The members of each local authority are called Councillors. Councillors are directly elected in local elections. The number of councillors elected to each local authority depends on the population of the local authority area.
Local elections by law are held in the month of May or June on a day fixed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
When do Local Elections happen?
Local Government Elections must be held every five years.
How do the Elections take place?
There are 31 local authorities in Ireland, including County Councils, City Councils, and City and County Councils. Each county, city, and city and county council is divided into local electoral areas. These electoral areas are called municipal districts. There are 95 municipal districts in the country with councillors simultaneously representing the municipal district and the local authority.
The polling date is set by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The polling period must last at least 12 hours between 7.00am and 10.30pm and be the same day in all of the local authority areas.
The Returning Officer in each local authority is responsible for managing their local election. Each local authority pays the cost of running their own election.
The elected council is the policy making forum of the local authority.
When are candidates nominated to run for election?
Candidates must be nominated one month before polling day. A person may be nominated to stand in more than one electoral area.
Who can be elected?
Any person over 18 years is eligible for election to Local Government except people who are Government Ministers, Ministers of State, Members of the Gardai and the Defence Forces and certain groups of public employees. The grounds for disqualification include failure to pay money due to a local authority and certain court convictions and prison sentences.
Who can vote at a Local Election?
Every person over 18 years whose name is included in the electoral register is entitled to vote in the local area in which s/he lives. It is not necessary to be an Irish citizen to vote in a Local Election.
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