 March 2004. Vol.582 No.5 p.13 cc.1343–1344 693:"Why it is finally time to give Irish emigrants the vote" 606:"Illegal emigrant voting: How #HometoVote could backfire" 807:"Irish emigrants should have right to vote, report says" 776:
Oireachtas All-party committee on the Constitution p.59
718:
Oireachtas All-party committee on the Constitution p.40
587:"The vote: returning emigrants warned of 18-month rule" 431:
Oireachtas All-party committee on the Constitution p.55
875:(Press release). Government of Ireland. 22 March 2017 234:; In 2017 the government agreed to this, published a 580: 578: 222:
Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2019
115:(lower house) or Seanad, generally via a dedicated ( 994:. Oireachtas. p. 42, Recommendations 31 and 32 499:"Other Questions [9344/04] — Postal Voting" 788:"Report on Voting Rights of Irish Citizens Abroad" 526:"Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937" 87:, in which he came third out of five candidates. 479:"Military spouses living abroad are denied vote" 427: 425: 51:(upper house) for which graduates voting in the 405:"External voting: a GlobalIrish.ie factsheet" 399: 397: 8: 891:(Press release). Department of the Taoiseach 737: 735: 733: 1040:Electoral reform in the Republic of Ireland 266:The 2021 report of the Seanad committee on 551: 549: 346: 832:Working Group On Seanad Reform 2015, p.9 989:"Final Report on the Impacts of Brexit" 632:"McGuinness unable to vote for himself" 393: 364:Working Group On Seanad Reform (2015). 658:"Billy Lawless: the emigrant Senator" 7: 752:"Population and Migration Estimates" 630:Brennan, Michael (28 October 2011). 280:elections to the European Parliament 21:elections in the Republic of Ireland 1020:History of the franchise in Ireland 300:Seventh Progress Report: Parliament 179:senators nominated by the Taoiseach 910:. KildareStreet.com. 17 April 2018 691:Hickman, Mary (10 November 2015). 14: 805:Kenny, Ciara (13 November 2014). 727:Honohan 2011 pp.15–16 of preprint 604:Kenny, Ciara (10 February 2018). 107:Debate on extending the franchise 306:. pp. 40–59. Archived from 83:resident, could not vote in the 563:. Oireachtas. 16 September 2019 258:in the Dáil in September 2019. 204:should be directly rather than 57:National University of Ireland 1: 741:Honohan 2011 p.16 of preprint 681:Honohan 2011 p.14 of preprint 585:Hickey, Shane (24 May 2018). 200:recommended that senators on 656:Kenny, Ciara (3 June 2016). 339:10.1080/07907184.2011.619749 191:their right to free movement 373:Department of the Taoiseach 1061: 974:. No. 9 December 2021 477:Brady, Tom (16 May 2007). 219: 185:(EU) affairs considered a 85:2011 presidential election 756:Central Statistics Office 276:Northern Ireland Protocol 240:constitutional referendum 228:Constitutional Convention 140:ancestry, 3 million have 53:university constituencies 318:Honohan, Iseult (2011). 123:. Groups established by 117:single transferable vote 327:Irish Political Studies 39:and their spouses, and 938:"Referendum Campaigns" 232:presidential elections 216:Presidential elections 69:presidential elections 63:) may be nonresident. 457:"Electoral Act, 1992" 442:"Registering to vote" 936:(20 February 2019). 503:Dáil Éireann Debates 169:Oireachtas elections 149:than residents. The 944:. KildareStreet.com 313:on 20 October 2013. 244:2019 local election 187:European Commission 97:Taoiseach's nominee 33:non-resident voters 29:residential address 849:on 6 November 2017 531:Irish Statute Book 462:Irish Statute Book 409:www.globalirish.ie 272:democratic deficit 212:living overseas". 125:economic emigrants 25:electoral register 1035:Expatriate voting 966:McGreevy, Ronan. 934:Phelan, John Paul 636:Irish Independent 484:Irish Independent 202:vocational panels 142:Irish citizenship 77:Martin McGuinness 65:A government bill 61:Dublin University 1052: 1007: 1003: 1001: 999: 993: 983: 981: 979: 960: 954: 953: 951: 949: 930: 924: 923: 917: 915: 900: 898: 896: 884: 882: 880: 865: 859: 858: 856: 854: 839: 833: 830: 824: 823: 821: 819: 802: 800: 798: 792: 783: 777: 774: 768: 767: 765: 763: 748: 742: 739: 728: 725: 719: 716: 710: 709: 707: 705: 688: 682: 679: 673: 672: 670: 668: 653: 647: 646: 644: 642: 627: 621: 620: 618: 616: 601: 599: 597: 582: 573: 572: 570: 568: 553: 544: 543: 541: 539: 521: 515: 514: 512: 510: 495: 493: 491: 474: 472: 470: 453: 451: 449: 438: 432: 429: 420: 419: 417: 415: 401: 383: 381: 379: 370: 360: 350: 324: 314: 312: 305: 151:Irish government 133:Northern Ireland 1060: 1059: 1055: 1054: 1053: 1051: 1050: 1049: 1025: 1024: 1016: 1011: 1010: 1006: 997: 995: 991: 986: 977: 975: 972:The Irish Times 965: 961: 957: 947: 945: 942:Written answers 932: 931: 927: 913: 911: 908:Written answers 904:"Postal Voting" 902: 894: 892: 887:Ruth, Maguire. 886: 878: 876: 867: 866: 862: 852: 850: 841: 840: 836: 831: 827: 817: 815: 812:The Irish Times 804: 796: 794: 790: 785: 784: 780: 775: 771: 761: 759: 750: 749: 745: 740: 731: 726: 722: 717: 713: 703: 701: 698:The Irish Times 690: 689: 685: 680: 676: 666: 664: 662:The Irish Times 655: 654: 650: 640: 638: 629: 628: 624: 614: 612: 610:The Irish Times 603: 595: 593: 591:The Irish Times 584: 583: 576: 566: 564: 555: 554: 547: 537: 535: 524: 522: 518: 508: 506: 497: 489: 487: 476: 468: 466: 455: 447: 445: 440: 439: 435: 430: 423: 413: 411: 403: 402: 395: 390: 377: 375: 368: 363: 322: 317: 310: 303: 296: 293: 288: 274:created by the 264: 224: 218: 210:Irish passports 171: 129:1980s recession 109: 37:Irish diplomats 31:, and the only 17: 12: 11: 5: 1058: 1056: 1048: 1047: 1045:Irish diaspora 1042: 1037: 1027: 1026: 1023: 1022: 1015: 1012: 1009: 1008: 1005: 1004: 984: 962: 955: 925: 860: 834: 825: 778: 769: 743: 729: 720: 711: 683: 674: 648: 622: 574: 545: 516: 433: 421: 392: 391: 389: 386: 385: 384: 361: 333:(4): 545–561. 315: 292: 289: 287: 284: 263: 260: 236:position paper 220:Main article: 217: 214: 183:European Union 170: 167: 137:Irish diaspora 108: 105: 45:Garda SĂ­ochána 41:Defence Forces 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1057: 1046: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1032: 1030: 1021: 1018: 1017: 1013: 990: 985: 973: 969: 964: 963: 959: 956: 943: 939: 935: 929: 926: 922: 909: 905: 890: 874: 873:MerrionStreet 870: 864: 861: 848: 844: 838: 835: 829: 826: 814: 813: 808: 789: 782: 779: 773: 770: 757: 753: 747: 744: 738: 736: 734: 730: 724: 721: 715: 712: 700: 699: 694: 687: 684: 678: 675: 663: 659: 652: 649: 637: 633: 626: 623: 611: 607: 592: 588: 581: 579: 575: 562: 558: 552: 550: 546: 533: 532: 527: 520: 517: 504: 500: 486: 485: 480: 464: 463: 458: 443: 437: 434: 428: 426: 422: 410: 406: 400: 398: 394: 387: 374: 367: 362: 358: 354: 349: 344: 340: 336: 332: 328: 321: 316: 309: 302: 301: 295: 294: 290: 285: 283: 281: 277: 273: 269: 261: 259: 257: 253: 249: 245: 241: 237: 233: 229: 223: 215: 213: 211: 207: 203: 199: 196: 192: 188: 184: 180: 176: 168: 166: 164: 160: 156: 152: 148: 147:apportionment 143: 138: 134: 130: 126: 122: 118: 114: 106: 104: 102: 98: 94: 93:Billy Lawless 90: 86: 82: 78: 72: 70: 66: 62: 58: 54: 50: 46: 42: 38: 34: 30: 26: 22: 996:. Retrieved 976:. Retrieved 971: 958: 946:. Retrieved 941: 928: 919: 912:. Retrieved 907: 893:. Retrieved 877:. Retrieved 872: 863: 851:. Retrieved 847:the original 837: 828: 816:. Retrieved 810: 795:. Retrieved 793:. Oireachtas 781: 772: 760:. Retrieved 758:. April 2017 746: 723: 714: 702:. Retrieved 696: 686: 677: 665:. Retrieved 661: 651: 639:. Retrieved 635: 625: 613:. Retrieved 609: 594:. Retrieved 590: 565:. Retrieved 560: 536:. Retrieved 529: 519: 507:. Retrieved 502: 488:. Retrieved 482: 467:. Retrieved 460: 446:. Retrieved 436: 412:. Retrieved 408: 376:. Retrieved 330: 326: 308:the original 299: 265: 262:EU elections 225: 172: 127:leaving the 121:constituency 119:multi-seat) 110: 73: 27:is based on 18: 998:10 December 978:10 December 155:responsible 101:25th Seanad 1029:Categories 567:10 October 534:. ss 7, 20 348:10197/4346 286:References 256:introduced 206:indirectly 198:Enda Kenny 175:Oireachtas 161:office of 159:figurehead 465:. ss.7–14 388:Citations 357:0790-7184 195:Taoiseach 163:President 91:resident 1014:See also 948:28 March 914:23 April 895:23 March 879:23 April 853:23 April 818:23 April 797:23 April 762:23 April 704:24 April 538:23 April 509:23 April 490:23 April 469:23 April 448:23 April 378:23 April 366:"Report" 270:noted a 19:At most 667:20 June 641:20 June 414:7 March 291:Sources 99:to the 89:Chicago 79:, as a 615:24 May 596:24 May 355:  268:Brexit 248:Brexit 95:was a 49:Seanad 992:(PDF) 791:(PDF) 561:Bills 369:(PDF) 323:(PDF) 311:(PDF) 304:(PDF) 81:Derry 1000:2021 980:2021 950:2019 921:2019 916:2018 897:2017 881:2018 855:2018 820:2018 799:2018 764:2018 706:2018 669:2018 643:2018 617:2018 598:2018 569:2019 540:2018 511:2018 492:2018 471:2018 450:2018 416:2016 380:2018 353:ISSN 254:was 252:bill 226:The 173:The 113:Dáil 59:and 43:and 23:the 343:hdl 335:doi 153:is 1031:: 970:. 940:. 918:. 906:. 901:; 885:; 871:. 809:. 803:; 754:. 732:^ 695:. 660:. 634:. 608:. 602:; 589:. 577:^ 559:. 548:^ 528:. 501:. 496:; 481:. 475:; 459:. 454:; 424:^ 407:. 396:^ 371:. 351:. 341:. 331:26 329:. 325:. 282:. 103:. 71:. 1002:. 982:. 952:. 899:. 883:. 857:. 822:. 801:. 766:. 708:. 671:. 645:. 619:. 600:. 571:. 542:. 513:. 494:. 473:. 452:. 418:. 382:. 359:. 345:: 337:: 55:(

Index

elections in the Republic of Ireland
electoral register
residential address
non-resident voters
Irish diplomats
Defence Forces
Garda Síochána
Seanad
university constituencies
National University of Ireland
Dublin University
A government bill
presidential elections
Martin McGuinness
Derry
2011 presidential election
Chicago
Billy Lawless
Taoiseach's nominee
25th Seanad
Dáil
single transferable vote
constituency
economic emigrants
1980s recession
Northern Ireland
Irish diaspora
Irish citizenship
apportionment
Irish government

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.

↑