Record Number of Spoilt Ballots in Irish Presidential Election Raises Concerns

Strategic Insights -

The Irish presidential election saw a record number of spoilt ballots, with 13% of all votes cast being invalid. This is a significant increase from the last presidential election, where there were 18,438 spoilt ballots. The turnout for the election was 46%, up from the 2018 presidential election's 44%. The high number of spoilt ballots has raised concerns among politicians, with Irish Premier Micheal Martin stating that "it's a worry" and Irish Deputy Premier Simon Harris expressing concern about the high number of spoiled ballots.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of spoilt ballots in the Irish presidential election was 13% of all votes cast, a more than tenfold increase on the last presidential election.
  • The turnout for the election was 46%, up from the 2018 presidential election's 44%.
  • Many spoilt ballots had an "x" or slash drawn through all three candidates, or the words "spoiled" or "spoilt" written on the slip.
  • A number of spoilt ballot papers included anti-Government messages, such as "no democracy", "EU puppets", and "no from me".
  • Some spoilt ballot papers had the names of prominent individuals, including Maria Steen, Enoch Burke, Father Ted, Michael Collins, Bobby Sands, Dustin the Turkey, Donald Duck, and Donald Trump.
  • Irish politicians have called on people to engage with politics and address the concerns of those who spoiled their ballots.
  • People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy stated that spoiling a ballot is a "legitimate choice that people can make" and is not a "moral failing".

Statistics:

  • 13% of all votes cast in the Irish presidential election were spoilt.
  • 46% of eligible voters turned out to vote, up from the 2018 presidential election's 44%.
  • 18,438 invalid ballots were cast in the last presidential election.
  • 21% of votes cast in the Dublin Mid-West constituency were spoilt.
  • The number of spoilt ballots "is significantly higher than normal" (An Coimisiun Toghchain).

Sources:

  • "Ireland's electoral commission says there 'will clearly be a need for deeper and further reflection' about why there were so many spoilt ballots in the presidential election" (An Coimisiun Toghchain).
  • Irish Independent, "Spoilt ballots: the flawed voices of a disaffected Ireland" (no author mentioned).
  • Irish Times, "Record number of spoilt ballots in Irish presidential election" (no author mentioned).