Among the projections of the RED C exit poll for RTÉ and TG4 are a surge for the Green Party, significant support among Irish voters for a united Ireland, and a resounding Yes in the proposal to ease restrictions on divorce.
But the exit poll also cast some light on how different groups of people voted, and why they voted the way they did on different issues.
RTÉ's @mcculld delves into the the RTÉ TG4 exit poll. Live blog: https://t.co/C57syf6Z3j pic.twitter.com/GmHRVAGrgD
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 25, 2019
European elections
The most important factor when choosing their first-preference candidate in the European election was candidates’ stances on political and social issues, according to the RED C exit poll for RTÉ and TG4, with the ability to stand up for ordinary people the next most important factor.
Respondents to the poll were asked what the most important factor was, and also what other factors were important.
A fifth of respondents said the stances expressed by the candidates was the most important factor, while more than a third of people mentioned it as an important factor.
Candidates’ personalities/ qualities were also important, with 15% of respondents mentioning it first, and 30% making any mention.
Party support appears to have been less important, with 11% of respondents saying it was the most important factor, and less than a quarter of respondents mentioning it at all.
Meanwhile, just 3% of respondents said a protest against the current Government was the most important factor in their choice, with 8% making any mention of it.
Local elections
In the local elections, the RED C exit poll for RTÉ and TG4 puts Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil tied on 23% of the first-preference share. Independents were the next largest grouping on 15%. The margin for error is +or- 3%.
Sinn Féin, meanwhile, had 12%, with the Green Party in fourth on 9%, outperforming Labour, who polled 6%.
Respondents were asked what the most important factors were in deciding their first-preference vote.
Top of the list was the impact the candidate has had or will have in the local area, with their ability to stand up for ordinary people coming next.
Their stance on political and social issues was the third most important, followed by their personalities and qualities.
Party support, meanwhile, was only the fifth most important reason, while just 3% of people said they chose their candidate as a protest against the current Government.
Divorce
On the divorce referendum, the exit poll indicates an overwhelming Yes vote for the proposals to ease restrictions on divorce, with a large majority in all areas of the country, and across all age groups.
According to the RTÉ TG4 exit poll, women were more likely than men to vote Yes, by 91% to 85%.
Younger voters were most likely to vote yes, with those aged 25-34 on 94% Yes, edging out their younger cohort in the 18-24 bracket, on 93% Yes.
Even among the oldest voters there was a resounding Yes, according to the poll, with 78% of those aged 65 or older voting Yes.
There was a small urban-rural divide, with 89% of urban dwellers voting Yes compared to 86% in rural areas, though that falls within the margin of error.
Dublin saw the highest level of support for Yes, on 91%, the Rest of Leinster and Connacht-Ulster both had 85% support. Munster, meanwhile, had 89% support for yes.
Green Party supporters were most likely to vote Yes (95%), while Fianna Fáil supporters were least likely, on 83%. Fine Gael was 90% Yes, Labour 91%, Sinn Féin 88%, and independents 87%.
Watch: Voters explain their choices
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