23 April 2026 – An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission, has highlighted the need for further improvements to the administration of Ireland’s elections in its Post Electoral Event Review (PEER) of the October 2025 Presidential election.

As well as visits to 100 polling stations across 26 counties, the Report benefitted from the direct input of voters – An Coimisiún staff met with young members of Down Syndrome Ireland in Kerry as they cast their vote to hear directly from them about their voting experiences. We also travelled to Donegal to observe and hear from voters who are wheelchair users about their voting experience in cooperation with the Irish Wheelchair Association.

The PEER report makes five recommendations building on the recommendations made following referendums and elections held through 2024.

The PEER Report, laid today by An Coimisiún before the Houses of the Oireachtas, includes recommendations that focus on:

• Free Voter Registration: Voter registration by freepost needs to be available to all electors as a free alternative to online registration.
• Validity of Votes: Updated guidance is needed on how and why returning officers deem a ballot paper to be invalid, and the categorisation of invalid ballots.
• Electoral Administration: A standardised formatting is needed for the Notices of Polling Stations to allow for efficient use and extraction of data on polling stations and polling places.
• Elections Data Reporting: Amending the election data reporting forms completed by returning officers after each electoral event so that ‘unmarked ballot papers’ are recorded and counted separately from ballot papers where ‘a first preference is not clearly indicated’ would assist An Coimisiún to better understand voter education needs.
• Legislation to ensure free access by An Coimisiún Toghcháin to polls and processes: An Coimisiún’s statutory remit to review electoral events has been hampered by the absence of a corresponding statutory right of access as observers at polling stations and count centres, and at tasks related to the administration of an electoral event such as special voting and the issuing and opening of postal votes.

In total 100 polling stations across 26 counties were visited in person, including Whiddy Island and Clare Island. An Coimisiún staff attended count centres in 11 counties An Coimisiún further observed the issuing of postal votes for the Dublin constituencies and for Cork City and County and visited nursing homes in Dublin and Offaly on days when special voting was in progress.

The Presidential PEER also highlights:

Progress on Accessibility: For the Presidential Election, 97% of polling stations were observed to be accessible for electors with a disability which marks a significant improvement on the General Election (89%), the June 2024 elections (79%) and March 2024 referendums (75%).

Disabled Voters’ Voices: For the Presidential Election, An Coimisiún Toghcháin partnered with the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) and Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI), meeting (with the advance agreement of returning officers) their members as they arrived to vote in polling stations in Co. Donegal and Co. Kerry. This provided an opportunity to observe directly and listen to the voting experiences of electors with physical or intellectual disabilities.

New Citizens Left Waiting for Access to Voting: The waiting period experienced by new Irish citizens in obtaining their certificates of naturalisation required as evidence of citizenship when registering to vote can block access to the polls. An Coimisiún Toghcháin was contacted by individuals who attended citizenship ceremonies in September 2025 but ultimately missed the deadline to register to vote for the Presidential Election as they had not yet received their certificates of naturalisation.

The PEER review utilised election observation principles in line with OSCE and EU practices. Using census, Pobal Index and Department of Housing, Local data, polling stations were chosen for observation based on a number of criteria, including polling stations with large electorates, areas with high number of electors aged 80+, disadvantaged areas and to ensure balanced geographic distribution.

The PEER allows An Coimisiún to identify areas for improvement in the conduct of electoral events particular in relation to enhancing participation and accessibility.

Art O’Leary, Chief Executive of An Coimisiún Toghcháin stated:

“Elections are among the most complex civic exercises we undertake – vast, intricate operations carried out by thousands of dedicated people in every corner of the country. This Post-Electoral Event Review gives us a rare and valuable opportunity: to step inside that process, to witness the quiet professionalism of election staff from the opening of polls to the final count, and to get properly under the bonnet of our democracy – not simply to admire it, but to strengthen it.

“The Presidential election also opened another, equally important window. Working with Down Syndrome Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association, we were able to listen more closely, to see more clearly, and to better understand the lived experience of voting for their service users. Their voices matter. Their choices matter. Their participation enriches and deepens our democracy.

“And if we are honest, their experiences also challenge us – because they remind us that while much has been achieved, more remains to be done. The promise of democracy is equal participation. Our responsibility is to make that promise real for everyone.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Brian Dawson, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, 

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission,

086 0749344 Brian.dawson@electoralcommission.ie 

– ENDS-

Editor’s Note:

The Post Electoral Event Review Report on the 2025 Presidential election is available at the following links:

English version

Leagán gaeilge

This PEER Report is published under Section 68 of the Electoral Reform Act which provides for such reviews and is a report on the administration of the electoral event concerned.