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The Irish presidential election vote count is now in progress after voters in the Republic of Ireland headed to the polls on Friday to select the country’s 10th president. This new leader will take over from the current head of state, Michael D. Higgins. The race includes two contenders vying for the presidency, with voters having had a choice of three candidates – Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys, and Jim Gavin, whose last-minute withdrawal did not allow for his name to be removed from the ballot.
Ballot boxes opened at 09.00 local time on Saturday, with the results expected to be revealed at Dublin Castle later that evening. Early unofficial indications have hinted at a potential struggle to surpass the record-low turnout of just under 40% seen in the previous presidential election in 2018. Connolly, an independent politician with backing from various left-wing parties, including Sinn Féin, has been a member of parliament since 2016, previously working as a psychologist and barrister based in Galway.
As the Fine Gael candidate, Humphreys served as a member of parliament from 2011 to 2024 and held several high-ranking cabinet ministerial roles in social protection and justice. Hailing from a Protestant background in Monaghan, Humphreys is one of the key contenders in this election. The votes, to be counted in each of the 43 constituencies, will be tallied by political parties as soon as the boxes are opened, offering initial insights into the outcome.
A total of 3.6 million eligible voters are anticipated to have taken part in the election, marking the end of an extensive campaign period by all candidates involved. To secure nomination, candidates needed support from either 20 members of the Oireachtas or four city and county councils. Connolly was the first to officially announce her candidacy last July, gaining support from various left-wing parties, independent politicians, and Labour and Social Democrats. Humphreys entered the race as the Fine Gael candidate after Mairead McGuinness withdrew due to medical reasons. Former Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin also pulled out of the race in October amid controversy over a rental dispute but his name remains on the ballot as per the law
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