A campaign group calling on young people to vote claims there are early indications that youth turnout is good in polling stations.
Over the past two months, Rock the Vote has visited third-level campuses and worked with community groups in an effort to bring out the young vote.
Patrick Cosgrave, director of Rock the Vote
The group failed in efforts to secure a weekend polling date, which it believed would make the logistics of getting home to vote easier for students and those working outside the constituencies in which they are registered.
Patrick Cosgrave, director of Rock the Vote, said: "We really felt that much of our work and the work of other youth groups would be undermined by a Thursday poll.
"Turnout has been falling consistently for thirty years. However, early reports from some of our volunteers at a number of stations around the country suggest that youth turnout is greater than expected.
"If there is an increase in turnout then it really is fantastic news, but it's probably too early to tell. We were hoping to play a small part in slowing the rate of decline in turnout this year, in particular amongst young people," he said.