There is an increasing desire amongst many in the north to participate more in southern politics – especially in recent times when the island feels more interconnected and many feel personally involved in, if disenfranchised from, southern politics.
While we await the outcome of the planned referendum on extending the franchise for the Irish Presidential elections, there is a way that some can get involved right now.
If you’re a NUI or TCD graduate, and an Irish citizen, you’re eligible to vote for the university seats in the Seanad Éireann elections. This applies to all graduates, whether you live in Ballina, Belfast, Brighton, Budapest or Boston.
The universities have 6 out of 60 seats.
There could be an election anytime in Ireland, so it’s worth getting your name on the register now if you’re interested.
Anyone who registers before 26th February 2019 will be on the new register of electors from June 2019. So you have a few weeks left to get on it. Applications are by post.
TCD eligibility is fairly straightforward. A list of eligible institutions for the NUI seats is here. Check the dates of your degree, as some colleges have joined NUI and some have left.
Here’s the form you need to fill in to get yourself registered for NUI. And here for TCD.
One race to watch will be the NUI seat of Rónán Mullen, a prominent figure in the recent pro-life campaign against the 8th amendment, who is likely to face a series of pro-choice challengers.
Claire Mitchell is a writer and researcher from Belfast. Formerly senior lecturer in Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast. More at www.clairemitchell.net
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