Dublin Central and Galway West By-Elections to take place on Friday 22 May 2026
- Published on: 23 April 2026
- Last updated on: 23 April 2026
Following the moving of the writ in Dáil Éireann, Mr. James Browne, T.D., Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has made an order today (Thursday 23 April) appointing Friday, 22 May 2026 as the polling day for the Dublin Central and Galway West bye-elections. Polling will take place between the hours of 7.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m.
To stand for election to Dáil Éireann, a person must be a citizen of Ireland and at least 21 years of age by polling day. A person may nominate himself or herself as a candidate or, with his or her consent, may be nominated by a person who is registered as an elector in the constituency concerned. A candidate not in possession of a certificate of political affiliation (confirmation that a person is a candidate of a political party registered in the register of political parties) must have their nomination completed using either of the following options: (i) by way of assents, requiring the completion of statutory declarations by 30 assentors registered in the relevant Dáil constituency, or (ii) by way of the candidate, or someone on his or her behalf, lodging a deposit of €500 with the returning officer.
The latest time for receiving nominations is 12 noon on Friday 01 May 2026. Candidates may withdraw their nominations up to 12 noon on Saturday 02 May 2026.
Every Irish and British citizen included in the register of electors in the relevant constituencies may vote at the bye-elections. The electorate for Dublin Central is over 57,000. The electorate for Galway West is over 103,000.
Voter Registration
A person eligible to vote but not yet registered as an elector still has time to apply for inclusion on the register of electors. To be eligible to vote a person must be 18 years of age or over, on or before polling day, and be ordinarily resident in the constituency in which they wish to vote. They must also be included on the Register of Electors.
Completed applications must be received by the registration authority for the area in which a person resides by Tuesday 05 May 2026.
Certain categories of people are eligible to apply for a postal or special vote (see notes to editor). Applications for postal and special votes must be received by the relevant local authority not later than Saturday 25 April 2026.
Everyone is encouraged to check that their details are correct and up-to-date at www.checktheregister.ie. If a person’s details are correct, there is no need to do anything and a polling information card will issue in due course.
Eligible voters who are not on the register, or who need to update their details, for example, because they have moved house, can do so by submitting an online application at www.checkthereigster.ie or by submitting a form to their local authority. Relevant application forms are available from City, County or City and County Councils (these are the registration authorities) or online at www.checktheregister.ie
Postal vote applications
A postal vote is available to certain categories of people who can’t go to their polling station on polling day. Postal vote applications must be signed or certified by a third party so they can’t be completed online.
The following categories of people are eligible to apply for a postal vote:
- members of the Garda Síochána;
- whole-time members of the Defence Forces;
- Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses or civil partners;
- persons living at home who are unable to go to a polling station to vote because of an illness or disability;
- persons whose occupations are likely to prevent them from voting at their local polling station on polling day, including full-time students registered at home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State;
- electors unable to vote at their polling station due to circumstances of their detention in prison, pursuant to an order of the court;
- certain election staff employed at a polling station outside the constituency where they live; and
- persons who consider their safety, or the safety of a member of their household, would be at risk if their name and address were to be published, may apply to be an anonymous elector. Such electors may only vote by post.
An application form for a postal vote is available for download at www.checktheregister.ie. It is also available from a city, county or city and county council directly.
Special vote applications
A person who lives in a hospital, nursing home, mental health facility or similar care facility and is unable to go to their polling station due to illness or disability on polling day may apply to be added to the special voters list. This enables the person to vote at the care facility on polling day. A ballot paper is brought to the voter by a Special Presiding Officer.
An application form for a special vote can be downloaded at www.checktheregister.ie and is also available from a city, county or city and county council directly.
Further information in relation to electoral matters and the by-elections is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/voting-and-elections-in-ireland/
The contact details of Dáil Returning Officers are available at:
ENDS