The deadline for registering to vote in the general election is tomorrow — here’s everything you need to know

The 2020 general election takes place on February 8, and the deadline to register is coming up fast. Here’s what you need to know to ensure you’ll be able to vote

Last week, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that there will be a general election to select the next government on February 8. With such a quick turnaround before the election, the deadline to register to vote is already here — those wishing to cast their vote must be registered by Wednesday, January 22.

If you don’t know if you’re registered to vote, and if you need to know more about the process, we’ve answered your questions below:

How do I know if I’m registered to vote?

The first thing to do is check the register online at checktheregister.ie — simply enter your name and address and, if you are registered, your details should appear.

You can also call your local county council directly to check if you are on the register.

My name isn’t showing on the register — what should I do?

If you are not registered to vote, then you still have until Wednesday, January 22, to get on the supplementary register of voters for this election.

To do this, print out an RFA2 form, fill it out and bring it to your local Garda station to be stamped (remember to bring proof of identity, such as a passport or driving licence).

Once it’s stamped, bring the form to your local county council office by close-of-business tomorrow. You should then be placed on the supplementary register, which will be published online for most constituencies before the election.

I’ve moved house recently, and I want to vote in my new area. How do I change my address on the register?

Changing your address on the register is a similar process to registering to vote. This time, you need to print out and fill in an RFA3 form, have it stamped by the Gardaí and present it to your local county council offices by close-of-business tomorrow.

To change your address, you must be already registered to vote. If not, make sure you fill out an RFA2 form instead, with your up-to-date address.

I registered to vote last year, but my name isn’t showing up — am I registered to vote?

The date of this year’s general election means that voters who registered after May 7 last year are not on the current live register. This is because the national register of electors is updated every year on February 15. As the election takes place before this date, those who registered after last year’s local and European elections are not on the current register.

If you don’t see your details on checktheregister.ie, and have confirmed with your local county council that your name is not on the register, you may need to apply to be placed on the supplementary register. If that is the case for you, simply follow the steps above to vote on February 8.

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