Voter turnout in Clare is slow in the Presidential election, and Blasphemy Referendum.
Ballots will be cast here until 10 o’clock tonight, with just over 87,500 people throughout the county eligible to have their say.
A slow but consistent turnout is reported in many areas for today’s vote.
The highest report we have had to date is 12%, but that is reported in a number of areas.
They include Crusheen, and also some boxes in Ennis, such as in Drumbiggle, and in Kilfenora where Marian Egan has been voting.
Figures so far show a 10% turnout in Caherea and 8% turnout in Lissycasey.
For many areas, we are told that this represents a drop on other recent votes.
Clare FM’s Ben Sweeney has been voting in Clarecastle.
Looking at reports from elsewhere in the country, the figures for Clare are broadly in line with what’s happening nationally.
And while the usual lunchtime and evening time rushes will occur, it does seem possible that there could be a low turnout today.
For the Presidential election in 2011, the overall turnout was 58.2%.
Voting continues until 10:00 tonight, and counting of the votes for the Clare constituency will take part in the Auburn Lodge Hotel tomorrow, although – as the local returning officer Pat Wallace has outlined – this is just one part of the national counting of ballot papers.
