Family and care referendums: Polls close with low turnout

Turnout in the referendums on family and care has been low in many parts of country, with polls having closed at 10pm.

Almost 86,000 people have been added to the register since the start of the year, meaning some 3.5 million people were eligible to vote in today’s referendum.

Around a quarter of voters cast a ballot in Dublin city but elsewhere in the capital turnout was as low as 16 per cent.

Elsewhere just one in five voters had turned out in Galway by 4pm and average turnout in Cork’s rural constituencies was just over 22 per cent.

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The low turnout will be of concern to Government, and most of the Opposition parties which have backed ‘Yes-Yes’ votes in the referendums.

The “family” referendum proposes to amend article 41.1 of the Constitution to expand State recognition of the family as founded not only on marriage but also on “other durable relationships”.

The “care” referendum proposes to delete article 41.2, which recognises the contribution of a woman’s life within the home to the common good and provides the State shall “endeavour” to ensure mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to work outside the home.

Across Dublin city constituencies turnout stood at just under 25 per cent at 4:45 this afternoon.

This ranged from 20.7 per cent in Dublin Bay South to 28.6 per cent in Dublin South Central.

Elsewhere in Dublin turnout in Blanchardstown was between 16 per cent and 22 per cent with Castleknock at 28 per cent.

Clondalkin was around 22 per cent while Tallaght was at 19 per cent.

Turnout picked up in in Dun Laoghaire and other areas by 8pm. Shankill St Anne’s turnout was 42 per cent and Shankill Scoil Mhuire turnout was 40 per cent.

Dalkey turnout reached 40 per cent, while Sallynoggin reached 46 per cent by 9pm.

Further north, Rush was on 27 per cent and Skerries had 29 per cent turnout.

At around 7.30pm, the percentage was averaging around 42 per cent in Wicklow, Arklow.

Turnout at 8pm over the combined Bray Greystones area in Wicklow late in the evening was 47.9 per cent.

At 4:30pm some 22 per cent of voters had turnout out in both the rural hinterlands of Athlone and Mullingar, though in the two towns it stood at 19 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

Granard in Co Longford was reporting 18 per cent turnout around the same time.

As of 5pm Cork county had an average turnout across its three constituencies of 22.3 per cent.

In the last general election turnout there at the same time was 43.5 percent; it was 27.2 per cent in the 2019 European Elections and 34 per cent for the referendum n repealing the 8thAmendmnet in 2018.

In Kerry turnout was 28.4 per cent in Killarney, 28 per cent in both Tralee and Kilgarvan, and 20 per cent in Listowel as of late Friday afternoon.

Turnout in Galway was 20 per cent as of 4pm ranging from 14 per cent in Castlegar to 22 per cent in Kinvara.

In Mayo 17.6 per cent of the electorate had cast a ballot in the Ballina/Foxford rural area though as many as 25.5 per cent had turned out in Westport.

In Wexford turnout ranged from 19.4 per cent in New Ross to 22.4 per cent in Gorey and 23.2 per cent in Ballyfad.

Turnout across Tipperary was just over 20 per cent, with Clonmel standing at 22 per cent.

The “family” referendum proposes to amend article 41.1 of the Constitution to expand State recognition of the family as founded not only on marriage but also on “other durable relationships”.

The “care” referendum proposes to delete article 41.2, which recognises the contribution of a woman’s life within the home to the common good and provides the State shall “endeavour” to ensure mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to work outside the home.

A proposed new article 42B provides the State “shall strive to support” the provision of care “by members of a family to one another by reason of the bonds that exist among them”.

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins cast their vote at St Mary’s Hospital, Phoenix Park, mid-morning. It was the President’s first outing in public since he was released from hospital on Thursday.

He spent a week in St James’s, having been taken there on February 29th after complaining of feeling unwell. He was taken to hospital as a precaution on foot of medical advice and remained there for an extra few days for tests and in order to monitor his blood pressure. President Higgins was assisted while walking into the polling station, but posed for photographs after casting his ballot.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar earlier cast his vote at Scoil Treasa Naofa on Donore Avenue in Dublin, while Tánaiste Micheál Martin voted at St Anthony’s Boys National School in Co Cork.

Voters should ideally bring their polling card but should also bring a form of identification to the polling station. If a person is on the register but their polling card has not arrived, they can still vote but must have valid ID, which includes documents such as a passport, driving licence, student card or public services card.

The arguments for Yes and No in the referendums, explained

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Upon arrival, voters will be asked to give their name and address and then will be given a stamped ballot paper to take into the booth. The ballot paper will contain short instructions on how to vote and details of the referendum proposal. It asks whether voters approve of the proposal. They should “X” in either the “yes” or the “no” box on the paper, then fold it and place it in a sealed ballot box.

The first question deals with Article 41.1.1 and Article 41.3.1 of the Constitution – the family proposals. This will be on a white coloured piece of paper. The second ballot paper – the 40th amendment relates to the care referendum. This will be on a green coloured piece of paper.

Voters are reminded that they cannot take any photos or “selfies” in the polling station as it may compromise the secrecy of the ballot. Also, do not write anything else on the ballot paper as it could ultimately be deemed as a spoilt vote. Canvassing within 50m of the polling station is also prohibited.

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