The next election looks likely to be held on February 25 and if you want to have your say on which politicians should stay and which should go, you must be registered to vote.
To be eligible to vote you must be at least 18 years of age on February 15 and an Irish or British citizen. You must be registered at one address only and live at that address on September 1 before the register comes into force.
If you live away from the address at which you are registered you will need to contact the registration authority and give them your new address. If you leave your address but you plan to return there within 18 months, you can continue to be registered there, as long you do not register at any other address.
To see if you are on the register, check www.checktheregister.ie If you are not on the register, you need to get form RFA2 from the Galway City Council at www.galwaycity.ie or from the Galway County Council at www.galwaycoco.ie and return it to the local authority 15 working days before the election. With the election probably coming on February 25, this means before February 4.
Green senator Niall Ó Brolcháin is calling on people to make sure they are registered to vote.
“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this is the most significant election in the history of the State,” he said. “I would encourage everyone to make sure they have a vote in this election. We need real change in this country, not just the politicians but the political system. There really couldn’t be more at stake in this election.”
