An Coimisiún Toghcháin has said there "will clearly be a need for deeper and further reflection" after a record number of nearly 13% of voters spoiled their ballots in the 2025 Presidential Election.
The independent electoral commission said that it recognises that the number of spoiled votes is significantly higher than normal and it is clear that some people chose to deliberately spoil their votes.
With all 43 constituencies counted, the total number of spoiled or invalid ballots is 213,738 or 12.9% of voters.
The number of votes deliberately spoiled soared compared to previous years and has never been seen at such a scale in an Irish election.
This was far higher than the 1.235% spoiled votes seen in the 2018 Presidential Election.
The highest level registered was in Dublin Mid-West at 21%, followed by Dublin North West at 20.5% and Dublin South-Central at 19.0%.
In a statement, An Coimisiún Toghcháin thanked people for voting in the election.
Watch: FF and FG must take responsibility for spoiled votes - Tóibín
"Each person who casts their ballot contributes to our democracy, because their vote is their voice in this and every election," it said.
The Commission added that it has been focused on getting voters registered ahead of this election and supporting people who may have spoiled their votes.
"We recognise however that the number of spoilt votes is significantly higher than normal and it is clear that some people chose to deliberately spoil their votes.
"There will clearly be a need for deeper and further reflection on the reasons for this," it said.
"Our National Election and Democracy Study (NEDS) and Post Electoral Event Review (PEER) reports, which will be published in the coming months, should provide some insights which will make a contribution to the ongoing process of enhancing democracy and elections in this country," the statement added.
Spoiled votes could be 'political earthquake' - Tóibín
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said one of the big stories of this election is the number of spoiled votes.
"If the spoiled votes come in ahead of Heather Humphreys, it will be a political earthquake. It will be two fingers to the political establishment by a big chunk of people," he said.
Mr Tóibín said there is a "major problem" in Irish politics and he is worried that the parties are not listening to it.
"A whole section of Irish society do not feel that they have a voice within the system, do not feel that they have a horse in the race, and that's dangerous.
"That leads to polarisation if that's allowed to continue," he said.
"Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael engineered this high level of spoiled votes and the low turnout in this election.
"They have to take responsibility for that and I believe there are enormous questions to be asked of Micheál Martin and Simon Harris now."
Mr Tóibín wished Ms Connolly luck and said he has "no doubt" she will be a good president.
Dublin Mid-West TD for Sinn Féin Eoin Ó Broin said the spoiled votes meant that there are "people out there who are very angry, who are very unhappy".
"Our job in the time ahead is to try and convince more of those people that there is an alternative, there is a message of hope, and we hear the fact that they are not happy. So, there is a job of work to do afterwards."
Speaking at Dublin Castle, Tánaiste Simon Harris expressed concern about the high number of spoiled ballots and said some voters put "quite a lot of effort in spoiling their ballot".
He said it showed "the number of people in Ireland now who are clearly feeling disaffected or disconnected with politics".
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said he did not think it was a "moral failing" to spoil votes, and that it was a "legitimate choice that people can make".
"There is going to be a challenge for everybody in politics, but I would say for the left in particular, that there is a group of people who are very disaffected, very alienated, very angry at the political system."
Getting 'under the bonnet' of spoiled votes
Tánaiste Simon Harris said that he is concerned about the number of spoiled votes and the feeling among voters of being disconnected with politics.
He acknowledged that people went to a lot of effort to spoil their vote and put thought into what they put on the paper.
"I want to listen to those people. I want to really try get under the bonnet of the issues that are making people feel more disconnected with politics, both Government and opposition.
"We need to be humble today in relation to that."
Mr Harris said that it was also concerning the amount of people that did not come out to vote.
He said that he had an open mind about the nomination process for the presidential election, and he was happy to engage across party lines on that.
"There has to be some threshold," he said, but whether it is correct is a fair conversation to have, he added.
Additional reporting PA
