A misprint on Limerick City ballot papers has caused issues, with fears it could void the election, disrupt the race for key seats, and undermine voter confidence.
Voters in Limerick City noticed that not everything seemed to be in order on their ballot papers this Friday. The voting paper strayed from the alphabetical order voters are used to seeing, raising concerns about the validity of the election process.
Alphabetical Anomaly on Ballots Raises Concerns Over Election Process
The ballot papers which legally must show candidates in alphabetical order placed Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan and Dean Quinn of The Irish People Party ahead of Willie O’Dea of Fianna Fáil, Social Democrats Elisa O’Donovan, and Kieran O’Donnell of Fine Gael.
If numbers are close for any of the candidates affected by this issue it could present challenges.
The issue was first reported by the Limerick Post. Both candidates in the race and voters noticed the misprint early in the day.
Elisa O’Donovan was made aware of the matter when she went to vote herself. Outgoing Fianna Fáil candidate Willie O’Dea first heard of the mistake when he was contacted for a comment.
Voter Frustration Over Missing Polling Cards
To add to the issue of the incorrect layout on the ballot papers, many voters on the north side of the city were angry to not receive polling cards, with others making the trip to their polling station only to find out they weren’t listed on the registry.
Quinlivan has said that the error is an “absolute scandal,” with Willie O’Dea labelling the process as a “disgrace.”
Counting Continues Despite Election Day Challenges
Despite the mishaps, counting went ahead as planned this morning, November 30 in the constituency of Limerick City.
A final tally saw Willie O’Dea come out on top with a substantial lead in the four-seater constituency. He was followed by Fine Gael’s Kieran O’Donnell and Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan.
The battle is on for the fourth and final seat with Elisa O’Donovan (Social Democrats), Maria Byrne (Fine Gael), Dee Ryan (Fine Fáil), and Conor Sheehan (Labour) all on 7%.