Stage is set for an interesting election

On June 5, a portion of 66,128 registered voters - around 83 percent of the entire population of Westmeath - will go to the polls in electoral districts across Westmeath, to cast their ballots for the 2009 local and European elections.A total of 49 candidates will contest the election in the Coole (4 seats), Mullingar East (4 seats), Mullingar West (5 seats), Kilbeggan (4 seats) and Athlone (6 seats) electoral areas, with a massive 22 candidates also seeking election to Mullingar Town Council.Athlone is by far the largest electoral area, with an electorate of 19,332, covered by 39 boxes. The smallest is Coole, with 10,816 registered voters and 20 boxes, although the north Westmeath constituency will gain a seat this year, while Athlone will have its share of seats reduced to eight.A total of 13,576 people are registered to vote in Mullingar West (27 boxes), while another 11,197 are on the register in Mullingar East (22 boxes). Another 11,207 can vote in Kilbeggan, each at one of 25 boxes.Roibeard Ó Ceallaigh, Returning Officer for Westmeath County Council, is enduring a busy week as preparations for Friday"s election, and the subsequent count on Saturday, reach their final stages.Acting as Returning Officer for the Mullingar Town Council election is Town Clerk, Caroline Byrne, while her Athlone counterpart, John Walsh will oversee the count for Athlone Town Council.The counts for Westmeath County and Mullingar Town Councils will take place at the St. Mary"s CBS hall off College Street, Mullingar starting at Saturday morning, after a day of polling between 7am and 10pm on Friday, at schools and halls across the county.As well as voting for their local representative(s) of choice, the electorate will have a chance to vote for their candidate of choice in the Ireland North West European election run-in.There are thirteen candidates to choose from in the North West constituency, which covers four provinces and approximately one quarter of the national electorate.Westmeath Returning Officer, Roibeard Ó Ceallaigh explained that count staff would separate the European ballots from the local ones, before directing them to the main Ireland North West count centre at the TF Royal Hotel and Theatre in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.Counting for both the European and local elections is expected to conclude in its entirety on Sunday. The count is generally carried out by Westmeath County Council and Courts Service personnel, as well as other recruits.There have been no indications as to how turnout will go. Percentage wise, turnout in 2004 was in the high 50s (average), and it will be interesting to see how the total poll will tally in light of the worsening economic recession.