Fine Gael Deputy Leader Helen McEntee has said the high number of spoilt votes in the Presidential election is “a pity,” and that there was a campaign encouraging people “not to use their vote correctly”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland as the count comes in for the 2025 Presidential Election, McEntee was asked about the unprecedented number of spoilt protest ballots, which some projections indicate may be as high as 12% nationwide.
The previous highest spoilt ballot share was 4.4%, which was seen in the 1945 Presidential election.
“I can see that here in Ashbourne as well,” said McEntee.
“In the count centre in Ashbourne I can see, in some boxes, quite a high number of spoilt votes. Not just the votes themselves, but very clear messages written on it. We need to reflect on that.”
She added that there was a ‘spoil the vote’ campaign encouraging people to not use their vote “correctly”.
“There was very clearly a campaign as well to encourage people not to use their vote correctly, on the basis that there was a suggestion that this wasn’t a legitimate election,” she said, adding: “I have to push back on that.”
McEntee said that the reason there were so few candidates was not because any party had “blocked” alternative candidates, but because said candidates had simply failed to secure enough support.
“The fact that we had a small number of candidates wasn’t because of any individual party or grouping blocking people,” she said.
“It was the fact that there were just not candidates there that got the support of local authorities or anybody else.”
She added that Ireland had a “wonderful” democracy”, and that it was a “pity” there were so many spoilt ballots.
“This is our democracy,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful democracy that we have, and I think it’s a pity that we see so many spoilt votes.
“But I do certainly think we need to reflect on that. We need to understand why and make sure that come the next election that we don’t see this kind of response.”
During the Presidential nomination process, Fine Gael ordered their councillors not to nominate anyone for President or allow any independent candidates onto the ballot.
Moreover, Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators were told by party leader Micheál Martin that consequences would be “severe” if they chose to nominate any alternative candidates.
Ultimately the race ended up being a 3-horse race between Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin, and Leftwing opposition-backed Independent Catherine Connolly. Subsequently, Gavin dropped out amid scandal, leaving the contest a 2-horse race.
By contrast, the previous Presidential election in 2018 saw 6 candidates running, including a plethora of independents.