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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Referendum on same-sex marriage in Ireland makes history

Nationwide vote on issue is first of its kind

The Columbian
Published:

DUBLIN — People queued up outside polling stations in Dublin Friday as Ireland voted in a referendum on same-sex marriage, marking the first time a nationwide vote has been held on the issue.

Queues formed in Dublin and Galway before polling station doors opened at 7 a.m. and by 1 p.m. there was a turnout of 20 percent in parts of Dublin, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE reported.

Turnout was reported to about the same in rural areas, despite pre-election fears that more people would vote in cities.

“There’s been queues of people trying to get their identification stamped in order to register to vote,” Aodhan O Riordain, Ireland’s minister for equality, said as he cast his “yes” vote in Dublin.

“There’s been packed-out meetings up and down the country,” O Riordain said. “There’s been people wearing badges for months saying they’re going to vote ‘yes.’ “

People may vote yes or no to an amendment to the constitution, which states, “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.”

A little more than 3.2 million people in the mainly Catholic country are entitled to vote, with more than 60,000 new voters registering in recent weeks. In his final news conference before the referendum, Prime Minister Enda Kenny said that, as a Catholic, he has “no question about extending marriage rights to gay couples” and said the electorate has “nothing to fear by voting yes.”

Fears have been raised by those opposed to same-sex marriage over surrogacy and children’s rights to access to fathers.

Speaking on Vatican Radio on Thursday, the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, urged Catholics to vote no.

Marriage had “its place in the construction of society and changing the definition would have long-term consequences,” Martin said. “Children have a right, where it’s possible to a mother and a father. A change in the Irish constitution would make that affirmation very, very hard to sustain in reality.”

Recent opinion polls have suggested that same-sex marriage will pass, but turnout is expected to be crucial for the “yes” camp.

A much higher proportion of younger people are expected to vote yes than the over-65s, who are generally more likely to vote no.

Regional variations are expected to feature with support for the Yes side expected to be strong among middle-class and urban voters, and weaker in rural constituencies.

People are also being asked to vote on a proposal to reduce the age at which candidates are eligible for election to the office of president from 35 to 21.

Results are expected Saturday.

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