A NATIONALIST GUIDE TO VOTING

Election date: 

• Local elections: 7^th June 2024.
• European elections: 7^th June 2024.

Polling stations will be open from:

• 7am to 10pm.

You must register to vote by:

• 20^th May 2024.

You can check to see if you are registered or register online.

This may be many people’s first time voting so we will cover the basics.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Ireland has a Proportional Representation system. That means you can vote for as many candidates as you want.

If you want to vote for one candidate only, you should mark the number ‘1’ or the word ‘one’ in the box next to the candidate’s name. You should not tick or mark the box with an X.

Pencils will be provided, but you can bring your own pen or pencil if you wish. Many people argue that you should bring your own pen because pencil can be erased. Bring identification or a polling card.

Make sure not to spoil your vote. Here are the ways in which votes are considered spoiled:

• The ballot paper was left blank
• The voter did not number their preferences, but instead ticked or otherwise marked their preferred candidate.
• The writing on the ballot paper could not be understood
• The ballot paper did not have the number ‘1’ or the word ‘one’ next to any candidate
• The ballot paper was not stamped by the returning officer
• The voter wrote their name or identified themselves in some way
• The order of preference was not clear (for example, the voter wrote ‘3’ next to two different candidates)
• The voter deliberately spoiled their paper as a protest

HOW DOES PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION WORK?

In order to be elected, a candidate generally needs to meet the quota. The formula for working out the quota is: total votes divided by number of seats plus one. So in a constituency that has 25,000 votes and 5 seats, the quota is 5,001 votes.

If a candidate meets the quota, any surplus votes for that candidate are transferred to the second preference votes and so on, until all candidates are elected.

If nobody is elected on the first count, then the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are distributed.

As a result of this system, you don’t need to vote tactically. You do not need to vote Labour to keep the Tories out, or vote Republican to keep the Democrats out, like in the UK or USA.

MAKE SURE YOU’RE REGISTERED

Make sure you’re registered to vote before the deadline: 20^th May 2024. These local elections will have not only foreign candidates running, but immigrants and asylum seekers voting. Ukrainians are mobilising to prioritise their ethnic interests over Irish interests. The Abolish Direct Provision Campaign are actively getting asylum seekers to register to vote.

This is a serious threat to the future well-being of Ireland and the Irish people. We Irish have experienced, and still experience in the North, rule by foreigners. You have no one to blame if you don’t make even the slightest effort to fight for the future of your country, especially in such a dire situation as we are.

HOW SHOULD NATIONALISTS VOTE?

John McGuirk wrote two articles for Gript about how to use your vote. The advice in the articles is quite good, but obviously not written for Nationalists (which McGuirk isn’t).

Realistically, many of the people running for our side will not be elected, and many, many people that we do not want to be elected will be elected. This is the unfortunate reality of electoral politics.

You should vote ‘1’ for your preferred candidate, regardless of their chances of being elected. If they aren’t elected, your vote still transfers.  You should, at the very minimum, give your preferences to all Nationalist candidates in your constituency. Make your vote count.

There’s advice going around nationalist circles that your vote should be limited to only Nationalist candidates. Looking at the map and list of candidates below, for many people that is simply not possible. Derek Blighe’s recommendation to only vote for two candidates in his constituency are probably misguided.

At a certain point, from a Nationalist perspective, it doesn’t matter whether Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil get a seat, given there is essentially no difference between the two parties. Aontú, while disappointing to most Nationalists, are definitely better on immigration than FF/FG. It would be worth transferring your vote to an Aontú candidate simply to hurt FF/FG. Just rank Aontú lower on your ballot than your preferred candidates. However, from a strategic perspective it’s worth mentioning that nationalists ar undermined by Aontú, and the better they do the worse off we are.

At a certain point, there will probably be nobody left on the ballot that you can stomach voting for. Feel free to cast your ballot at that point. But make sure you vote for all of ‘our guys’ even if you don’t personally like them. They’re better than Fine Gael.

Bear this in mind: Helen McEntee was elected on the 10^th count; Simon Harris was elected on the 15^th count. Neither actually met the quota. This should be enough evidence of the power your transfers have.

What to do in a constituency where there are no good candidates?

It’s a tough question to answer. Simply not voting, and giving the candidate low voter turn-out, may be the best option. In the Soviet Union, where only one party stood for election, being unable to motivate the citizenry to vote was seen as evidence of the politician’s failure. It may be better to vote simply to keep one party you hate out. It really depends.

The most important thing for voters who are eligible to vote for good candidates is to actually get out and vote, and at the very least make your vote count.

We would recommend not transferring your vote to Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, or the Greens at all. Leave them blank on the ballot. If they get elected, they get elected, but it won’t have been your transfer that did it. We recommend transferring to all Nationalist candidates, and candidates that are better than the status quo.

THE CANDIDATES (INTERACTIVE MAP)

Source: Local Electoral Areas—National Statutory Boundaries—2019—Generalised 20m, Tailte Éireann. Their map does not include the Six Counties.

This list and its accompanying map are sourced from @goat_poster on Twitter. The list is sorted alphabetically with respect to the Local Electoral Area. The author of the above data notes that it does not include Aontú, Independent Ireland or Independents affiliated with Verona Murphy in Wexford.

Another list has been created by Ireland is Full detailing additional information for each Local Electoral Area.

Artane-Whitehall, Co. Dublin

Independent

Rowan Croft

Independent

Kevin Coyle

Athenry-Oranmore

The Irish People

Maria Carr

Irish Freedom Party

Aidan Corrigan

Athlone

Irish Freedom Party

Cáit Ní Dhonnchadha

The Irish People

Keith McGann

Bailieborough-Cootehill

Independent

Gary Cosgrove

Independent

Fiona McCormack

Balbriggan

Irish Freedom Party

John Oakes

Ballina

Independent

Joe Doocey

Ballinasloe

The Irish People

Keith McGann

Ballyfermot-Drimnagh

Irish Freedom Party

Barry Ward

Irish Freedom Party

Dolores Webster

Ballyjamesduff

Irish Freedom Party

Kieran Goggins

The Irish People

Lester Gordon

Ballymahon

The Irish People

Mandy Larkin

Ballymote-Tubbercurry

Irish Freedom Party

James  

Ballymun-Finglas

Independent

Gavin Pepper

National Party

Stephen Redmond

Independent

Jeff Gallagher

Bandon-Kinsale

The Irish People

Deborah O'Driscoll

Blackrock

Independent

Jonathan Roe

Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart

National Party

Patrick Quinlan

The Irish People

Andy Heasman

Bray East

The Irish People

Finnian Cremins

Bray West

Independent

Rob Carry

Buncrana

Independent

Eamon McGee

The Irish People

Kim McMenamin

Cahir

Independent

Tom Hennessy

Carlow

National Party

Daeln Murphy

The Irish People

Rory Woods

Irish Freedom Party 

Orla Donohoe

Ireland First

Maria Ryan

Carndonagh

The Irish People

Donal McKinney

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney

Independent

Seamus Hanratty

Carrick-on-Suir

Irish Freedom Party

Martin Murphy

Cashel-Tipperary

National Party

John McGrath

Castlebar

Independent

Stephen Kerr

Castlecomer

The Irish People

Stephen Delaney

Castleisland

Independent

Michelle Keane

Celbridge

The Irish People

Daragh Toner

Claremorris

The Irish People

Aaron Kelly

Clondalkin

The Irish People

Lauralee Robinson

Clontarf

Independent

Michael Burke

Conamara South

Irish Freedom Party

Doran McMahon

The Irish People

Aidan Walsh

Corca Dhuibhne

National Party

Jacob Sweeney

Cork City North East

The Irish People

Anita Ward

Cork City North West

The Irish People

Ross Lahive

Cork City South Central

Ireland First

Tommy Murphy

The Irish People

Michael O'Riordan

Donaghmede

The Irish People

Peadar MacMillan

Donegal

The Irish People 

John Molloy

Drogheda Rural

Irish Freedom Party

Patrice Johnson

The Irish People 

Derek McElearney

Drogheda Urban

The Irish People 

Alan Fagan

The Irish People 

John Morgan

Dundalk South

Irish Freedom Party

Cathal O'Murchu

Dundalk-Carlingford

Irish Freedom Party

Tracy O'Hanlon

Dundrum

The Irish People 

Conor Rafferty

Dungarvan

The Irish People 

Caren Hallaham

Enniscorthy

Ireland First

Stephen Power

Ennistimon

Ireland First

Mike Loughrey

Fermoy

Ireland First

Derek Blighe

Firhouse-Bohernabreena

National Party

Yan Mac Oireachtaigh

Galway City Central

The Irish People 

Sean Comer

Galway City East

The Irish People 

Jacinta Gibbons

Galway City West

The Irish People 

Anthony Cahill

Gorey 

Ireland First

Darren McGovern

Irish Freedom Party

Jeff O'Keefe

Gort-Kinvara

The Irish People 

Alan Sweeney

Greystones

Irish Freedom Party

Anthony Goldsmith

Kenmare

Independent

William O'Brien

Kilkenny

Irish Freedom Party

Luke O'Connor

Killiney-Shankill

Independent

Fergus Power

Kilrush

Irish Freedom Party

John Hill

Kimmage-Rathmines

Independent

Peter Dooley

The Irish People

Ed Shanahan

Kinnegad

The Irish People

Ian McGauley

Ireland First

Sarah Herraty

Letterkenny

The Irish People

Anne McCloskey

Lifford-Stranorlar

Independent

Niall McConnell

Lismore

The Irish People

Michael McCarthy

Longford

The Irish People

Gareth McKendry

Loughrea

The Irish People

John McGettigan

Lucan

The Irish People

Robert Coyle

Mallow

The Irish People

Ross Cannon

Manorhamilton

Independent

Diarmuid McConville

Midleton

Ireland First

Paddy Bullman

Moate

Irish Freedom Party

Shane Lynam

Monaghan

Independent

Cllr. Seamus Treanor

Mullingar

Ireland First

Margaret Maguire

Independent

Patrick Hussey

Naas

The Irish People

Avril Corcoran

Navan

Irish Freedom Party

David O'Shea

Newbridge

Independent

Tom McDonnell

Independent

Chris McCormack

Independent

Leanne O'Neill

North Inner City

Independent

Malachy Steenson

Independent

Brian Garrigan

Ongar

Irish Freedom Party

Paul Fitzsimons

Palmerstown-Fonthill

Irish Freedom Party

Glen Moore

Piltown

The Irish People

Richard Daly

Portlaw-Kilmacthomas

Independent

Frank Conway

Ratoath

National Party

Jean Murray

Roscommon

Irish Freedom Party

Justin Slamen

The Irish People

Cathal Finnegan

Roscrea-Templemore

The Irish People

Seamus Hassey

Rosslare

National Party

Jason Murphy

Rush-Lusk

The Irish People

Mark Joseph Parsons

Sligo-Drumcliffe

Irish Freedom Party

Amanda Gallagher

Independent

Rob De Salle

Sligo-Strandhill

The Irish People

Michael Kelly

Independent

Diarmuid McConville

South East Inner City

The Irish People

Jeanette Birch

Independent

Nick Delehanty

South West Inner City

The Irish People

Jina Ahearne

Swinford

The Irish People

Marion Gordon

Tallaght Central

Ireland First

Philip Dwyer

Independent

Suzanne Delaney

Tralee

The Irish People

Eddie O'Grady

National Party

Jacob Sweeney

Tramore-Waterford City West

The Irish People

Lisa Carroll

Tuam

National Party

Ross Culligan

The Irish People

Danann Guaghan

Tullamore

Irish Freedom Party

Paddy Broder

Tullow

National Party

Daeln Murphy

Waterford City East

The Irish People

John D Walsh

Westport

Irish Freedom Party

Niall McCormack

Wicklow

Independent

Cllr. John Snell

Independent

John Larkin

TOO LONG DIDN’T READ

• Make sure you’re registered to vote. The deadline is 20^th May 2024.
• Make sure you vote. The date for both elections is 7^th June 2024. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.
• Bring your own pen if you can.
• Don’t spoil your ballot. Take the vote seriously.
• Write ‘1’ in the box next to your preferred candidate, ‘2’ for your next preference, ‘3’ and so on. 
• Vote for every Nationalist candidate you can.
• Transfer to other candidates if you feel like they deserve your support.
• Leave the box blank next to Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Greens.