AMBASSADOR'S OUTREACH 

Ambassador Foley Reaches Out to Understand Irish Voting: Ballsbridge, Dublin: May 24, 2007. 

Ambassador Foley and Embassy Officers observe a voter in the Irish General Election at a voting center in Ballsbridge, Dublin on May 24.

On May 24, election day in the Republic of Ireland, Ambassador Foley visited a local polling station to try to gain a better understanding of the Irish voting system.  Local staff at the polling station explained the ballots to the Ambassador and gave him an introduction to the proportional voting regime.  While at the polling station, the Ambassador ran into candidate Chris Andrews who was checking on voter turnout.

Ambassador Foley at a voting center.

Unlike the American system of “winner takes all”, Ireland will seat a coalition government based on the percentages that the various parties win after the counting.  The Ambassador will have to wait to find out the results of the election as the Irish use paper ballots which are counted and tallied at central counting stations.  Since the coalition government is based on percentages of seats and negotiation between the parties the actual configuration of the government may not be known for some time.

Ambassador Foley asked candidate Chris Andrews how difficult it was to run under the Irish system compared to the American system.  Andrews was happy that the Irish have a much shorter campaign period.  However, he said that he felt that in Ireland it was very important that the political parties have strong, cohesive platforms as voters were more likely to vote for particular political parties than individuals.

(L-R) Dublin South East candidate Chris Andrews and Ambassador Foley at a voting center.

The differences between the Irish and American systems of voting and setting up their governments highlight the many possibilities and forms that can exist among active democracies.