It's all official: February 26 is polling day

Want to run for election?

You can – as long as you are at least 21 years of age by polling day, and as long as you are a citizen of Ireland.

Alan Kelly TD, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has this morning made an order appointing 26 February 2016 as polling day.

The hours of polling are to be between 7am and 10pm.

Anyone interested in standing can nominate himself or herself as a candidate or, with his or her consent, may be nominated by a person who is registered as an elector in the constituency concerned.

To run as an independent, however, you need to have 30 “assentors” (nominators) from your own constituency. Alternatively, you, or someone on your behalf, can lodge €500 with the returning officer.

The latest time for receiving nominations is 12 noon on 11 February 2016. Candidates may withdraw their nominations up to 12 noon on 12 February 2016.

Every person who is an Irish or British citizen and is included in the register of electors is entitled to vote at the General Election.  The electorate currently stands at over 3.2 million.

People who are eligible to vote but 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. To be eligible for inclusion in the supplement, a person must be 18 years of age or over on or before polling day and must be ordinarily resident in the State.

For inclusion in the supplement to the register, a person must complete the relevant application form, which can be downloaded from www.checktheregister.ie or can be obtained from City, County or City and County Councils (registration authorities). 

An application form will need to be received by the registration authority for the area in which the applicant is resident not later than Tuesday 9 February 2016.

An application for inclusion in the supplement to the register must be signed by the applicant in the presence of a member of the Garda Síochána from the applicant’s local Garda station who must first be satisfied as to the person’s identity before signing, dating and stamping the form.  The Garda may request photographic or other identification. 

Where the applicant establishes in writing that he or she is unable to progress the application in this way, the form can be signed by the applicant in the presence of an official of the registration authority who is satisfied as to his or her identity.  Again, photographic or other identification may be required.  If neither option is viable due to physical illness or physical disability, the application form must be accompanied by a medical certificate.