A ‘SpoilTheVote.ie‘ Campaign has launched in order to “challenge the lack of choice” in the upcoming Presidential election. A number of political commentators, entrepreneurs and public figures are behind the online campaign which is urging voters to “send a clear message” about the state of Irish democracy by spoiling their ballots in the Presidential election this month.
Organisers say that the campaign was founded in response to “growing public concern” about the lack of genuine choice in the forthcoming election. It describes itself as “citizen-led” and “focused on open debate and accountability around how candidates are nominated and presented to voters.”
“Recent developments in the nomination process have raised serious questions about fairness, representation, and democratic accountability. Despite widespread public interest in a broad range of candidates, the combined influence of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael has effectively prevented alternative voices from securing the necessary nominations,” organisers said in a press statement on Monday.
“Through the Oireachtas route, only one independent, left-leaning candidate, Catherine Connolly, has been permitted onto the ballot, leaving no centrist or centre-right candidate to represent a significant portion of the electorate.”
“Your vote is your voice, make it count,” said Elaine Mullally, entrepreneur and 2024 General Election candidate. “When the system offers no real choice, spoiling your vote is a legitimate way to stand up for democracy and fairness.”
Ms Mullally, a businesswoman from Portarlington, is joined as a campaign leader by fellow entrepreneur Declan Ganley, candidate for Presidential nomination, Nick Delahanty, author Eddie Hobbs, restaurateur Paul Treyvaud, technology strategist Aidan Joyce, biochemical engineer, Ivor Cummins, and content creator Michael McCarthy, who is followed by almost 900,000 people on the social media platform Instagram.
The group has stressed that every spoiled ballot is officially recorded, and that the campaign’s purpose is to highlight the “growing disillusionment among voters who feel shut out of Ireland’s political system.”
“We’re doing this because a core promise of Irish democracy — genuine choice and competition of ideas — has been trashed,” the campaign says on its website.
“When nomination rules are used as gatekeeping to shut out conservative, nationalist voices, the result is a ballot that misrepresents the country. Spoiling our vote records that we’re here, we’re registered, and we refuse what’s on offer.”
The campaign is to hold a press conference this coming Friday.
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