Counting begins as ballot boxes open
Counting continues in the Irish presidential election.
Voters in the Republic of Ireland went to the polls on Friday to elect the 10th Irish president, who will replace current president Michael D Higgins.
There are two candidates to become the next president, but voters had the opportunity to choose three candidates: Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin. withdrawal from the race It was too late for his name to be removed from the ballot.
The ballot boxes will open at 09.00 local time on Saturday and the results will be announced later in Dublin Castle.
Early unofficial indicators suggested that turnout could potentially struggle to reach the record low of just under 40 percent recorded in the last presidential election in 2018.
Connolly is an independent politician supported by a number of left-wing parties, including Sinn Féin.
He has been serving as a TD (member of parliament) since 2016 and has previously worked as a psychologist and lawyer. From Galway.
Humphreys is the Fine Gael candidate. He served as TD from 2011 to 2024 and has held a number of senior cabinet ministerial positions, including social protection and justice.
He is of Protestant origin and from Monaghan.
The votes to be counted in each of the 43 constituencies will be counted by political parties as soon as the polls open, giving early indications of the outcome.
Approximately 3.6 million people had the right to vote in the elections, which ended after months of campaigns for both candidates.
To be nominated, candidates had to be supported by either the Oireachtas, 20 members of the Irish parliament or four city and county councils.
Connolly was the first to announce his intention to run last July.
Sinn Féin has the support of a number of left-wing parties, including Labor and the Social Democrats, as well as independent politicians.
Humphreys was chosen to run for Fine Gael after the party’s first candidate, former EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness, withdrew from the race in August for medical reasons.
The third candidate, Jim Gavin, chosen by the main coalition party Fianna Fáil, withdrew from the campaign in early October. Intense debate in 16-year lease dispute He owed €3,300 (£2,870) to a former tenant.
However, since he withdrew after the end of the nominations, his name must remain on the ballot according to the law.
Votes cast for him will be considered legitimate and, if necessary, will be transferred to the other two candidates.
