Eoghan Murphy TD, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government announced on 28 August 2018 that he has made a Presidential Election Order in connection with the forthcoming Presidential election, setting out the key dates in the election process, as follows:
Last day for receipt of nominations: 26 September 2018
Day on which the poll shall be taken: 26 October 2018
Hours of poll: 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
The Minister has also appointed Barry Ryan, a Principal Officer in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, to be the Presidential Returning Officer. The address of the Presidential Returning Officer to which nomination papers may be delivered and other communications sent is: Presidential Returning Officer, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Custom House, Dublin 1.
The nomination period commences at 10 a.m. on 30 August 2018 and closes at 12 noon on 26 September 2018.
Every Irish citizen who is 18 years of age and included in the register of electors for a constituency is entitled to vote at the election. The total electorate currently stands at some 3.3 million.
People who are eligible to vote but who are not registered as electors still have time to apply for entry in the supplement to the register of electors to be published before polling day and so be able to vote on 26 October 2018. Application forms can be downloaded from www.checktheregister.ie or can be obtained from the relevant City, County or City and County Council. To be eligible for inclusion in the supplement to the register a person must be an Irish citizen, must be 18 years of age by polling day and must be ordinarily resident in the State.
Applications for inclusion in the supplement must be signed in the presence of and witnessed by a member of the Garda Siochána or, if the person cannot attend their local Garda Station, by an official of their City, County or City and County Council provided they state the reason why they were unable to attend a Garda station. If, because of a physical illness or physical disability, a person cannot attend either their local Garda Station or their City, County or City and County Council, their application form must be accompanied by a medical certificate. The final date for the receipt of completed supplement application forms by the relevant City, County or City and County Council is 9 October 2018.
If a person is eligible to vote by post, or is unable to vote in person due to a physical illness or physical disability and is resident in a hospital, nursing home or similar institution, and they are not on the Postal Voters List or Special Voters List, they can apply for inclusion in the supplement to those lists. Application forms are available from City, County or City and County Council who will advise people of the appropriate arrangements for the completion of the relevant form. Completed forms must be received by the relevant City, County or City and County Council not later than 1 October 2018.
Copies of the Presidential Election Order and the Returning Officer Appointment are available by clicking the links below.
