Referendum Act, 1942

Method of taking the poll at a referendum.

11.—The following provisions shall have effect in relation to the taking of the poll at a referendum, that is to say:—

(a) save as is otherwise provided by this Act, the poll shall be taken on one day only and that day shall be the same throughout the State and shall be the day appointed by the order of the Minister under this Act to be the polling day at such referendum;

(b) the poll shall commence at nine o'clock in the forenoon and shall be kept open until nine o'clock in the afternoon and no longer;

(c) for the purpose of taking the poll, the State shall be deemed to be divided into the same constituencies as those into which it is for· the time being divided for the purpose of the election of members of Dáil Eireann, and the poll shall be taken separately in each such constituency;

(d) the person who would be the returning officer at a Dáil election in any such constituency shall be the returning officer (in this Act referred to as the local returning officer) in such constituency for the purpose of the poll and, where such person is a county registrar, sub-section (7) of section 40 of the Court Officers Act, 1926 (No. 27 of 1926), shall apply and have effect;

(e) each voter at the poll shall record his vote in the constituency in which he would be entitled to vote at a general election of members of Dáil Eireann

(f) each such constituency shall be deemed to be divided for the purpose of the poll into the same polling districts as those into which it is for the time being divided for the purpose of a Dáil election, and the places which are for the time being appointed as polling places in each such polling district for the purpose of a Dáil election shall be the polling places for the purpose of taking the poll;

(g) it shall be the duty of every local returning officer to conduct the taking of the poll in his constituency in accordance with this Act, and for that purpose to provide such polling stations, ballot boxes, ballot papers, stamping instruments, copies of the register of electors and other things, appoint and pay such officers and do such other acts and things as may be necessary for effectually taking the poll in his constituency in accordance with this Act;

(h) every local returning officer shall, in relation to the taking of the poll in his constituency, comply with the provisions of this Act, the rules contained in the First Schedule to this Act, and the orders made and instructions given by the Minister under this Act.