Local Elections
Introduction
Local elections are held every five years. The next local elections are due to be held in 2009.
Members are elected by secret ballot according to a system of proportional representation. Twenty one members are elected to Wexford County Council. The Cathaoirleach is elected each year by the members at the Annual Meeting of the Council.
The County is divided into four local electoral areas – Enniscorthy, Gorey, New Ross and Wexford – to ensure that each part of the County is represented on the County Council.
Who is entitled to vote in a local election?
Persons aged 18 and over are entitled to be registered to vote at local elections for the local electoral area in which they ordinarily live. Irish citizenship is not a requirement for voting at a local election. Persons who live in the towns of Wexford, New Ross, Gorey and Enniscorthy are entitled to vote at elections for both the County Council and the Borough or Town Council concerned.
Polling Scheme
The Council is responsible for drawing up Polling Schemes for the electoral areas, specifying the number of polling stations and the polling station in which people must vote.
Postal/Special Voting
Generally, electors vote in person at their local polling station. Postal voting is available to An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, civil servants (and their spouses) attached to Irish missions abroad, prisoners, electors living at home who are unable to vote at a polling station due to a physical illness or disability, and electors whose occupations are likely to prevent them from voting at their local polling station, such as fishermen, airline pilots etc. (including full-time students registered at home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State). Special voting is available to electors living in a hospital, nursing home or similar institution who are unable to vote at a polling station due to a physical illness or disability.
Notice of Poll
The actual polling day and the polling period (at least twelve hours) are fixed by order of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
The Council is obliged to publish a notice inviting nominations and specifying a date by which completed nomination papers must be submitted to the Returning Officer.
Nomination of Candidates
The period (a week) for nominating candidates to stand at a local election occurs four weeks before polling day. A candidate for a local election must be an Irish citizen, and may nominate him/herself for election. Nomination of a candidate may also be made by any person registered in the same electoral area for which they propose to nominate the candidate, but the candidate must give his/her consent to the nomination. A person can be nominated to stand in more than one area. Independent candidates must have their nomination paper signed by fifteen “assenters”. These are persons registered to vote in the local authority area - they cannot include the candidate or the person who nominated him/her. An assenter can only sign the nomination form of one candidate.
Conducting the Election
The Returning Officer is responsible for the conduct of the election. When nominations are completed, he/she makes arrangements for holding the election, appoints necessary staff, has ballot papers prepared, and conducts and supervises the election count. The Returning Officer also declares the results of the election.
Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure
Candidates are obliged to disclose any donations received towards their election campaign in excess of a specified amount. A short income and expenditure statement must also be provided, in writing, to the local authority and is thereafter available for public inspection.
