Supports for voters

Support is available to help you take part in all elections.

If you have a physical disability and have difficulty in gaining access to your local polling station you can ask to transfer your vote to a more accessible polling station in your constituency no later than seven days before polling day. Please contact your local Returning Officer for further information.

If you are blind or vision-impaired, you can vote independently using a Ballot Paper Template, which will be available at every polling station on a polling day.

If your sight is so impaired, or you are either physically incapacitated or unable to read or write to such an extent that you are unable to vote without assistance, you can have your ballot paper marked by a companion.

To act as a companion, a person must:

• be at least sixteen years old
• be neither a candidate nor an agent of a candidate, and
• may not assist more than two electors at an election.

If a person is not eligible to act as your companion, you can ask another person to act as a companion or you may ask to be assisted by the Presiding Officer.

In circumstances where a disability or illness prevents you from going to the polling station, you can vote by post by applying to be included in the postal voters list. This is prepared and maintained by registration authorities as part of the register of electors. An application for inclusion in the postal voters list can be made at any time once you are eligible for entry on the postal voters list. The deadline for receipt of applications to be included on the postal voters list is:

• for a general election, 2 days after the dissolution of the Dáil
• for a Dáil bye-election, 2 days after the Polling Day Order is made
• for other elections or referendums, 22 days before polling day (excluding Sundays, Good Friday and public holidays)

Where an application is received after that time it will not have any effect for that electoral event.

To apply for a postal vote, visit www.checktheregister.ie

If you live in a hospital, nursing home, mental health facility or similar institution and are unable to go to your polling station due to illness or disability, you may apply to join the special voters list. This enables you to vote where you live. In the case of a first application, and whenever required by the registration authorities in the case of a subsequent application, it must be accompanied by a certificate from a registered medical practitioner (such as a GP).

The deadline for receipt of applications to be included on the special voters list is:

• for a general election, 2 days after the dissolution of the Dáil
• for a Dáil bye-election, 2 days after the Polling Day Order is made
• for other elections or referendums, 22 days before polling day (excluding Sundays, Good Friday and public holidays)

Where an application is received after that time it will not have any effect for that electoral event.

To apply for a special vote, visit www.checktheregister.ie

Further information for voters with disabilities and voters needing supports.