Ireland’s Expats Expect

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A quarter of a million Irish citizens have emigrated since 2008.

70% of them are in their 20s.

Irish Diaspora Voting‘ facilitates unofficial democratic representation for Ireland’s diaspora allowing Irish citizens abroad to engage symbolically in Irish politics and ‘serve as evidence for the urgent need of an adequate postal voting system’

Kerry Guinan writes:

Here’s a handy new tool to circulate to the Irish abroad ahead of the marriage referendum and in lieu of an adequate postal voting system for diaspora. Its results will be published to provide a more accurate representation of Irish voting preferences, and to express a need to Government for a postal voting system

Vote here

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29 thoughts on “Ireland’s Expats Expect

  1. VinLieger

    There needs to be limitations and a residency requirement for any emigrant voting, something like having lived here for a minimum of 7 years and being only allowed vote for 5 years after emigrating

    1. Owen

      100% Agree. This is a great idea to get a senses of how all Irish people might vote, but I’m personally against the idea of having a postal vote without some form of limitations.

      4.5 mil in Ireland. I’m guessing a maximum of half can / would ever vote at a time (?). With 3 mil passport holders overseas, and 36 mil claiming Irish ancestry there is strong potential that postal votes would decide how Ireland is run. So those not hear would make the decisions. And if a handful of the 36 mil applied the ‘granny rule’ the states would more or less control Ireland fully.

      1. The Old Boy

        The UK rule is that any citizen who has registered to vote, or would have been entitled to register were they not under age, may have a postal vote in the last constituency in which they resided for fifteen years after leaving the country. It’s a sensible arrangement that seems to work.

  2. bisted

    …just heard a Labour politician on radio advocating a ‘yes’ vote…that should swing it.

    1. Wayne.F

      I split my year half in Ireland half away, I am tax resident in Ireland but can vote on 22nd as I am not in the country! Something needs to change

    2. Der

      So a gay couple who emigrated and got married in the UK, should not have a say on whether their marriage is recognised on their return?

      1. Odis

        That would really depend on whether they live in Ireland or the UK at the time of the vote.
        If they live in the UK at the time of the vote – No.
        If they live in Ireland at the time of the vote – Yes.

        See what I did there?

      2. Clampers Outside!

        If gone for more than, say, 5 years, yup.

        There needs to be limits on how long a person has left, 5 is plenty, and then they lose voting rights.

        Same for arrivals, here for 5, get a vote.

        1. Odis

          That five year thing, it would be open to all kinds of fiddling.
          The best and most reasonable test of whether you live in Ireland or not, should be where you live.

        2. Rob_G

          Very tricky – I live abroad, but am home for few weeks every Xmas. One could say, “Well, I was home for a month last summer, so technically I’ve only been abroad less than a year…” – thereby extending the 5 years to 10 or 15 or 20 years.

        3. Der

          I completely agree – we can’t let Irish people hold on to their votes forever, 5 years sounds like plenty of time.

          But Odis and Jonotti are saying that once you’re gone you’re gone. Which I think is desperately unfair, especially for lots of gay people who left rural Ireland to live a life free from intimidation in London and other big cities.

          I was walking down South William St on Saturday holding my boyfriend’s hand, a group of guy in their twenties followed us down the street wolf whistling and shouted “fa**ots” as they turned the corner. This is shading my view of the world this week.

          1. Odis

            What’s “desperately unfair” about it?
            Do you live here or don’t you? Its any easy test and there can be no fiddling it, (within reason).
            Unless you are trying to suggest there should be one rule for gay expats and another for straight expats.

          2. Lorcan Nagle

            I saw a gay couple on the corner of O’Connell and Abbey Street yesterday holding hands – which was awesome, but at the same time they were clearly nervous about it and looking around in case anyone started on them.

          3. jonotti

            A person could be gone 6 months never to return yet they get a say in Irish life. Another could be gone 9 years and about to return. It’s not worth bringing in thresholds for different situations. If you’re gone then so is your vote and I say this as an expat.

  3. Small Wonder

    A couple of things. It needs the actual wording of the amendment which would appear on a ballot. Also, what about the president age vote?

  4. Dubloony

    How many have come back? I know many have gone and are not coming back but there are others who were doing the 1-2 year fruit picking in Australia visa thing and are now back.

    To the main thing, if you’re recently emigrated, working abroad for a company, you should be able to vote.
    If you’ve been in Boston for 50 years, no.

  5. DonM

    As an expat I am not 100% up on what is going on but I thought the referendum was the 34th and 35th amendment with 2 questions?
    This site says it is the 44th amendment with one question

    1. The Old Boy

      You’re right. There are two referenda: Amendment 34 on marriage and Amendment 35 on the age eligibility for Presidential candidates.

  6. Ray

    I just voted!

    Can I still vote in the referendum itself, since I live in Ireland?

    Think I’ll pass this on to my cousins in the US. They’re Irish too! Well, Irish-American. Mainly American if you want to get picky about it. But I’m sure they’d like to vote as well.

    You know what, I enjoyed voting so much the first time, I just did it again. Man, that felt good. I should probably wait a while before voting a third time, don’t want to go crazy…

  7. Paolo

    You should only get to vote on the constitution if you live in ireland and are an Irish citizen. Simple as that.

Comments are closed.

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