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How to register

Every person who is an Irish citizen and British citizen and is included in the register of electors is entitled to vote at the General Election. The electorate currently stands at 3,066,517, which is just under 4 per cent higher than the electorate at the 2002 General Election.

Persons not on the register, may be eligible to apply for inclusion on the Supplement to the register. To be eligible, a person must be a citizen of Ireland or the UK; must be 18 years of age by polling day and must be ordinarily resident in the State on September 1st in the year preceding the coming into force of the Register.

One issue that came to light over the course of the 29th Dail is that electoral register has been found to be widely inaccurate.

The Sunday Tribune reported in June 2005 that up to 800,000 names were on the register that should not be. As a result at least one in five voters will be required to produce some form of identification at polling stations.

Voters who are not yet registered can apply to the supplementary register which will be open until fifteen days before polling day on May 24th, not including Sundays and public holidays.

Supplement application must be witnessed by:

A member of the Garda Siochana or, if the person cannot attend their local Garda Station, by An official of their City or County Council provided they state the reason why they were unable to attend a Garda station.

If, because of a physical illness or disability, a person cannot attend either their local Garda Station or their City or County Council, their application form can be accompanied by a medical certificate.

The final date for the receipt of completed supplement application forms will be 15 days before polling day on May 24th.

Voting, to elect 165 members (excluding the Ceann Comhairle) to the 30th Dail, will take place in 43 constituencies.

Check the electoral register

Step by step guide to registering to vote