LAST UPDATE | 7 Nov 2024

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN encouraged to register to vote ahead of the general election – with the Electoral Commission saying it takes under three minutes.

The date of the general election was finally announced yesterday, it’s happening on 29 November. The short lead-in time means people only have a few days to register or update their details.

The deadline for registering to vote if you are not already registered, or update your details if necessary, is Tuesday 12 November.

The window to register for postal and special voting is even shorter – the deadline is Sunday 10 November.

Art O’Leary, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin), encouraged everyone who is eligible to register to vote to do so.

“It takes under three minutes to register on checktheregister.ie with your Eircode and PPS Number – your vote is your voice.”

If an election is called with polling on 29 November, the deadline for voter registration or updates will be Tuesday 12 November.

Don’t delay register now!https://t.co/24oKOqUbZY #YourVoteYourVoice @Ireland_Votes pic.twitter.com/KqUeNVyiJy

— An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission (@ElecCommIRL) November 6, 2024

O’Leary said the election campaign is “the time to have conversations with your family and friends about the election, whether it’s at the breakfast table with family, over a drink with friends, or in your group chats to decide your vote”.

“The 174 TDs we elect to the 34th Dáil on Friday 29 November will decide on our behalf what laws are passed, changed or removed,” he added.

Time and time again in Ireland’s elections we have seen the value of every single vote, so don’t miss out and make sure you’re registered to vote.

Taoiseach Simon Harris will tomorrow ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil, marking the official start of the election campaign.

How do I register?

If you have not previously registered, you can do so on the Check the Register website. You will need your PPS number and your Eircode.

If you are aged 16 or 17, you can pre-register for future votes so that your name will be placed on the electoral register when you turn 18. 

Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

When registering online, you will be prompted to select your local authority from a drop-down list. If you select a Dublin council, you will redirected to voter.ie to register. 

From there, you will be asked to fill in your PPS number, date of birth and name. You will also be asked to fill in your nationality, your address, contact number and email address.

Once registered, a polling card will be sent to your home address before the general election.

Changing your address

If you have previously registered, but are now living at a different address, you can update your details here. This must also be done by 12 November. 

If you are moving from Dublin to any county outside of Dublin, or moving to Dublin from any county outside of Dublin, you can only update your details or change your address using the ERF1 Form, available here. 

You can fill out this form and send it to your relevant local authority who will process your application to update your details.

Postal voting 

If you are a college student living away from home, you can register with either your home address or student residential address.

If you are unable to return to your home address to vote, you can register to vote by post. You will need to fill out a separate set of forms, available here, to do so.

This must be filled out and returned to your local authority two days after the dissolution of the Dáil at the latest – so, by 10 November. 

A number of people are eligible to vote by postal voting, including students studying away from home, people with illnesses or disabilities, members of An Garda Síochána, people in prison, anonymous electors, full-time members of the Defence Forces, and Irish diplomats posted abroad, and their spouses. 

Again, this must be done by Sunday 10 November. 

For more information on voting, you can visit the Electoral Commission website.

With reporting by Órla Ryan