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THIS WEEK MARKS the final round of local authority meetings to decide on presidential nominations, with the deadline closing on Wednesday.
Currently, three candidates are officially in the race: Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin, and Independent Catherine Connolly.
Candidates need the backing of either four councils or 20 Oireachtas members to secure a place on the ballot. So far, Gareth Sheridan has secured support from two councils, while former Cork mayor Kieran McCarthy has been backed by one.
Maria Steen is also chasing a nomination through the ‘Oireachtas route’ but has so far struggled to secure public backing from those who may sign her papers.
Several of this year’s Áras hopefuls have voiced their frustration over how difficult it is to get on the ballot, with the main political parties seeking to obstruct people who aren’t their own candidates.
So, tell us what you think: Is it too difficult to get on the presidential ballot?
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