Election 2007: High turnout reported
Thursday, 24 May 2007 23:07
Polls have closed in the General Election with the final hours of polling seeing a surge in voter turnout.
Despite rain in the west, weather conditions were much better than polling day five years ago and the final turnout is thought to have exceeded the 2002 level of 63% in several constituencies.
In 2002, the constituency which recorded the highest turnout in the country was Cork North-West with 73.36%. There are early indications that this percentage was bettered in the constituency this year.
More than three million people were voting for candidates to the 30th Dáil, in one of the tightest General Election contests in history.
Voting was said to be steady in Dublin and the capital's commuter counties, though polling stations were busy as many cast their votes on their way to work this morning.
The results of the RTÉ/Lansdowne Market Research Exit Poll, to be broadcast on Morning Ireland at 7am, should give a good indication of the first preference votes for the various parties.
Counting begins at 9am and the first results should be known by early afternoon.
Leaders cast their votes
Party leaders posed for photographers as they cast their ballots this morning.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern cast his vote shortly after 11am at a school on Richmond Road in Drumcondra.
In Co Mayo, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and his wife Fionnuala cast their votes in the parochial centre in Castlebar at around 9.45am.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, PD leader Michael McDowell and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent have also cast their votes.
There are 466 candidates standing for election in 43 constituencies. Of these 165 candidates will be elected to the Dáil; the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, is returned automatically.
- Morning Ireland: Colman O'Sullivan talks with some of the central players involved in the voting and counting processes
- News At One: Richard Dowling, North-East Correspondent, reports that voting in Co Louth is described as slightly higher than at the same time in the 2002 election
- News At One: Paschal Sheehy, Southern Editor, reports that voting in Munster is apparently higher in rural areas
- News At One: Jim Fahy, Western Editor, reports that there is a very impressive turnout reported in the north and west
- News At One: Paul Maguire reports that voting has been described as slow to brisk in the 12 Dublin constituencies
- Six One News: Charlie Bird, Chief News Correspondent, reports that the main party leaders and President Mary McAleese have cast their votes
- Six One News: Paschal Sheehy, Southern Editor, reports that it looks like turnout will surpass 2002 levels in Munster
- Six One News: Jim Fahy, Western Editor, reports that turnout in the Connacht and Ulster constituencies is expected to reach close to 70%
- Six One News: Ciaran Mullooly, Midlands Correspondent, reports that queues formed at some polling stations in counties Louth and Meath
- Six One News: Paul Maguire reports that there has been variations in turnout in the 12 Dublin constituencies
- Six One News: David Davin-Power, Political Correspondent, reports that the Electoral Register has been cleaned up since the last General Election
- Six One News: Gareth O'Connor reports on RTÉ's comprehensive coverage of the count on television, radio, the Internet and Aertel
- One News: Charlie Bird, Chief News Correspondent, summarises where the party leaders cast their votes
- One News: Paul Maguire with a round-up of turnout numbers in Leinster
- One News: Ciaran Mullooly, Midlands Correspondent, describes voter turnout in the region as brisk in some areas and slow but steady in others
- One News: Paschal Sheehy, Southern Editor, with a rundown of voter turnout in the south
- One News: Jim Fahy, Western Editor, assesses trends and turnouts in the region
- One News: David Davin-Power, Political Correspondent, compares the early voter turnout of the 2007 election with the poll of 2002
