Rural areas voting early ahead of storm

 

The early impression, according to turnout reports coming in from across the Cavan-Monaghan constituency is that people living in rural areas are casting their votes earlier than usual with Storm Ciara whipping up on the horizon.

Its not yet certain what impact the decision to change the voting from a traditional Friday to Saturday will have, but at one local polling station the suggestion was that young persons with part-time or weekend jobs might be more inclined to cast their ballot either very early or later in the evening.

At Kilmore Central, just outside Cavan Town, just before 11am Booth 1, which takes in Cornafean and Monery Hill and up to the outskirts of Ballinagh, was up at over 12% turnout.

Booth 2 at the same centre, taking in areas such as Carrafin and Killykeen and towards Killykeen was just shy of 9%.

Across the 13 booths at St Clare’s National School in Cavan Town, where this afternoon turnout was estimated to be at around the 18% mark.

This is an increase from 6.08% earlier this morning.

In the south-east Cavan Town of Virginia, turnout for both urban and rural is currently running at 23.87%. This morning, after two hours of opening, the reported turnout had been 7.04%.

In the same Municipal District area, the St Clare’s NS Polling Station in Ballyjamesduff is reporting turnout of 19.2%. Earlier it had been 5.8%.

In Co Monaghan turnout at St Louis Girls NS covering Monaghan Town is 21.5% across five booths there, up from 7.2% this morning.

In Castleblayney Boys National School turnout is averaging at 17.5%, up from 6%, and in Ballybay/Clones turnout is reportedly at 18%. The centre supervisor in Clones remarked that for this time of day that voter turnout is up on previous election years.

More than 2,000 new voters had their names added to the supplementary register in Cavan alone since last May’s local elections.

The electorate for Cavan-Monaghan in 2016 was 90,618, with turnout calculated at 66.5% once valid poll was counted.