Length of ballot paper could lead to longer tables and bigger boxes being needed

Louise Walsh

The length of the ballot paper due to the record number of European Election candidates in the Midlands-North West region is causing huge challenges for counting staff.

A total of 27 candidates in the region, up ten on the 2019 elections, will mean the ballot paper will be 28 inches in length.

The extra length has caused a few logistical challenges for staff who have had to ensure the counting tables are ten inches longer than usual in order to fit the papers on.

Staff are also hoping to put shelving units back to back in order to make the pigeon holes, used to divide counted papers into first and subsequent preference votes, deeper for the papers to fit.

It is also expected that it will take longer to open the papers as they will be folded more times and a different style of box will have to be used to transport them from count centres all over the 15 counties in the region to the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Shelving units will also have to be reconfigured and placed back to back in order to make deeper pigeon holes for the elongated papers, according to sources.

In 2019, there were a total of 250 staff, but this has been increased this year to 300 counters and a support team of 50.

The electorate in the Midlands-North West region stands at between 1.8 and two million people and depending on the turnout, the first count is not expected to be announced until very late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.