What are some upcoming elections/referendums in 2018?

nigel_wilson

As a young person I decided to do something which I thought I'd never have the willpower to do given my personality and decided to sign up for voting. It took long but I called up my county council and then they emailed me saying they received all the necessary documents. They did say that my details will be updated to the next registor of electors in Feb 2018 and so I might not be able to vote until then.

So, could someone explain to me in brief detail what I can vote for on a local, national, and EU level? I heard there's a referendum on abortion next year along with one to re-elect Michael D Higgins.

Also an explanation of the political parties here would be nice as well. Thanks.

HalloweenJack

I saw in this article that there will be a referendum related to divorce but the specifics were not explained. Can anyone clarify that part?

Referendums on divorce, reducing the voting age and extending voting rights will be held in 2019 to coincide with the local and European elections.

murphaph

HalloweenJack wrote: »

I saw in this article that there will be a referendum related to divorce but the specifics were not explained. Can anyone clarify that part?

It's to shorten the time you need to live separately for to 2 years I believe.

Nody

murphaph wrote: »

It's to shorten the time you need to live separately for to 2 years I believe.

Honestly should be zero or 1 year but hey ho Catholic laws for everyone and not let people get on with their lives...

The abortion referendum should also happen in 2018 (yet another Catholic law that's horribly outdated).

mahamageehad

Firstly, congrats on registering to vote and showing interest!

The Irish government has agreed to hold a lot of referendums over the next 2 years, but it's likely that multiple referendums will be voted on on the same day rather than seperate voting days.

The referendum on the Eighth Amendment (not really an abortion referendum, it encompasses much more than that) will be held next summer, likely in isolation. Wording on this is in progress and will be determined by an Oireachtas committee.

October 2018 should see a vote on removing blasphemy as an offence from the constitution, altering the role of women in the home (asking if words describing a woman's place in the home should be removed or made gender neutral) and directly electing mayors (this would essentially ask if cities including Dublin should follow similar European cities and directly elect its own Mayor). These will likely be held alongside the presidential election.

A referendum on giving Oireachtas committee more powers (essentially be a re-run of the referendum in 2011) will also possibly happen in 2018 but the question it will pose hasn't been decided yet.

In 2019 then we will likely have a referendum to reduce the divorce term from four to two years, a referendum to extend voting rights to emigrants (presidential election only) and a referendum to reduce the voting age to 16. This will probably be in June 2019 on the same day as the local and European elections.

There is still an intention to hold a referendum on water ownership but no dates or wording have been proposed yet.

Soulsun

When do you guys think we will have our next election or referendum?

Inquitus

Soulsun wrote: »

When do you guys think we will have our next election or referendum?

The abortion referendum will be next year I assume, re a general election, as soon as the polls favour FF enough for them to risk it if that happens.

Cookie_Monster

why are all the proposed referenda not simply all on the same day? It seems pretty wasteful to have several separate runs.

Soulsun

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

why are all the proposed referenda not simply all on the same day? It seems pretty wasteful to have several separate runs.

Yep but that would make sense!

ArmaniJeanss

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

why are all the proposed referenda not simply all on the same day? It seems pretty wasteful to have several separate runs.

I think the less important referendums would get lost amongst the coverage of the perceived big/interesting one which doesn't make for good democracy. Two at one go would seem the max to me.

Nody

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I think the less important referendums would get lost amongst the coverage of the perceived big/interesting one which doesn't make for good democracy. Two at one go would seem the max to me.

I'd rather see them tied in with the general elections because not only does it save money but will help to drive voters to come out (if you vote for one issue you're likely to vote in the GE and vice versa) while making sure the parties will come out and discuss the issues at hand.

recedite

nigel_wilson wrote: »

So, could someone explain to me in brief detail what I can vote for on a local, national, and EU level? I heard there's a referendum on abortion next year along with one to re-elect Michael D Higgins.

Its good that you registered in advance, but don't hold your breath waiting for all these referendums. They can keep postponing them indefinitely. If an actual date is announced, that will be it.

nigel_wilson wrote: »

Also an explanation of the political parties here would be nice as well. Thanks.

Well the two main ones FF and FG were on opposite sides in the civil war back in the 1920's. Apart from that, nobody really knows the difference between them.

All the others are communists, except for this one posh guy who sits among the commies and rants on about "the shareholders" or something.