Irish voters head to polling stations today to elect their 10th president, choosing between two women in a contest that will determine who serves the next seven years. Polls open at 7am and close at 10pm, with more than 3.6 million people eligible to vote.
The race has narrowed to a head-to-head between Catherine Connolly, an independent backed by left-wing opposition parties, and Heather Humphreys, the Fine Gael candidate and former coalition minister. They are competing to replace Michael D Higgins, who has served as president since 2011.
Clear frontrunner emerges
Connolly leads as the clear favourite in opinion polls conducted throughout the campaign. The 68-year-old Galway mother of two describes herself as representing a "movement" and a "voice for peace" and "unity".
The former psychologist and barrister has secured backing from Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats, Labour and other left-leaning parties. As an Irish speaker, she has been vocal on Palestine issues and protecting Ireland's military neutrality, while criticising US military use of Shannon Airport.
Humphreys positions herself as "a centre-ground, pro-European, pro-business, common-sense" candidate. The 64-year-old mother of two brings government experience and background as a Credit Union manager to her campaign.
Campaign controversies surface
Both candidates have faced scrutiny over various controversies during the campaign. Connolly's judgement was questioned over hiring a woman with a previous firearm possession conviction to work in Leinster House, Ireland's parliament building.
Connolly defended the decision, saying she believed in rehabilitation and the woman had been highly recommended. Humphreys argued this put parliamentary security at risk.
Lucia O'Farrell, a constituent of Humphreys, publicly criticised the former Cabinet minister for not supporting an inquiry into her son Shane's death. Shane died after being hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.
Additional campaign disputes
Connolly faced repeated questions about a 2018 visit to Syria while serving as a Galway TD, during which she encountered supporters of then-president Bashar Assad. She maintained the trip was a "fact-finding mission" to visit a Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.
Humphreys faced questioning over appointing a man to a museum board position that was criticised as political. She also addressed claims from former Cabinet colleague Shane Ross that she opposed stricter drink-driving rules.
The final major campaign dispute centred on Connolly's barrister work during the economic crash. Humphreys said she personally "never tried to capitalise on somebody's misfortune and to make money out of it", referencing Connolly's work for "UK banks" before entering politics.
Unique electoral circumstances
A third name appears on the ballot paper with Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin still technically eligible despite withdrawing weeks ago. Gavin dropped out after it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euro, which he has since repaid.
Excluding Gavin, this marks the first time since 1973 that Irish voters choose between just two candidates. The small field has drawn criticism of nomination criteria requiring candidates to secure support from either 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities.
Results and significance
Ballot counting begins Saturday morning with the winner expected to be announced at Dublin Castle later that day. Ireland's transferable vote system means only a maximum of two counts are possible with three candidates.
The presidency is largely ceremonial but carries important constitutional responsibilities including reviewing proposed legislation before signing it into law. Presidential terms last seven years, with office holders limited to serving a maximum of two terms.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
![Tusk oskarża PiS o inwigilację córki. Poczobut z nagrodą [SKRÓT DNIA]](https://i.wpimg.pl/1920x/filerepo.grupawp.pl/api/v1/display/embed/98ed77b8-8033-4d66-abc7-f4e3a986859e)
