Students who are living away from the address at which they are registered to vote can vote by post in the forthcoming presidential election and referendum, the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development has said.
Mr Dempsey said the categories of persons who may vote by post had been extended "to facilitate people who in the past had found it difficult . . . to vote either by reason of their occupation or physical disability". Students can avail of this facility if they are attending an educational institution in the State full-time and cannot attend their designated station on polling day because they live away for study purposes. Electors also entitled to apply to get on the supplement to the postal voters' list are those unable to go in person to vote at a polling station due to a physical illness or disability and people who because of their occupation are unlikely to be able to go to their designated polling stations. Examples of such occupations are fishing, seafaring and long distance lorry-driving. Gardai are also entitled to apply for inclusion in the supplement. Incapacitated persons living in hospitals or nursing homes should apply for inclusion in the supplement to the special voters' list.
Applications for inclusion in the supplements must reach the local authority at which the voter is registered by Tuesday, September 30th.