Overseas voting...Diaspora save Moldova from the clutches of an imperialist Dictatorship

gossamerfabric

The Irish Diaspora could not do the same if the nation were under such an existential threat.

One must be resident in Ireland to vote in elections and referendums. Citizenship counts for nothing. Of course if Citizenship is gifted too cheaply then the Diaspora might become the problem.

There are a lot of venal people. something similar to 1801 could happen again.

Discuss! ;) https://www.electoralcommission.ie/referendum-faq/

Grayson

As someone who moved away from Ireland, I think there should be a certain amount of voting rights retained when you move abroad. But it should be limited. Say for 10 years after you move. If someone emigrated 40 years ago and I don't think they should retain a say in how the country is run. But there are many people who move away for a few years and return.

I went backpacking once and missed a referendum. I couldn't fly home. The date was set after I left and was before I got back. I think that there should at least be short term postal voting options so people on holidays can have their say.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122747597#Comment_122747597

I had to emigrate in 2011 and felt very much written off not having a vote in economic exile after decades of tax contributions.

I think an abroad vote for at least 5 years after last tax residency in Ireland at the very least. In the case of general elections the vote could be attached to the last registered constituency.

If Irish government staff working abroad can vote then there's zero logistical reasons for Irish citizens abroad to be denied their right.

This notion that once you step off the Island you no longer exist goes back to the era of the Irish Wake for emigrants who were thought to be never seen again.

Once you're 5-7 years or more tax resident in other jurisdictions I think it's fair to say you're life is happening elsewhere.

Jacovs

South Africans get to vote abroad if you register for it. But only for the national elections which decides the national government, and only if you are willing to travel to the embassy or location where voting takes place in whichever country you find yourself in. You do not get to vote in the local elections which decides who runs your city/town/whatever, since you arent living in SA so you dont have a city/town/whatever.

randd1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122747597#Comment_122747597

It should be quite simple really.

If you're a citizen here, living here day to day, decisions on how things happen here affect you so you get a vote.

If you're a resident here for more than ten years, and have worked for at least 9 years of that ten, paid taxes, and have contributed to this country, then you get citizenship and you get a vote.

If you're a citizen that's paid taxes for two years or more and moved abroad and have lived abroad for more than one year and less than four years, you can vote in a general/presidential election, but not a local election.

If you're a citizen but live in a different country, but come home regularly (say spend 8 weeks of the year or more in Ireland) you get a vote.

If you don't live here but pay a foreign voter registration charge of €100 a year to maintain voting rights, you're contributing to the country via that tax and get a vote on how that money is spent.

If you're a citizen who lives in another country, don't come home regularly, don't pay a foreign voter registration tax, then you don't get a vote.

Truth be told, most of us know a lad living in Australia since his early 20's whose barely come home, and most of us know an Eastern European who's been here 20 years working and living away who's kids are growing up here. For my money, the lad living in Australia shouldn't get to decide how taxes are spent or what policies should be implemented above the Eastern European lad who's living here.

At some point, we have to hold contribution in higher standing than accident of birth, and accept that some of our own are now foreigners to these shores and shouldn't have a say in our affairs, citizens or not.

TLDNR - Basically, unless you're living here or contributing here, you don't get a vote.

Nigel Fairservice

I lived abroad for a few years and missed a few elections. I wasn't put out by it. Ireland has a lot of citizenship by descent through parents and grandparents so there's quite a few Irish citizens out there who may have only been to Ireland once or twice, if ever. Not sure I'd like people with limited understanding of what life is like here voting in elections and referendums, especially when they don't have to live with the consequences.

Cordell

There's lots of countries that allow their citizens who live abroad to vote in all elections and referendums (referenda?) but none of those countries are like Ireland, with such a large diaspora that either already have or are entitled to have Irish citizenship.

TheValeyard

I think that works with higher populations. Not will a small country with a small population.

You vote and have a say in the country you live and pay tax in. I dont feel that people who are living somewhere else and under different jurisdictions should get a say on how my life will be lived here when it wont affect them.