Ireland’s First Voter Registration Pop-Up Shop Set for Galway City
27 April 2026 – People and families wanting to vote across Galway-West will have access to Ireland’s first Voter Registration Pop Up Shop in Galway City over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission will be breaking new ground in Galway with a pop-up voter registration and information shop at the top of Eyre Square in the City.
An Coimisiún is taking over the kiosk at the top of Eyre Square and transforming it into a colourful pop-up voter registration shop from 1 May to 5 May.
Tuesday 5 May is the final voter registration deadline for people to get their details correct to be able to vote in the Friday 22 May bye-election.
An Coimisiún staff will be on hand in Eyre Square helping first time voters to register to vote using i-pads on the spot and helping anyone who needs to update their voter registration. Electoral Commission staff will also be answering any questions about voting or the bye-elections in Galway West and Dublin Central.
Along with voter registration and voter advice An Coimisiún is teaming up with Galway Bay FM for an outside broadcast on Friday, with local musicians to bring some tunes to Eyre Square during the bank holiday weekend and will be running competitions on site. An example polling station featuring a real polling booth and ballot box will also be set up to show families and individuals how to cast their vote correctly.
The opening times for the pop-up shop are as follows:
- Friday, 1 May: 12 – 5 pm
- Saturday, 2 May: 12 – 5pm
- Monday, 4 May: 11 – 4pm
- Tuesday, 5 May: 11 – 4pm
Art O’Leary, Chief Executive of An Coimisiún Toghcháin stated:
“This first-of-its-kind voter registration drive is one of the many events An Coimisiún is running in both Galway West and Dublin Central ahead of the 22 May bye-elections.”
“We want people to know that every vote counts. Your vote is your voice, so don’t forget to use it to decide who the new TDs for Galway West and Dublin Central will be.”
Editor’s Note:
For further information on registering to vote or updating your details visit www.CheckTheRegister.ie
Who can vote in a bye-election?
You can vote in a bye-election if you are:
* Registered to vote
* An Irish or British citizen
* Aged 18 or over on polling day
* Ordinarily resident in one of the two constituencies in which a bye-election is taking place
For further information, please contact:
Brian Dawson, Communications and Public Affairs Manager
An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission,
086 0749344 / Brian.Dawson @electoralcommission.ie
An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission
An Coimisiún Toghcháin is a statutory, independent body, established on 9 February 2023 with responsibility for a broad range of electoral functions set out in the Electoral Reform Act 2022.
An Coimisiún is central to Ireland’s electoral system, carrying out a range of existing and new electoral functions, including:
- promoting public awareness of, and working to increase public participation in the State’s electoral and democratic processes through education and information programmes;
- overseeing the modernised Electoral Register, making recommendations and setting standards in relation to its maintenance and updating;
- responsibility for the registration of political parties;
- responsibility for the investigation and monitoring of online disinformation, online misinformation and manipulative or inauthentic behaviour online during election campaign periods, as well as functions to prevent manipulative or inauthentic behaviours online. (Legislation not yet commenced).
- making reports for the Minister in relation to local electoral boundaries;
- preparing research programmes and conducting research on electoral policy and procedure, and providing advice, as required, to the Minister and Government;
- the preparation of ex-post reports on the administration of electoral events;
- the decision-making, oversight, secretariat and supporting services associated with explaining the subject matter of referendum proposals, the promotion of public awareness of referendums and encouragement of the electorate to vote at referendum polls; and
- the conducting of reviews and making reports in relation to the constituencies for the election of members to the Dáil and the election of members to the European Parliament.
It is anticipated that the initial set of functions assigned to An Coimisiún will be expanded upon as it builds capacity and expertise.