Turnout appears low in Irish presidential election
All six candidates in the running for the highest office in the state voted before noon.
Turnout in the Irish presidential election appears to be low in many areas of the country as voters continue to cast their ballots.
There were reports that polling stations in many places were relatively quiet through the morning and across the afternoon, especially in comparison to the abortion referendum early this year.
Traditionally stations are busier during the evening period with people choosing to vote after leaving work.
All six candidates in the running for the highest office in the state voted before noon.
Outgoing president Michael D Higgins attended a polling station in St Mary’s Hospital, Phoenix Park, Dublin, along with his wife Sabina.
The 77-year old is running for a second seven-year term.
Sean Gallagher, who is also running for a second time after a failed attempt in 2011, attended a polling station in Greystones, Co Wicklow, with his wife Trish at 8.30am.
In north Co Donegal, independent candidate Peter Casey, voted in Greencastle.
The Londonderry-born businessman arrived at Greencastle National School polling station with his wife Helen at 9.20am.
The former Ireland’s Dragons’ Den star has a home in the coastal village as well as Atlanta.
He chuckled when a local man asked him: “Peter, who are you going to vote for?”
Gavin Duffy voted in Julianstown, Co Meath, alongside his wife Orla and family.
Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada voted in Baile Bhuirne in her native county of Cork, with her husband Nicky by her side, while Senator Joan Freeman and her husband Patrick cast their votes in Lucan, Co Dublin.
Polling stations opened at 7am and will remain open until 10pm.
Turnout is not expected to be as strong as it was for the abortion referendum earlier this year but it is thought it may be in line with the 2011 presidential election when 56% of the electorate turned out.
More than 3.2 million people are entitled to vote in 40 constituencies.
In addition to voting on the next president, the electorate are being asked on the ballot paper whether they want to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Irish constitution.
The constituency with the single largest electorate in the country is Donegal, with more than 116,000 people registered to vote.
This is closely followed by Tipperary with some 110,000, and Wexford with more than 108,000.
In Dublin, more than 560,000 people are eligible to cast their ballot in the capital’s 11 constituencies.
The constituency with the smallest electorate is Dublin Central with 40,000 voters.
Most islanders have already had their say as voting got under way on 12 islands off the coast of counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway on Thursday, a day ahead of the rest of the country.
Some 2,601 islanders are eligible to vote in this year’s election.
Douglas Hyde became Ireland’s first president in 1938.
Mr Higgins is the country’s ninth president. He was elected in 2011.
Four presidents have served for two terms, or 14 years in total. They were Sean T O’Kelly, Eamon de Valera, Patrick Hillery and Mary McAleese.
Count staff will begin sorting and collating the ballot papers at centres across the country from 9am on Saturday.
A result is expected by Saturday evening, or by early Sunday at the latest.