View source for Elections in the Republic of Ireland

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Politics of the Republic of Ireland}}
In Ireland, [[direct election]]s by [[universal suffrage]] are used for the [[President of Ireland|President]], the ceremonial head of state; for [[Dáil Éireann]], the house of representatives of the [[Oireachtas]] or parliament; for the [[European Parliament]]; and for [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|local government]]. All elections use [[proportional representation]] by means of the [[single transferable vote]] (PR-STV) in constituencies returning three or more members, except that the presidential election and by-elections use the single-winner analogue of STV, elsewhere called [[instant-runoff voting]] or the alternative vote. Members of [[Seanad Éireann]], the second house of the Oireachtas, are partly [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated]], partly [[vocational panel|indirectly elected]], and partly [[university constituency|elected by graduates of particular universities]].

[[Coalition government]]s have been the norm since 1989. [[Fine Gael]] (or its predecessor [[Cumann na nGaedheal]]) or [[Fianna Fáil]] have led every government since independence in 1922. The [[Government of the 34th Dáil|current government]] is a coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents. Traditionally, the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] was the third party, although since 2016 it has been surpassed by [[Sinn Féin]], and since 2020 by the Green Party. Smaller parties and [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]]s exist in the Dáil and more so in local government.

Since 2023, electoral operations and oversight of electoral integrity have been carried out by an independent [[Electoral Commission (Ireland)|Electoral Commission]].

==Eligibility to vote==
{{see also|History of the franchise in Ireland}}
Entitlement to vote is based on citizenship. Residents of the state who are Irish citizens or British citizens may vote in elections to [[Dáil Éireann]], the [[lower house]] of the [[Oireachtas]] (parliament). Residents who are citizens of any EU state may vote in [[European Parliament|European Parliament election]]s, while any resident, regardless of citizenship, may vote in [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|local election]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections/system-seems-complicated-but-your-vote-really-does-matter-30297680.html|title=System seems complicated but your vote really does matter|work=Irish Independent|date=23 May 2014}}</ref>

The [[right of Irish expatriates to vote]] is heavily restricted. Only members of the [[Defence Forces (Ireland)|armed forces]] and diplomatic staff abroad may vote in [[Dáil]] elections, while only expatriates who are graduates of the [[National University of Ireland]] or [[Trinity College Dublin]] may vote in [[Seanad Éireann|Seanad]] elections to the [[university constituency|university constituencies]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+Rights of residents to vote at Irish elections
|-
!Citizenship
![[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|Local elections]]
![[Elections to the European Parliament|European elections]]
![[Dáil Éireann|Dáil Elections]]
![[Irish presidential election|Presidential elections]]
![[#Referendums|Referendums]]
|-
|Ireland
|{{tick|15}}
|{{tick|15}}
|{{tick|15}}
|{{tick|15}}
|{{tick|15}}
|-
|United Kingdom
|{{tick|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}{{efn|British citizens lost the right to vote in European elections after [[Brexit]].|group="n"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Phelan |first1=John Paul |author-link1=John Paul Phelan |title=European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee Stage – Seanad Éireann (25th Seanad)|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2019-03-06/speech/186/ |website=Oireachtas |access-date=15 April 2019 |language=en-ie |date=6 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Act 2019 |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2019/act/7/|website=[[Irish Statute Book]]|access-date=15 April 2019 |no-pp=y|pages=§§ 2, 9 |language=en}}</ref>}}
|{{tick|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|-
|EU
|{{tick|15}}
|{{tick|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|-
|Other non-EU
|{{tick|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|{{xmark|15}}
|}
{{notelist|group="n"}}

==Early voting==
Military personnel, whether serving at home or abroad, vote by postal ballot. These votes are delivered by a courier service, usually a commercial one, but a military courier is used for ballots cast by Irish troops in Lebanon and Syria.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections/our-peacekeepers-among-first-to-cast-votes-30297838.html|title=Our peacekeepers among first to cast votes|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=23 May 2014}}</ref> Voters living on islands off the west coast in counties [[County Galway|Galway]], [[County Mayo|Mayo]], and [[County Donegal|Donegal]] traditionally voted two or three days before polling day, but in 2014 the gap was narrowed, when they voted just one day beforehand.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections/defence-forces-helicopter-glitch-delays-island-poll-30297683.html|title=Defence Forces helicopter glitch delays island poll|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=23 May 2014}}</ref> Following an amendment to electoral law in 2022, early voting on the islands is allowed only in exceptional circumstances.<ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|title=[[Electoral Reform Act 2022]]|year=2022|number=30|section=200|stitle=Part 8: Polling on Islands|date=25 July 2022|access-date=14 February 2023}}</ref>

==General elections==
{{see also|Dáil election results}}
{{anchor|Timetable}}
Under the Constitution, the term of a [[Dáil]] is a maximum of seven years; statute law, currently the Electoral Act 1992, establishes a lower maximum of five years.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1992|number=23|section=33|name=Electoral Act 1992|stitle=Maximum duration of Dáil|date=5 November 1992|access-date=28 March 2020}}</ref> The Taoiseach may advise the president to dissolve at any time. If a Taoiseach has ceased to retain the support of the majority of the Dáil, the president may in their absolute discretion refuse to dissolve the Dáil. To date, no president has refused to dissolve the Dáil.

Electoral law provides that the "same Dáil shall not continue for a longer period than five years from the date of its first meeting".<ref>{{cite ISB|year=1992|number=23|section=33|stitle=Maximum duration of Dáil|name=Electoral Act 1992|date=5 November 1992|access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref> When the Dáil is dissolved, the Clerk of the Dáil must issue a [[writ of election]] to the returning officer for each constituency.<ref>{{cite ISB|year=1992|number=23|section=39|stitle=Issue and return of writs|name=Electoral Act 1992|date=5 November 1992|access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref> The election must take place on a date set by the [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage]] 18 to 25 days (disregarding any excluded day) after the writs have been issued.<ref>{{cite ISB|year=1992|number=23|section=96|stitle=Times of poll|name=Electoral Act 1992|date=5 November 1992|access-date=8 June 2021}}; {{cite ISB|year=2001|number=38|section=23|stitle=Amendment of section 96 of Principal Act|name=Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001|date=24 October 2001|access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Dáil Éireann|url=https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government-in-ireland/houses-of-the-oireachtas/dail-eireann/|website=Citizens Information|date=30 August 2023|access-date=2 July 2024|archive-date=18 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318082305/https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government-in-ireland/houses-of-the-oireachtas/dail-eireann/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article16|website=Irish Statute Book|title=Constitution of Ireland|date=January 2020|access-date=2 July 2024|archive-date=23 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423200419/https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article16|url-status=live}}</ref>

Elections are by [[single transferable vote]] (STV), with each [[Dáil constituencies|constituency]] returning between three and five deputies, each called a {{lang|ga|[[Teachta Dála]]}} or TD. From 1980, constituencies have been redrawn by an independent [[Constituency Commission]] after each census, which was put on a statutory basis in 1997. From 2023, these functions have been carried out by the [[Electoral Commission (Ireland)|Electoral Commission]].

The erection and removal of campaign posters by candidates is governed by the Litter Pollution Act 1997 and the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2009.<ref>[https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/environment/topics/waste/litter/Pages/Election-Posters0331-3567.aspx#What%20is%20the%20Relevant%20Legislation? Department of Climate Action and Environment] – Election Posters FAQs</ref> Posters may only be erected for a certain specified time period before an election. This time period is either (a) 30 days before the poll date or (b) from the date the polling day order for the election has been made, whichever provides the shorter period of time. Posters must be removed within seven days of polling day.

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+General elections to Dáil Éireann and resulting Irish governments
|-
! scope="col" colspan="2"| Polling 
! scope="col" rowspan="2" class="unsortable"| Date of<br />nominations
! scope="col" colspan="3"| Dáil
! scope="col" colspan="3"| Government
|-
! scope="col" data-sort-type="date"|Date
! scope="col" |Day<br> 
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" |No.
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Term<ref>{{cite web |title=Dáil and Seanad Terms |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/dail-and-seanad-terms/ |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |access-date=10 November 2021}}</ref>
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" |Days
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | No.{{efn|See [[#govttitles|table]] for the government title corresponding to each abbreviation.}}
! scope="col" |Head{{efn|See [[#govttitles|table]] for the title of the head of government.}}
! scope="col" |Party or parties
|-
! scope="row"|[[1918 United Kingdom general election in Ireland|14 December 1918]]<br>{{efn|Territorial constituencies only; in those the results were declared on 28 December, to allow time for votes by members of the [[British Armed Forces]] to be sent to the [[returning officer]]s. The [[University constituency|university constituencies]] voted as follows: [[Dublin University (constituency)|Dublin University]] polling 16–20 December, declaration 21 December; [[National University of Ireland (constituency)|National University]] polling 18–22 December, declaration 23 December and [[Queen's University of Belfast (UK Parliament constituency)|Queen's University of Belfast]] polling 16–20 December, declaration 20 December,}}{{efn|The 30th [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]], convened after the [[December 1910 United Kingdom general election|December 1910 election]], was dissolved on 25 November 1918.}}
| Sat
| 4 Dec
| [[1st Dáil|1st]]
| 21 January 1919 – 10 May 1921{{efn|Last meeting of the [[First Dáil]]. A resolution passed at that meeting provided for the First Dáil to be dissolved on the assembling of the [[Second Dáil]].}}
| align=right| {{duration in days|21 January 1919|10 May 1921}}
| [[Government of the 1st Dáil|1st DM/<br>2nd DM]]{{efn|De Valera (2nd) replaced Brugha (1st) on 1 April 1919.|name="dev1919"}}
| [[Cathal Brugha]]/<br>[[Éamon de Valera]]{{efn|name="dev1919"}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|border=silver}} [[Sinn Féin]]
|-
!rowspan=2 scope="row"| [[1921 Irish elections|24 May 1921]]
|rowspan=2| Tue
|rowspan=2| 13 May{{efn|Except National University of Ireland, where nominations closed on 14 May 1921}}
|rowspan=2| [[2nd Dáil|2nd]]
|rowspan=2| 16 August 1921 – 8 June 1922{{efn|Last meeting of the [[Second Dáil]]. A meeting scheduled for 30 Jun 1922 was preempted by the outbreak of the [[Irish Civil War|Civil War]]. The Second Dáil was never formally dissolved and [[Irish republican legitimism|Irish republican legitimists]] have regarded it as {{lang|la|de jure}} continuing while the Third Dáil was illegitimate.}}
| align=right rowspan=2| 394
| [[Third Ministry of the Irish Republic|3rd DM]]
| [[Éamon de Valera]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|border=silver}} [[Sinn Féin]]
|-
| [[Fourth Ministry of the Irish Republic|4th DM]]{{efn|De Valera resigned on 7 January 1922 after losing the [[Anglo-Irish Treaty Dáil vote]]. Griffith's pro-Treaty ministry was formed on 10 January.}}
| [[Arthur Griffith]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty)}}|border=silver}} [[Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty)]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1922 Irish general election|16 Jun 1922]]<br>{{efn|The polling days for National University of Ireland were 12–15 June 1922, with the declaration being made on 16 June 1922.}}
| Fri
| 6 Jun{{efn|Except Dublin University, where nominations closed on 8 Jun 1922.}}
| [[3rd Dáil|3rd]]
| 9 September 1922{{efn|Originally to have been 1 July 1922. The Dáil was [[prorogued]] on five occasions and eventually met on 9 Sep 1922.}} – 9 August 1923
| align=right| {{duration in days|9 Sep 1922|9 Aug 1923}}
| [[Second Irish Provisional Government|2nd PG]]/{{efn|name="collins"}}<br>[[1st executive council of the Irish Free State|1st EC]]{{efn|On 6 December 1922, the Free State constitution came into force. The provisional government ceased to exit and the first Executive Council was appointed.}}
| rowspan=4| [[W. T. Cosgrave]]{{efn|The [[Provisional government of Ireland (1922)|1st Provisional Government]] with [[Michael Collins (Irish leader)|Michael Collins]] as chairman was formed on 14 January 1922, without reference to the Second Dáil. Collins was killed on 22 August 1922 and Cosgrave's Provisional Government formed on 30 August, after the June election to the Third Dáil but before its first meeting in September.|name="collins"}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Cumann na nGaedheal}}|border=silver}} [[Cumann na nGaedheal]]{{efn|Cumann na nGaedheal was founded in early 1923, before which Cosgrave's pro-Treaty government was not affiliated to any party, Sinn Féin having ceased to function.}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[1923 Irish general election|27 Aug 1923]]
| Mon
| 18 Aug
| [[4th Dáil|4th]]
| 19 September 1923 – 23 May 1927
| align=right| {{duration in days|19 Sep 1923|23 May 1927}}
| [[2nd executive council of the Irish Free State|2nd EC]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Cumann na nGaedheal}}|border=silver}} [[Cumann na nGaedheal]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[June 1927 Irish general election|9 Jun 1927]]
| Thu
| 1 June
| [[5th Dáil|5th]]
| 23 June 1927 – 25 August 1927
| align=right| {{duration in days|23 Jun 1927|25 Aug 1927}}
| [[3rd executive council of the Irish Free State|3rd EC]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Cumann na nGaedheal}}|border=silver}} [[Cumann na nGaedheal]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[September 1927 Irish general election|15 Sep 1927]]
| Thu
| 3 Sep
| [[6th Dáil|6th]]
| 11 October 1927 – 29 January 1932
| align=right| {{duration in days|11 Oct 1927|29 Jan 1932}}
| [[4th executive council of the Irish Free State|4th EC]] /<br />[[5th executive council of the Irish Free State|5th EC]]{{efn|On 27 March 1930, the Executive Council resigned. On 2 April, Cosgrave was appointed again as President of the Executive Council and appointed a new Executive Council with the same membership.}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Cumann na nGaedheal}}|border=silver}} [[Cumann na nGaedheal]]{{efn|A [[Farmers' Party (Ireland)|Farmers' Party]] TD was a [[Minister of State (Ireland)|parliamentary secretary]].}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[1932 Irish general election|16 Feb 1932]]
| Tue
| 8 Feb
| [[7th Dáil|7th]]
| 9 March 1932 – 2 January 1933
| align=right| {{duration in days|9 Mar 1932|2 January 1933}}
| [[6th executive council of the Irish Free State|6th EC]]
| rowspan=6| [[Éamon de Valera]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1933 Irish general election|24 Jan 1933]]
| Tue
| 
| [[8th Dáil|8th]]
| 11 January 1933 – 14 June 1937
| align=right| {{duration in days|11 Jan 1933|14 Jun 1937}}
| [[7th executive council of the Irish Free State|7th EC]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1937 Irish general election|1 Jul 1937]]
| Thu
|
| [[9th Dáil|9th]]
| 21 July 1937 – 27 May 1938
| align=right| {{duration in days|21 Jul 1937|27 May 1938}}
| [[8th executive council of the Irish Free State|8th EC]] /<br>[[1st government of Ireland|1st GI]]{{efn|The [[Constitution of Ireland]] came into force on 29 December 1937, with the former Free State's final executive council and president becoming the first government of Ireland and Taoiseach.}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1938 Irish general election|17 Jun 1938]]
| Fri
| 7 June
| [[10th Dáil|10th]]
| 30 June 1938 – 26 June 1943<ref>{{cite news |title=Mr. de Valera to be Taoiseach |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1943/0628/Pg001.html#Ar00106 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |url-access=subscription |page=1}}</ref>{{efn|Exceptionally, because of the [[The Emergency (Ireland)|state of emergency]] arising from the [[Second World War]], the [[10th Dáil]] was not [[dissolution of parliament|dissolved]] until after all the returns to the Clerk of the Dáil from all constituencies of the election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1943-05-26/speech/147/|title=The General Election: Announcement by Taoiseach.|last=de Valera|first=Éamon|date=26 May 1943|pages=Vol.90 No.5 p.19 c.562 |quote=the Dáil will rise to–day.  ... It is my intention to advise the President so that on the 31st May he may issue his direction for the holding of a general election. His proclamation may be issued on the 31st May. ... the 22nd June [sic] will be the polling day and then the outgoing Dáil, the present Dáil, would have to be dissolved not later than 8th July. The House is aware that it will be dissolved as soon as the Clerk of the Dáil is able to inform us that he has got returns for all the writs.|access-date=17 March 2020}}</ref>}}
| align=right| {{duration in days|30 Jun 1938|26 Jun 1943}}
| [[2nd government of Ireland|2nd GI]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1943 Irish general election|23 Jun 1943]]
| Wed
| 9 June
| [[11th Dáil|11th]]
| 1 July 1943 – 7 June 1944<ref>{{cite news |title=Dáil dissolved |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1944/0608/Pg003.html#Ar00332 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=8 June 1944 |page=3}}</ref>
| align=right| {{duration in days|1 Jul 1943|7 Jun 1944}}
| [[3rd government of Ireland|3rd GI]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1944 Irish general election|30 May 1944]]
| Tue
| 19 May
| [[12th Dáil|12th]]
| 9 June 1944 – 12 January 1948
| align=right| {{duration in days|9 Jun 1944|12 Jan 1948}}
| [[4th government of Ireland|4th GI]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! [[1948 Irish general election|4 Feb 1948]]
| Wed
| 
| [[13th Dáil|13th]]
| 18 February 1948 – 7 May 1951
| align=right| {{duration in days|18 Feb 1948|7 May 1951}}
| [[5th government of Ireland|5th GI]]
| [[John A. Costello]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Clann na Poblachta}}|border=silver}} [[Clann na Poblachta]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Clann na Talmhan}}|border=silver}} [[Clann na Talmhan]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|National Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[National Labour Party (Ireland)|National Labour]]{{efn|National Labour merged back into the Labour Party in 1950.}}|
{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[1951 Irish general election|30 May 1951]]
| Wed
| 17 May
| [[14th Dáil|14th]]
| 13 June 1951 – 24 April 1954
| align=right| {{duration in days|13 Jun 1951|24 Apr 1954}}
| [[Government of the 14th Dáil|6th GI]]
| [[Éamon de Valera]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! [[1954 Irish general election|18 May 1954]]
| Tue
| 4 May
| [[15th Dáil|15th]]
| 2 June 1954 – 12 February 1957
| align=right| {{duration in days|2 Jun 1954|12 Feb 1957}}
| [[7th government of Ireland|7th GI]]
| [[John A. Costello]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Clann na Talmhan}}|border=silver}} [[Clann na Talmhan]]
}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[1957 Irish general election|5 Mar 1957]]
| Tue
| 21 Feb
| [[16th Dáil|16th]]
| 20 March 1957 – 15 September 1961
| align=right| {{duration in days|20 Mar 1957|15 Sep 1961}}
| [[8th government of Ireland|8th]]/<br>[[9th government of Ireland|9th GI]]{{efn|De Valera's 8th government was succeeded by Lemass's 9th in 1959.|name=dev1959}}
| [[Éamon de Valera]]/<br>[[Seán Lemass]]{{efn|name=dev1959}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1961 Irish general election|4 Oct 1961]]
| Wed
|
| [[17th Dáil|17th]]
| 11 October 1961 – 18 March 1965
| align=right| {{duration in days|11 Oct 1961|18 Mar 1965}}
| [[10th government of Ireland|10th GI]]
| [[Seán Lemass]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1965 Irish general election|7 Apr 1965]]
| Wed
|
| [[18th Dáil|18th]]
| 21 April 1965 – 22 May 1969
| align=right| {{duration in days|21 Apr 1965|22 May 1969}}
| [[11th government of Ireland|11th]]/<br>[[12th government of Ireland|12th GI]]{{efn|Lemass's 11th government was succeeded by Lynch's 12th in 1966.|name="lemass1966"}}
| [[Seán Lemass]]/<br>[[Jack Lynch]]{{efn|name=lemass1966}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[1969 Irish general election|18 Jun 1969]]
| Wed
|
| [[19th Dáil|19th]]
| 2 July 1969 – 5 February 1973
| align=right| {{duration in days|2 Jul 1969|5 Feb 1973}}
| [[13th government of Ireland|13th GI]]
| [[Jack Lynch]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! [[1973 Irish general election|28 Feb 1973]]
| Wed
| 
| [[20th Dáil|20th]]
| 14 March 1973 – 25 May 1977
| align=right| {{duration in days|14 Mar 1973|25 May 1977}}
| [[14th government of Ireland|14th GI]]
| [[Liam Cosgrave]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[1977 Irish general election|16 Jun 1977]]
|Thu
|
| [[21st Dáil|21st]]
| 5 July 1977 – 21 May 1981
| align=right| {{duration in days|5 Jul 1977|21 May 1981}}
| [[15th government of Ireland|15th]]/<br>[[16th government of Ireland|16th GI]]{{efn|In 1979 Haughey (16th) succeeded Lynch (15th)|name="haughey"}}
| [[Jack Lynch]]/<br>[[Charles Haughey]]{{efn|name=haughey}}
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! [[1981 Irish general election|11 Jun 1981]]
| Thu
| 
| [[22nd Dáil|22nd]]
| 30 June 1981 – 27 January 1982
| align=right| {{duration in days|30 Jun 1981|27 Jan 1982}}
| [[17th government of Ireland|17th GI]]
| [[Garret FitzGerald]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[February 1982 Irish general election|18 Feb 1982]]
| Thu
|
| [[23rd Dáil|23rd]]
| 9 March 1982 – 4 November 1982
| align=right| {{duration in days|9 Mar 1982|4 Nov 1982}}
| [[18th government of Ireland|18th GI]]
| [[Charles Haughey]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! [[November 1982 Irish general election|24 Nov 1982]]
| Wed
| 
| [[24th Dáil|24th]]
| 14 December 1982 – 21 January 1987
| align=right| {{duration in days|14 Dec 1982|21 Jan 1987}}
| [[19th government of Ireland|19th GI]]
| [[Garret FitzGerald]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]{{efn|Labour Party left government on 20 January 1987.}}
}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[1987 Irish general election|17 Feb 1987]]
| Tue
|
| [[25th Dáil|25th]]
| 10 March 1987 – 25 May 1989
| align=right| {{duration in days|10 Mar 1987|25 May 1989}}
| [[20th government of Ireland|20th GI]]
| [[Charles Haughey]]
| {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
! [[1989 Irish general election|15 Jun 1989]]
| Thu
| 
| [[26th Dáil|26th]]
| 29 June 1989 – 5 November 1992
| align=right| {{duration in days|29 June 1989|5 Nov 1992}}
| [[21st government of Ireland|21st]]/<br>[[22nd government of Ireland|22nd GI]]{{efn|On 11 February 1992 Reynolds (22nd) succeeded Haughey (21st)|name="reynolds"}}
| [[Charles Haughey]]/<br>[[Albert Reynolds]]{{efn|name=reynolds}}
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Progressive Democrats}}|border=silver}} [[Progressive Democrats]]{{efn|Progressive Democrats left government on 4 November 1992.}}
}}
|-
! rowspan=2| [[1992 Irish general election|25 Nov 1992]]
| rowspan=2| Wed
| rowspan=2|
| rowspan=2| [[27th Dáil|27th]]
| rowspan=2| 14 December 1992 – 15 May 1997
| rowspan=2 align=right| {{duration in days|14 Dec 1992|15 May 1997}}
| [[23rd government of Ireland|23rd GI]]
| [[Albert Reynolds]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]{{efn|Labour Party left government on 15 November 1994.}}
}}
|-
| [[24th government of Ireland|24th GI]]{{efn|On 15 December 1994 the 24th government replaced the 23rd. This has been the only occasion on which there was a change in the government parties without a general election.}}
| [[John Bruton]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Left (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Democratic Left (Ireland)|Democratic Left]]
}}
|-
! [[1997 Irish general election|6 Jun 1997]]
| Fri
| 26 May
| [[28th Dáil|28th]]
| 26 June 1997 – 25 April 2002
| align=right| {{duration in days|26 June 1997|25 April 2002}}
| [[25th government of Ireland|25th GI]]
| rowspan=2| [[Bertie Ahern]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Progressive Democrats}}|border=silver}} [[Progressive Democrats]]
}}
|-
! [[2002 Irish general election|17 May 2002]]
| Fri
| 3 May
| [[29th Dáil|29th]]
| 6 June 2002 – 29 April 2007
| align=right| {{duration in days|6 June 2002|29 Apr 2007}}
| [[26th government of Ireland|26th GI]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Progressive Democrats}}|border=silver}} [[Progressive Democrats]]
}}
|-
! [[2007 Irish general election|24 May 2007]]
| Thu
| 9 May
| [[30th Dáil|30th]]
| 14 June 2007 – 1 February 2011
| align=right| {{duration in days|14 Jun 2007|1 Feb 2011}}
| [[27th government of Ireland|27th]]/<br>[[28th government of Ireland|28th GI]]{{efn|name=cowen}}
| [[Bertie Ahern]]/<br>[[Brian Cowen]]{{efn|On 7 May 2008 Cowen (28th) replaced Ahern (27th)|name="cowen"}}
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]]{{efn|Green Party left government on 23 January 2011.}}|
{{Color box|{{party color|Progressive Democrats}}|border=silver}} [[Progressive Democrats]]{{efn|The Progressive Democrats were dissolved in 2009 and their ministers and other TDs sat as independents thereafter. }}
}}
|-
! [[2011 Irish general election|25 Feb 2011]]
| Fri
| 9 Feb
| [[31st Dáil|31st]]
| 9 March 2011 – 3 February 2016
| align=right| {{duration in days|9 Mar 2011|3 Feb 2016}}
| [[29th government of Ireland|29th GI]]
| [[Enda Kenny]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
}}
|-
! [[2016 Irish general election|26 Feb 2016]]
| Fri
| 11 Feb
| [[32nd Dáil|32nd]]
| 10 March 2016 – 14 January 2020
| align=right| {{duration in days|10 Mar 2016|14 Jan 2020}}
| [[30th government of Ireland|30th]]/<br>[[31st government of Ireland|31st GI]]{{efn|name=varadkar1}}
| [[Enda Kenny]]/<br>[[Leo Varadkar]]{{efn|On 14 Jun 2017 Varadkar (31st) succeeded Kenny (30th).|name="varadkar1"}}
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
}}
|-
! [[2020 Irish general election|8 Feb 2020]]
| Sat
| 22 Jan
| [[33rd Dáil|33rd]]
| 20 February 2020 to 8 November 2024
| align=right| {{duration in days|20 Feb 2020|8 Nov 2024}}
| [[32nd government of Ireland|32nd]]/[[33rd government of Ireland|33rd GI]]/[[34th government of Ireland|34th GI]]{{efn|name=varadkarharris}}
| [[Micheál Martin]]/<br>[[Leo Varadkar]]/<br>[[Simon Harris]]{{efn|On 17 December 2022 Varadkar (32nd) succeeded Martin (33rd). On 9 April 2024, Harris (34th) succeeded Varadkar|name="varadkarharris"}}
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}|border=silver}} [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]]
}}
|-
! [[2024 Irish general election|29 Nov 2024]]
| Fri
| 18 Nov
| [[34th Dáil|34th]]
| 18 December 2024
| align=right| {{duration in days|18 Dec 2024}}
| [[35th government of Ireland|35th GI]]
| [[Micheál Martin]]
| {{ubl|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=silver}} [[Fianna Fáil]]|
{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=silver}} [[Fine Gael]]{{efn|Five [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]] are [[Minister of State (Ireland)|ministers of state]].}}
}}
|}
;Footnotes
{{notelist}}
{|class="wikitable"
|+{{anchor|govttitles}}Titles of the government and its head
|-
! Dates !! Abbr !! Title of government  !! Head of government
|-
| 1919–22 || DM || [[Ministry of Dáil Éireann|Dáil Ministry]] || [[President of Dáil Éireann]]
|-
| 1922 || PG || [[Provisional government of Ireland (1922)|Provisional Government]] || [[Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State|Chairman of the Provisional Government]]
|-
| 1922–37 || EC || [[Executive Council of the Irish Free State]] || [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]]
|-
| 1937– || GI || [[Government of Ireland]] || [[Taoiseach]] 
|}

==Seanad elections==
Elections to [[Seanad Éireann]] take place after the general election to the Dáil. There are sixty members of the Seanad. Of these, eleven are [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated]] by the [[Taoiseach]] appointed next after the dissolution of the Dáil. Six are elected by STV in [[university constituencies]]: three for the [[National University of Ireland (constituency)|National University]] (by graduates) and three for [[Dublin University (constituency)|Dublin University]] (by graduates and scholars of [[Trinity College Dublin]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1937/act/30/schedule/3/enacted/en/html|title=Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, Third Schedule: Counting of the Votes|website=Irish Statute Book|date=19 November 1937|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1937/act/30/section/7/enacted/en/html|title=Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, Section 7: Franchise|website=[[Irish Statute Book]]|date=19 November 1937|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref> Forty-three are elected by an electorate of serving politicians (members of the incoming Dáil, the outgoing Seanad, and city and county councillors)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1947/act/42/section/44/enacted/en/html|title=Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947, Section 44: The electorate|date=19 December 1947|access-date=7 March 2020|website=Irish Statute Book}}</ref> for five [[vocational panel]]s. These elections are also counted using STV, although using a different set of rules on the distribution of surpluses and the order of counts than in other elections in Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1947/act/42/schedule/2/enacted/en/html|title=Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947, Second Schedule: Counting of the Votes|website=Irish Statute Book|date=19 December 1947|access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref>

==European elections==
Elections to the [[European Parliament]] are held simultaneously across Europe every five years. In Ireland, as for Dáil elections, STV is used in constituencies returning three to five members.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/act/2/schedule/2/enacted/en/html|title= European Parliament Elections Act 1997, Schedule 2: Rules for the conduct of the election, etc., Rule 85|website=Irish Statute Book|date=13 November 1995|access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> Ireland has 14 seats in the European Parliament.

==Local elections==
Elections to [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|county councils, city councils and city and county councils]] are held every five years and by convention take place on the same day as European elections. [[Local electoral area]]s (LEAs) return between three and seven councillors by STV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1995/si/297/|title=Local Elections Regulations 1995, Regulation 83: Transfer of Surplus|website=Irish Statute Book|date=19 November 1937|access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref> Until the [[Local Government Reform Act 2014]], elections were also held for [[List of cities, boroughs and towns in the Republic of Ireland|borough and town councils]]. The 2014 Act abolished borough and town councils with their functions transferred to municipal districts of the county councils, comprising the county councillors from the LEA coterminous with the district.

Some members of [[Údarás na Gaeltachta]] were directly elected by [[Gaeltacht]] residents between 1980 and 2012; since then all have been appointed by the government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1979/act/5/section/29/enacted/en/html|title=Údarás na Gaeltachta Act, 1979, Section 29|work=[[Irish Statute Book]]|access-date=11 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/act/34/schedule/enacted/en/html|title=Gaeltacht Act 2012, Schedule|work=Irish Statute Book|access-date=11 June 2015}}</ref>

==Presidential elections==
{{main|Irish presidential election}}

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 [[instant-runoff voting]] (although the Constitution describes it as "the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote"). While both Irish and British citizens resident in the state may vote in Dáil elections, only Irish citizens, who must be at least 18 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 be nominated by one of the following:

*Twenty members of the [[Oireachtas]] (Dáil or Seanad).
*Four local authorities.
*Themselves (in the case of an incumbent or former president who has served only one term).

Where only one candidate is nominated, that candidate is declared elected without a ballot. No one may serve as President for more than two terms.

==<!--[[Referendums in the Republic of Ireland]] redirects here-->Referendums==
The [[Constitution of Ireland]] was [[Adoption of the Constitution of Ireland#Plebiscite|approved by plebiscite]] on 1 July 1937. The Constitution recognises two types of referendums:
*On a proposed [[amendments to the Constitution of Ireland|amendment to the Constitution]], for which a referendum is always required, and the amendment is passed by a majority of those voting;
*An [[ordinary referendum]], on a [[bill (law)|bill]] other than an amendment to the Constitution, for which a referendum is only required on petition of Oireachtas members, and the bill is passed by a majority of those {{em|eligible}} to vote.

{{anchor|ApprovedBody}}<!-- [[approved body (Irish referendums)|approved body]] redirects here -->There have been 38 referendums for amendments to the Constitution of Ireland. There have been no ordinary referendums. Since 2023, the [[Electoral Commission (Ireland)|Electoral Commission]] provides neutral information to the public on each amendment. An organisation can register with the commission as an "approved body" in order to campaign publicly for or against the proposal, and to have [[polling agent|monitors]] in polling stations and [[counting agent]]s at count centres. From 1998 to 2019, this function was carried out by a [[Referendum Commission]] established for each referendum.

For a proposal to change [[Place names in Ireland|the name of a place]], a plebiscite is required.<ref name="act2001ss189t190">{{cite web|url=http://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2001/act/37/revised/en/html#SEC189|title=Local Government Act 2001 Revised|date=16 April 2019 |page=§§189–190 [F244, F247] |work=Revised Acts|publisher=[[Law Reform Commission (Ireland)|Law Reform Commission]]|access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref> The current 1956 Regulations on conducting such plebiscites relate to a postal vote of [[ratepayer]]s;<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1956|type=si|num=31|title=Local Government (Changing of Place Names) Regulations 1956|access-date=19 April 2018}}; {{cite web|url=https://www.sdcc.ie/en/download-it/publications/proposed-change-of-name-of-locality.pdf |title=Proposed Change of Name of a Locality (Palmerston Village To Palmerstown Village)|year=2014|publisher=South Dublin County Council|access-date=19 April 2018 |quote=In accordance with Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1946 and the Local Government (Changing of Place Names Regulations) 1956 (as amended by Section 67 of Local Government Act 1994)}}; {{cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/palmerstown-name-change-1879108-Jan2015/|title=Palmerston or Palmerstown? … Residents have voted on a name change|last=Brophy|first=Daragh|date=13 January 2015|work=[[TheJournal.ie]]|access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref> in 2019 the relevant electorate was changed from ratepayers to local electors,<ref name="act2001ss189t190"/> but {{as of|2020|01|16|lc=y}} the regulations have not been updated accordingly.<ref name="act2001ss189t190"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/isbc/2001_37.html#associatedsecondary |website=Irish Statute Book |access-date=22 February 2020 |page=SIs made under the Act  |no-pp=y |date=16 January 2020}}</ref> In a County Cork town, ''[[Charleville, County Cork|Charleville]]'' was chosen in a 1989 four-option plebiscite ahead of {{lang|ga|Ráth Luirc}}, {{lang|ga|An Rath}}, and ''Rathgoggan''.<ref name="it1989">{{cite news|title=King Charles wins handsome majority|last=Hogan|first=Dick|date=11 December 1989|page=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://emigrant.scoilpac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36890&Itemid=18|title=Bits and Pieces|last=Ferrie|first=Liam|date=17 December 1989|work=The Irish Emigrant|quote=The people of the north Cork town of Rath Luirc (or Charleville, or An Rath, or Rathgoggan) have voted to use the name Charleville for their town. Road signs in the area will be replaced.|access-date=22 May 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526200721/http://emigrant.scoilpac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36890&Itemid=18|archive-date=26 May 2015}}</ref> The [[Official Languages Act 2003]] prevented the plebiscite provision applying to places in the [[Gaeltacht]], and so a 2005 plebiscite to change the name of [[Dingle, County Kerry]] was ruled invalid; in 2011, the 2003 Act was amended to remove the restriction.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=2011|num=20|section=48 |title=Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 |access-date=20 April 2018}}; {{cite web |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2011-07-21/33/ |title=Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Instruction to Committee |date=21 July 2011 |work=Dáil Debates – Vol.739 No.4 p.22 |no-pp=y|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref>

Other local plebiscites include [[2019 Irish local elections#Mayoral plebiscites|three in 2019]] on whether to establish [[directly-elected mayor]]s for [[Cork City Council]], [[Limerick City and County Council]] and [[Waterford City and County Council]], of which only [[2019 Limerick City and County Council election#Plebiscite|that for Limerick]] was passed.

==See also==
*[[Voting system]]
*[[Dáil vote for Taoiseach]]
*[[Politics of the Republic of Ireland]]
*[[Elections in Northern Ireland]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/elections_and_referenda/national_elections/voting_procedure_in_a_general_election.html Citizens Information: Elections and referenda]
*[http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/i/ireland/ Adam Carr's Election Archive]
*[http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/ireland.html Parties and elections]
*[http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/ireland/ NSD: European Election Database – Ireland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623114525/http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/ireland/ |date=23 June 2014 }} publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1992–2007
*[https://electionsireland.org/index.cfm ElectionsIreland.org], produced in association with Seán Donnelly, author of various books on Irish elections
*[http://irelandelection.com/ Ireland Election - Irish Election Results - General, Local, Presidential, Referendum]

{{Irish elections}}
{{Elections in Europe}}

[[Category:Elections in the Republic of Ireland| ]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland politics-related lists|Elections in Ireland]]