Ireland's electoral watchdog, An Coimisiún Toghcháin, has called on the Department of Housing and Local Government to waive all fees associated with medical certs for postal votes in time for autumn's presidential election.
The recommendation has been made as part of a number of requests from An Coimisiún in a new Post Electoral Event Report on last year's general election.
Under existing rules, anyone who is voting by registered postal vote due to a medical condition can be charged a fee by a medical professional for confirmation that travelling to a polling station is not feasible.
However, after a review of 87 polling stations across Ireland during last year's general election, An Coimisiún has recommended that this system ends and that any fees for people in this situation are waived in time for the upcoming presidential election.
The Post Electoral Event Report has also recommended:
- A review of how soon after the dissolution of the Dáil a general election must take place, in order to ensure voters "have sufficient time to register or apply for their postal vote"
- The issuing of guidance to presiding officers on how to respond should voters be issued ballot papers for the wrong constituency, in part due to recent constituency boundary changes
- The establishment of a freephone number listing candidates in the order they appear on the ballot paper, to better assist voters with visual impairments
In a statement An Coimisiún Toghcháin chief executive Art O'Leary said: "Ahead of presidential elections this year, and all future elections it is vital we take each poll as an opportunity to learn and improve upon voting processes and practices. We are pleased that there were some observable improvements at polling stations since our visits during previous electoral events in March and June.
"However it is simply unjustifiable that some voters should have to pay to get access to their vote.
"Every polling station and polling booth should afford every elector the right to vote in privacy and with dignity," he said.
