If you are an Irish student, you will have the opportunity to vote on the repealing of the 8th Amendment on Friday 25 May. Read more to find out how.
On Friday 25 May, the Republic of Ireland will go to the polls to vote on an amendment to repeal the 8th Amendment and decriminalise abortions. If you are an Irish student, and have been home in the last 18 months/have your home address in Ireland, you are eligible to vote. You can check the official arguments for the motion here, and against the motion here.
Applications for postal votes have now closed, so you will need to go home to be able to vote. Therefore, if you are intending to travel home in order to vote, but have upcoming deadlines or examinations, we would encourage to book an appointment with our advice centre via the helpdesk or via advice@su.rhul.ac.uk.
We’re not here to tell you how to vote, we just want you to exercise your right to vote. So, here’s a quick FAQ for you!
Can I Vote In The Referendum On Friday 25 May?
You must be an Irish citizen who is 18 years or over on polling day and on the Electoral Register. Under Section 11 (3) of the Electoral Act 1992, Irish citizens overseas may retain full voting rights for a period of 18 months, should they intend to return to Ireland within that timeframe. This means you are eligible to vote if you are an Irish citizen who has lived in Ireland in the last 18 months.
You can check that you are registered at www.checktheregister.ie
I’m Not On The Register, What Can I Do?
Eligible voters who are not on the register can apply for inclusion on the supplementary using application form RFA2 which is available from City and County Councils or can be downloaded from www.checktheregister.ie.
Your application must be received by your local authority at least 14 days before polling day (Sundays, public holidays and Good Friday are not counted as days for this purpose). This form must be completed in the presence of a member of An Garda Síochána. You must bring photo identification with you.
Polling Cards: These will be issued to every person registered to vote. The card will provide details of where to vote. Ideally polling cards, along with photo ID, should be taken to the polling station.
Polling Date: The Referendum will take place in Friday 25 May 2018.
Polling Station times: Polling will take place between 7am and 10pm.
What Is The Wording Of The Proposed Amendment?
The Government has proposed to remove article 40.3.3, and insert a new clause stating “Provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancies”. This would be known as the 36th Amendment.