Voting for the Local Elections 2014 will take place on Friday 23^rd May 2014. The hours of poll are 7.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.

The closing date for the Supplement to the Register is Tuesday 6^th May 2014.

The closing date for the Supplement to the Postal and Special Voters List is Saturday 26^th April 2014.

• Register of Electors
• Eligibility for Election
• Disqualifications
• How is the Election Organised
• Notice of Election
• Nominated Candidates for Local Elections 2014
• Nomination Process
• Document Downloads

Eligibility for Election

Every Irish citizen and every person ordinarily resident in the State, who has reached the age of 18, who is not subject to any of the disqualifications outlined below, is eligible for election or co-option to and membership of a local authority:

Disqualifications

• a member of the Commission of the European Communities;
• a member of the European Parliament;
• a Judge, Advocate General or Registrar of the Court of Justice of the European Communities;
• a member of the Court of Auditors of the European Communities;
• a member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann;
• a Judge or the Comptroller and Auditor General appointed under the Constitution;
• a member of the Garda Síochána;
• a wholetime member of the Defence Forces;
• a civil servant who is not by the terms of his or her employment expressly permitted to be a member of a local authority;
• a person employed by a local authority and is not the holder of a class, description or grade of employment designated by order under section 161(1)(b) of the Local Government Act 2001;
• a person employed by the Heath Service Executive and is at a grade or of a description of employment designated by order of the Minister for Health;
• a person undergoing a sentence of imprisonment for any term exceeding 6 months imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction in the State;
• a person who fails to pay any sum or any portion of any sum charged or surcharged by an auditor of the accounts of any local authority upon or against that person;
• a person who fails to comply with a final judgement, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, for payment of money due to a local authority;
• a person who is convicted of, or has had a conviction confirmed on appeal for, an offence relating to fraudulent or dishonest dealings affecting a local authority or corrupt practice or acting when disqualified.

How is the Election Organised

The responsibility for conducting the election to each local authority rests with the local authority returning officer.

Contact details for the County Council Returning Officer in Westmeath:

Billy Coughlan,
Returning Officer,
Westmeath County Council,
County Buildings, Mullingar.

Notice of Election

Notice of Election will be published not later than the twenty-eighth day before the polling day. This will give public notice of the following matters:

(a) the times for receiving nominations;
(b) the amount of the deposit;
(c) the times and place at which nomination papers may be obtained;
(d) the times and place at which the returning officer will attend to receive nominations; and
(e) the day and the period fixed for the holding of the poll if the election is contested.

Nominated Candidates for Local Elections 2014

Athlone LEA Nominated Candidates (19kB)

Mullingar Coole LEA Candidates(2) (18kB)

Mullingar-Kilbeggan LEA Nominated Candidates (19kB)

Nomination Process

The period from 10:00am on Saturday, 26th April, 2014 to 12 noon on Saturday, 3rd May, 2014 is the period for nominating candidates to stand at the local election to take place on 23rd May, 2014.

A person may nominate them self or may be nominated by a local government elector registered in the area concerned. A person can be nominated to stand in more than one area. A nomination form from a candidate of a registered political party must have a certificate of political affiliation attached.

If no certificate is attached, the form must be assented to by 15 persons (excluding the candidate and any proposer) registered in the local electoral area concerned or alternatively a deposit must be paid by the candidate or his proposer by way of cash or a bank draft to the Returning Officer. The amount of the deposit is €100 (one hundred euro).

A candidate may include party affiliation on the nomination paper. If the candidate has no party affiliation, the person may be described as "Non-Party" or may leave the appropriate space blank.

The candidate or proposer is responsible for ensuring that the completed nomination paper is delivered in person to the returning officer before the closing time for receipt of nominations at the election.

The returning officer must rule on the validity of a nomination paper within one hour of its presentation and may rule that it is invalid if:

• in the case of a nomination paper of a candidate who is not a member of a political party, the nomination is not assented to in the manner required and
• the nomination paper of any candidate is not properly made out or signed.

The returning officer is required to object to the description of a candidate which is, in the officer’s opinion, incorrect, insufficient to identify the candidate or unnecessarily long. The candidate or the returning officer may amend the particulars shown on the nomination paper.

If any deposit due in respect of the nomination of a candidate in any local electoral area is not deposited in respect of any such local electoral area before the deadline for the receipt of nominations, the candidature of that candidate for that local electoral area shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.

Photographs for Ballot Papers

The specific requirements on candidates for the provision of photographs for ballot papers are as follows:

• A photograph must be delivered with the nomination paper to the returning officer in digitised format (Jpeg) on a CD (passport size – 35mm x 45 mm) along with two identical printed copies.
• The photograph must be of good quality, in colour and taken to a professional standard, showing the candidate’s full face, head and shoulders only, on a light background (any colour).
• The photograph must have been taken not more than twelve months prior to polling day.
• Each copy of the printed photograph must have the candidate’s name clearly shown on the back.

Document Downloads

• Nomination Paper for Local Elections LE1 (233kB)
• Nomination Paper for Local Elections LE1 (Irish) (228kB)
• Statutory Declaration By Assentors LE1A (45kB)
• Statutory Declaration By Assentors LE1A (Irish) (53kB)
• Press Release Polling Date (39kB)
• Local Electoral Area Boundaries 2014 (1,162kB)

Local Election Area Maps

• Local Electoral Area Boundaries 2014_Mullingar Kilbeggan (968kB)
• Local Electoral Area Boundaries 2014_Mullingar Coole (904kB)
• ‌Local Electoral Area Boundaries 2014 (1,162kB)