Lowering voting age and scrapping by-elections proposed by O’Brien

Scrapping by-elections, lowering the voting age to 16 and limiting the use of election posters are among a series of issues the Electoral Commission have been asked to research by Minister for Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien.

The suggestions were sent from O’Brien’s office to the Electoral Commission in July, and they will now carry out research to see if the plans are feasible.

The headline recommendations include the removal of by-elections from the electoral process, with the suggestion that a “list” system is implemented like European elections.

Under the recommendation, candidates will be asked to provide a list of candidates to succeed them should a vacancy arise during their term in office, thus avoiding the need for a by-election.

The system is already in place for European parliament elections.

Another notable suggestion made by O’Brien was the lowering of the voting age to 16, with the suggestion noting that the 2021 Scottish parliament election reduced the voting age to 16 and was a factor in turnout rising by 7.7% compared to the last election.

O’Brien also asked the commission to look into the usage of posters by candidates standing for election, with the suggestions calling for consultation on “placing limitations on the number of posters that can be used or fixing certain locations for their use.2

The commission has been tasked with examining the use of postal voting with a view to expanding it for future elections.

The Electoral Act, which was established in 1992 allows for people to register to vote in a constituency where they are ordinarily resident, but a person is deemed not to have given up ordinary residence if they intend to resume living in the constituency within 18 months of giving it up.

Research will be carried out on O’Brien’s proposals by the Electoral Commission, and will present their findings later this year.

The Electoral Commission is currently in the process of finalising its boundary commission review, with the suggestions to be published at the end of August.

Analysts suggest that anywhere from 11 to 21 seats could be added as a result of the suggestions.

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar recently dismissed suggestions of a snap autumn election, stating that the next time Ireland goes to the polls will be for the local and European elections next June.