Last minute dash as voters turn out for Family and Care referendums
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There was a late surge in voter numbers this evening as citizens made a last dash to cast their ballots in two referendums on family and care.
Voting stations opened at 7am and people can cast their ballots until 10pm.
After a slow start to the day, turnout increased slightly through the afternoon.
However, voting picked up in the final hours up to 10pm, with some stations in Cork city reaching close to the 50% mark by 9pm.
Clare, Kerry and Tipperary also reported busy periods in the late evening with turnout around 40% by 8pm.
Polling centres across Dublin also recorded an uptick in the late evening with many areas reaching 40%, in Shankill 42% of voters had cast a ballot by 8pm while Sallynoggin was up to 46% at 9pm.
Earlier today, one electoral official said that the polling this time around had been a “lot slower and lower” than the most recent referendum.
In the capital, as of 12.30pm the turnout was very low, with just 12% coming out to vote in Dublin city centre.
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina voted at their polling station at St Mary’s Hospital in Phoenix Park on Friday morning.
It is the first time Mr Higgins has been seen in public since he was discharged from hospital on Thursday.
While turnout was initially quite low in Cork county, it has since increased after polls were opened for five hours. As of midday, 8.6% of the electorate have voted in the two referendums across the constituencies of Cork South West, Cork East and Cork North West.
By 10am voter turnout across the capital city was ranging from 4.3% in Dublin Central to 6% in Dublin South Central.
The commuter counties, which generally see a morning rush recorded a lower-than-usual turnout with the average across Meath standing at 3.5% at 10.30am.
However, Ashbourne was bucking that trend at 4.9%. It was a similar turnout in Kildare which after the commuter rush at 9.30am was recording a range between 2% turnout in Kilcock up to 4% in both Leixlip and Naas.
In Kerry 5% of voters had turned out in Killarney by 10.30am, Listowel recorded 4.4% turnout, while Kilgarvan, the homeplace of the Healy-Raes, was tracking at 3%.
In Wicklow, the returning officers have reported a slow enough start to the day, but with a “steady trickle” of voters arriving in from 10.30am.
The family amendment proposes extending the meaning of family beyond one defined by marriage and to include those based on “durable” relationships.
The care amendment proposes deleting references to a woman’s roles and duties in the home and replacing it with a new article that acknowledges family carers.
The Constitution is the fundamental legal document for the country and can only be changed with citizens' approval through a national vote.
The campaigns have led to national debates over the role of women in the home, what responsibility the State has for care and the meaning of family.
The Government is campaigning for a yes vote on both amendments. It says the changes will remove sexist language, recognise family care and extend protection to families not based on marriage.
All citizens who are at least 18 years old are eligible if they have registered to vote.
Registered votersare given polling information cards directing them to their nearest polling station.
The family amendment will be on a white-coloured ballot paper while the care amendment will be on a green-coloured ballot paper.
The polls are open between 7am and 10pm.
The results of the referenda, which are decided by the majority, are expected on Saturday.
Counting of the ballots happens at a constituency basis at various centres around the country.
However, the overall national result will be declared at Dublin Castle.
The family amendment will be counted and declared first.
The results for the care amendment will not be processed until the family count is finished.