TV advertising campaign to encourage voting underway in Laois prisons
The prison information TV channel is running ads promoting voting
A prison TV advertising campaign is underway in jails to encourage prisoners to vote in the Local and European and Limerick mayoral elections this June.
There are just under 5,000 people in Irish prisons. Jointly, Portlaoise Prison and the Midland Prison in Portlaoise held 1,191 prisoners on May 1, 2024.
In January 2024, the Irish Prison Service began an information campaign for prisoners in all prisons regarding their right to register for a postal vote. The Irish Prison Service wanted to give prisoners a voice in the upcoming elections so that they could help shape their future. Working in partnership with An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the Electoral Commission, they prepared a prisoner-friendly video and posters. It has been used on the Prisoner Information TV Channel to promote the prisoner's opportunity to register to vote.
An Irish Prison Service spokesperson said: ”The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2006 enables prisoners to vote by postal vote. Prisoners can apply for a postal vote in the area that they would otherwise be living in. The Irish Prison Service in partnership with the Electoral Commission has advertised the opportunity to register for a postal vote across all prisons.”
An Electoral Commission spokesperson explained that: “An Coimisiún Toghcháin in our role as Ireland’s independent electoral commission is determined to reach out to those who are eligible to vote but who may not, for whatever reason not be voting.
As part of this we have worked with the Irish Prison Service to provide information to prisoners about postal voting, how they can register and the deadline by which they must register in order to be able to vote in the 7 June local, European and Limerick mayoral elections.”
As set out under the Electoral Amendment Act 2006, prisoners who register to vote by postal vote and cast their vote, have their votes counted in the area where they would be ordinarily resident if not in detention rather than in their place of detention."