Candidate canvassing campaigns almost at their conclusion, constituent interactions conducted, political policies promoted, General Election 2020 voting day now awaits with numerous polling stations dotting the Longford/Westmeath landscape open to the public from 7am-10pm on Saturday.
Four seats will be contested in the Longford/Westmeath constituency with a new political representative guaranteed to grace Leinster House when Dáil Éireann convenes post general election, following the decision by Labour Party Deputy, Willie Penrose, not to put his name to the ballot paper.
Fifteen candidates will grace the ballot paper, which is three fewer than contested the General Election within the constituency in February 2016.
Topping the poll on that occasion and elected on the first count was Fianna Fáil Deputy, Robert Troy, who will, no doubt, be hoping for a repeat of political histiry when the count commences in the surrounds of John Count McCormack Centre in Athlone IT on Sunday morning.
Independent candidate, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran is seeking a swift return to Dáil Éireann, while Fine Gael Deputy, Peter Burke, has similar aspirations.
The Longford/Westmeath voting public will also have a further twelve General Election aspirants from which to choose as they grace the polling stations on Saturday.
Athlone based Senator, Gab McFadden and Cllr. Micheál Carrigy are Fine Gael’s additional election representatives, while Cllr. Joe Flaherty will hope to claim a second Fianna Fáil seat in the constituency.
Former Westmeath senior footballer (and prominent member of the 2004 Leinster championship winning team ) Alan Mangan is on the Labour Party ticket and will hope to claim the seat vacated by his party colleague, while the Green Party representative, Cllr. Louise Heavin, will hope for a strong showing following her local election success in May 2019, while, Sinn Féin have nominated Sorca Clarke to contest the constituency.
Also contesting General Election 2020 in the Longford/Westmeath constituency are Independent candidates, Donal Jackson, who has featured on the ballot paper in both the general election in 2011 and 2016, Anna Kavanagh and Frank Kilbride, while Deputy Leader of The National Party, James Reynolds, has also announced his intention to seek a Dáil seat.
The list of constituency candidates is completed by People Before Profit representative, Barbara Smyth, while Dom Parker will contest his second General Election for the Solidarity Party.
