Humphreys and Connolly face off as withdrawn candidate’s name remains on ballot
Irish voters head to the polls today to elect a new president, choosing between Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys and independent candidate Catherine Connolly in a race shaped by late-stage controversy.
Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm across the country as Ireland selects a successor to outgoing President Michael D. Higgins, who is stepping down after his term.
The election was upended when Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin withdrew from the race following controversy, though his withdrawal came too late to remove his name from ballot papers. Votes cast for Gavin will automatically transfer to voters’ second-preference candidates under Ireland’s proportional representation system.
The month-long campaign culminates today, with the first round of counting scheduled to begin tomorrow. While final results are unlikely to be declared immediately, early counts should provide strong indicators of the eventual winner.
Voters can locate their designated polling stations through official channels. Ireland’s presidential election uses a single transferable vote system, allowing citizens to rank candidates in order of preference.
The presidency, while largely ceremonial, holds significant cultural importance in Ireland. The president serves as head of state, signs legislation into law, and represents the nation internationally. The winner will serve a seven-year term and become Ireland’s eleventh president since the office was established in 1938.