Irish presidential election
|
|
Irish presidential elections elect the President of Ireland: the Republic of Ireland's head of state.
| Contents |
Overview
The President of Ireland is formally elected by the citizens of Ireland once in every seven years, except in the event of premature vacancy, when an election must be held within sixty days. The President is directly elected by secret ballot under the system of the Alternative Vote. While both Irish and UK citizens resident in the state may vote in elections to Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament), only Irish citizens, who must be at least eighteen years of age, may vote in the election of the President. The presidency is open to all citizens of the state who are at least 35. A candidate must, however be nominated by one of the following:
- Twenty members of the Oireachtas (national parliament).
- Four local authorities.
- Themselves (in the case of an incumbent or former president).
Where only one candidate is nominated, he or she is deemed elected without the need for a ballot. For this reason, where there is a consensus among political parties, the President may be 'elected' without the occurrence of an actual ballot. No one may serve as President for more than two terms.
Results
| Election | Other candidates | President | Nominated by |
| 1938 | Agreed | Douglas Hyde | Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil |
| 1945 | Sean MacEoin (Fine Gael) Patrick MacCartan (Independent) |
Sean T. O'Kelly | Fianna Fáil |
| 1952 | Unopposed | Sean T. O'Kelly | Self-nomination |
| 1959 | Sean MacEoin (Fine Gael) | Eamon de Valera | Fianna Fáil |
| 1966 | Tom O'Higgins (Fine Gael) | Eamon de Valera | Fianna Fáil |
| 1973 | Tom O'Higgins (Fine Gael) | Erskine Hamilton Childers | Fianna Fáil |
| 1974 | Agreed | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour Party |
| 1976 | Unopposed | Patrick Hillery | Fianna Fáil |
| 1983 | Unopposed | Patrick Hillery | Self-nomination |
| 1990 | Brian Lenihan (Fianna Fáil) Austin Currie (Fine Gael) |
Mary Robinson | Labour Party |
| 1997 | Mary Banotti (Fine Gael) Adi Roche (Labour) Dana Rosemary Scallon (Independent) Derek Nally (Independent) |
Mary McAleese | Fianna Fáil |
| 2004 | Unopposed | Mary McAleese | Self-nomination |
Related topics
External link
- President of Ireland - official site (http://www.gov.ie/aras/)
|
Irish Presidential Elections |
|
1938 | 1945 | 1952 | 1959 | 1966 | 1973 | 1974 | 1976 | 1983 | 1990 | 1997 | 2004 |