Public consultation on use of election posters launched

A public consultation process on the use of election posters has been launched by An Coimisiún Toghcháin, with opinions sought from people across Cork.

The consultation process, launched yesterday, is being delivered as part of the commission’s Research Programme 2024-2026, which aims to investigate the public’s perception on the use of election posters within the Irish democratic landscape.

The investigation comes as critics of election posters have called for either an elimination, reduction or change in their use, citing environmental impacts, visual pollution and safety concerns.

An Coimisiún Toghcháin is now calling on the public to help inform their research, with particular areas of interest including the role of posters as a political communication tool in election campaigns compared to other methods of political communication; how and whether posters impact political engagement and electoral awareness among the electorate, including amongst people who may be marginalised from the political process; and the environmental and safety impacts of posters.

Speaking to The Echo, Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said: “I do think they [election posters] are important — they let people know that an election is on — so that’s the one big benefit they have.

“I do think they have gotten out of hand though, there are candidates that have about 2,000 posters, [which] is simply a crazy number. I have a total of 200 posters, which I still have from the general election in 2016 — they are designed to last.

“There were two motions brought to Cork City Council on this before, one in 2020, which came down to one vote in between, and then another last year, which didn’t go to a vote.

“I think that there should be designated locations come election time where temporary billboards are erected, and every candidate has equal space on them.

“From an environmental point of view, there is waste aspect for sure, but I [also] think there is a visual [pollution] aspect as well.

“I would absolutely recommend everyone to take part [in the consultation process] — we have one more election this year and there won’t be another after that for an extended period of time, so this is the time to do it.”

The deadline for submissions to the consultation process is 5pm on May 9.

For more, or to make a submission, log onto www.electoralcommission.ie/consultation