Voting has finished on the three referenda put before the electorate today. After 13 hours, turnout is estimated to be 30% and 40%. Three issues were put to the people - the Nice Treaty, the International Criminal Court, and the removal of the death penalty from the Constitution. Almost 2.9 million people were entitled to vote, but it was clear from early on that relatively few were going to do so.
Referenda have never attracted as many voters as general elections, but the indications are that today's poll has been particularly low. One polling station in Limerick had to wait until 11am, three hours after it opened, for its first voter. Other areas around the country also reported that the poll was much lower than at corresponding times in previous referenda. In one polling booth at Mastergeehy near Waterville in South Kerry, just six people out of 200 had voted by lunchtime.
By 4.30pm, turnout in parts of Dublin City was as low as 7%, ranging up to 18-20% in some areas. The average seemed to be around 13-15%, but there was some surprise that there was no major increase in voting over lunchtime.
Voting in the Southeast picked up slightly this evening but still appears lower than in other referenda. Average turnout in Waterford was between 30% and 37%, with rural areas lower. In parts of west Wicklow, just under 25% of voters have turned out. In Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford, turnout is averaging 35%.
The turnout in the referenda vote in Cork and Kerry was expected to average 25% by the close of voting, with some areas reporting a poll as low as 20%.
Voting in the West was at an all-time low at around 7.30pm. Rural areas in Galway have had a turnout of between only 12% and 15%. Some city areas are reporting 15% to 17% and there are predictions that the final turnout could be as low as 25% in the region. One booth in Sligo town with 430 voters on the register had only 29 votes cast by 4.30pm. Turnout in Sligo at 8:30pm was 28%. In Donegal North East, the turnout at 5pm was estimated at close to 20%.
In Mount Temple, County Westmeath, the turnout at 7pm was almost 17% - 100 voters out of 600. Officials in Longford, Laois and Offaly also report low turnouts. Turnout of only 30% was predicted in one case. The turnout in Cavan town and rural areas was expected to average 30% by the close of polling.
But as he voted in Drumcondra this morning, the Taoiseach insisted that all three Referenda would be carried, despite the low poll. Bertie Ahern took the opportunity to urge people to come out to vote. Only 56% voted in the last referendum on Europe, which concerned the Amsterdam Treaty.
But if turnout is as low as 30% to 40%, as seems likely at the moment, it could lead to an upset, according to MEP Patricia McKenna, an opponent of the Nice Treaty. But it is not clear who will be helped by a low turnout.
Anti-Nice campaigners have suggested that their voters were more motivated, and therefore more likely to turn out. But the last MRBI/Irish Times opinion poll found that "Yes" voters were, in fact, slightly more likely to vote today. Counting of votes begins at 9am tomorrow. The Nice Treaty result should be announced by around 5pm.
