SPOILED VOTES:MANY VOTERS appeared confused by the layout of the ballot paper in Cavan-Monaghan as a number of the spoiled papers illustrated.
The number of rejected papers was estimated to be between 400 and 500, but the manner in which they were spoiled showed some variation. The majority of spoiled votes appeared to have shown some form of deviation from the standard expression of preference using the normal 1,2,3 marking.
Some voters seemed to follow the Westminster first-past-the-post fashion and placed an “X” opposite a number of candidates. On some ballot papers pictures of the candidates had been circled.
Other papers, seen during the tally process, contained a series of ticks opposite some of the 14 candidates.
A number of rejected ballots had the list of 14 candidates crossed out, some negative comments and others continued their comments on the back of the ballot paper, adding to the sense voters were taking out electoral revenge on public representatives.
In Galway, meanwhile, Libertas founder Declan Ganley publicly announced he had spoiled his vote. He told reporters he placed a zero after all the candidates and wrote across the bottom of the ballot paper: “There is a better way.”
There were also reports of relatively high numbers of spoiled votes in Wicklow, possibly due to the dual column layout of a longer-than-normal ballot paper.