2022 Dublin University by-election

A by-election was held for the Seanad Éireann Dublin University constituency in Ireland in March 2022.[1] Ballot papers were issued on 25 February and polls closed at 11 a.m. on 30 March 2022.[2] The election was won by former army officer and whistleblower Tom Clonan.[3][4]

Background

The vacancy was caused by the election of Labour's Ivana Bacik to Dáil Éireann on 8 July 2021 at a by-election in Dublin Bay South.[5] On 10 November 2021, the Seanad passed a motion calling on the clerk of the Seanad to send notice to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the vacancy.[6] The minister was required to make the order for a by-election within six months of this notice.[7]

Election system

Every citizen of Ireland who is at least 18 years old and who has received a degree (other than an honorary degree) or obtained a scholarship from Trinity College Dublin is entitled to be registered as an elector.[8] The electorate of the university is approximately 70,000.[1][9] When a casual vacancy occurs it is filled by a by-election. The procedure at a by-election is the same as that at a general election of university members.[9] Candidates must be proposed and seconded by two registered electors, with the assent of eight other electors.[10] All votes are cast by postal ballot, and are counted using the single transferable vote.

Candidates

Seventeen candidates were nominated.[11] All nominations are non-partisan, with no provision for nomination by parties as there is in Dáil elections. These include, ordered by the date of their declaration:

Result

2022 Seanad by-election: Dublin University[26][27][28][29]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Independent Hugo MacNeill 15.4% 2,068 2,071 2,075 2,085 2,092 2,102 2,121 2,153 2,250 2,290 2,312 2,391 2,624 2,863    
Independent Tom Clonan 14.5% 1,947 1,952 1,976 1,990 2,014 2,040 2,077 2,137 2,243 2,332 2,436 2,637 2,973 3,359 4,200 5,358
Independent Maureen Gaffney 14.0% 1,882 1,884 1,892 1,913 1,936 1,972 1,993 2,066 2,121 2,190 2,274 2,438 2,641 3,083 3,908 5,198
Green Party Hazel Chu[a] 13.2% 1,766 1,770 1,785 1,802 1,823 1,842 1,858 1,918 1,955 2,090 2,272 2,583 2,743 3,300 3,683  
Labour Party Ursula Quill[a] 8.6% 1,156 1,159 1,178 1,205 1,226 1,246 1,290 1,325 1,368 1,430 1,525 1,773 1,890      
Independent Aubrey McCarthy 7.1% 947 950 954 962 977 997 1,012 1,033 1,115 1,139 1,187 1,281        
Independent Sadhbh O'Neill 6.5% 870 873 879 896 909 931 940 991 1,030 1,105 1,186          
Social Democrats Catherine Stocker[a] 3.9% 521 521 530 541 548 563 576 600 608 657            
Independent Ade Oluborode 3.5% 471 479 488 500 508 528 548 576 586              
Independent Ray Bassett 3.4% 458 458 458 463 475 480 497 544                
Independent Patricia McKenna 3.1% 421 421 427 434 440 454 463                  
Independent Paula Roseingrave 1.5% 200 200 202 209 220                      
Labour Party Eoin Barry[a] 1.4% 189 192 199 199                        
Independent Ryan Alberto Ó Giobúin 1.4% 182 183 195 202 222 230                    
Independent Gisèle Scanlon 1.3% 170 170 174                          
Independent Michael McDermott 1.0% 132 134                            
Independent Abbas Ali O'Shea 0.3% 38                              
Electorate: 67,788   Valid: 13,418   Spoilt: 16   Quota: 6,710   Turnout: 13,434 (19.8%)  
  1. ^ a b c d Indication of party membership. No party labels appeared on the ballot.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b McGee, Harry (16 November 2021). "Seanad byelection set to cost over €500k". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Seanad Bye-Election to be held". Government of Ireland. 27 January 2022. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. ^ McQuinn, Cormac (31 March 2022). "Tom Clonan wins Seanad byelection by 160 votes after close race". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Clonan wins Trinity College Seanad by-election". RTÉ News. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Labour's Ivana Bacik elected in Dublin Bay South after ninth count". RTÉ News. 9 July 2021. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Vacancy in Membership of Seanad Éireann: Motion – Seanad Éireann (26th Seanad)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 November 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  7. ^ Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, s. 13: Seanad bye-election orders (No. 30 of 1937, s. 13). Enacted on 19 November 1937. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  8. ^ Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, s. 7: Franchise (No. 30 of 1937, s. 7). Enacted on 19 November 1937. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  9. ^ a b "How the Seanad is Elected". Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage . 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  10. ^ Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, s. 7: Nomination of candidates (No. 30 of 1937, s. 7). Enacted on 19 November 1937. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  11. ^ "Nominations for the University of Dublin Seanad Bye-Election 2022". Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  12. ^ Tom Clonan [@TomClonan] (10 July 2021). "Sincerest Congrats to @ivanabacik on her election to Dáil Éireann. Ivana will be a great TD - like @geraldnash I intend to run in Senate TCD By-Election: 'Who could fill Ivana Bacik's seat in the Seanad following her election to Dáil?' (via @thejournal_ie)" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ a b c O'Brien, Stephen. "Rugby star Hugo MacNeill makes another try to win Seanad seat". The Times. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  14. ^ a b Moreau, Emer (21 September 2021). "Two Trinity PhD Students Announces Seanad Bid". The University Times. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b O'Halloran, Marie (2 August 2021). "Hazel Chu considers running in Trinity College Seanad by election". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  16. ^ Maguire, Mairead (1 November 2021). "Journalist and Ex-Diplomat Ray Bassett to Contest Seanad Bye Election". The University Times. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Seanad byelection set to cost over €500k". The Irish Times. Dublin. 16 November 2021. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  18. ^ O'Neill, Sadhbh. "Why am I Standing?". Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  19. ^ Barrett, Joe (13 December 2021). "Laois man to contest by-election for seat in Seanad Éireann". Laois Nationalist. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  20. ^ Bowers, Shauna (24 January 2022). "Barrister Ade Oluborode Announces Seanad Bid For Trinity Seat in Seanad Byelection". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  21. ^ Michael McDermott (Abolish the Seanad from within) [@GlassHalfArsed] (27 January 2022). "Who's nominating me?" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 February 2022 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ a b Hurley, Sandra (22 February 2022). "Well known names vie to fill Ivana Bacik's Seanad seat". Dublin. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  23. ^ Hosford, Paul (4 February 2022). "Former Dublin mayor Hazel Chu to contest Seanad election". Irish Examiner. Cork. ISSN 1393-9564. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  24. ^ O'Meara, Paul (11 February 2022). "Kildare businessman and charity founder launches Seanad bid". Leinster Leader. Naas. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  25. ^ McKenna, Patricia [@Pmckennaa] (12 February 2022). "Dissolve The Echo Chambers" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN - SEANAD BYE-ELECTION 2022" (PDF). Oireachtas. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  27. ^ "Nominations for the University of Dublin Seanad Bye-Election 2022". Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Seanad Bye-Election 2022". Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  29. ^ McQuinn, Cormac (30 March 2022). "Seanad byelection: Hugo MacNeill tops poll in first count". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.