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How can you "Use Your Vote"?

Information for French citizens living in Ireland

 

I'm a French citizen living in Ireland. Can I participate in the 2009 European Elections?

Yes, you can participate in the European Elections 2009. You have two options:

  • You can vote in the European Elections in Ireland
    or
  • You can vote in the European Elections in France

Please be aware that you can only choose one of the above options.

 

How can I participate in the European Elections in Ireland?

You can participate in the European Elections 2009 in Ireland, if

If you have registered in Ireland previously you can check if you are registered to vote in the European Elections at the offices of the registration authority and at public libraries, post offices and Garda stations(during working hours). You can also check the register online at www.checktheregister.ie.

If you are not already included in the Register for Electors, you can apply for entry into the supplement to the register. To do so you have to fill in an application form (RFA2), which you can obtain from you City/County Council or download from the "check the register" website (http://www.checktheregister.ie/Portals/128/RFA2%20English%20-%20form.pdf)

As an EU citizen you also have to fill in a form for registration as a European Elector (Form EP1) which you can obtain from your City/County Council or download from the following website: http://www.dlrcoco.ie/gp/European_Elector_Form.pdf

Your application form (RFA2) must be witnessed by a member of the Garda Síochána or, if you cannot go to your local Garda station, by an official of your local county or city council provided you state the reason why you were unable to attend a Garda Station.

Your application for entry in the supplement has to be received by your responsible registration authority at least 15 working days before polling day in order to be considered for the European Elections. Therefore your application has to be received by 18 May 2009.

 

Be aware:
You can only vote in one country
Ireland OR France

 

 

You can vote in the European Elections in France...

If

 

How can I check if I'm registered in the voting register and how can I enrol? Is there a deadline for registration?

To participate in the European Elections 2009, you have to be registered in a local electoral register. Therefore you may be registered in the town in which you were born, in the last town in which you previously lived for at least 6 months or in a town in which one of your ancestors was born or registered. You can check whether you are registered or not by calling the City Council with which you think you might be registered. There is no central register and no need to register with the embassy. However, you must have been registered with your local in a local electoral register by the 31 December 2008 in order to participate in the European Elections 2009.


How can I vote in the European Elections in France?

If you are registered, you can vote in person in the polling centre you are registered with. When living abroad, you can also vote by proxy. For that purpose, you can report this to the Embassy or an honorary consul. You can also, during a stay in France, do so at a police or gendarmerie station. Therefore you will have to name a proxy, who has to be a person registered on the same list (same city council) as you are. This person cannot carry more than two proxies.


Where can you find more information?

You can find more information on the website of the French Foreign Ministry (www.diplomatie.gouv.fr) or you can get in contact with the French Embassy in Ireland:

 

French Embassy
36 Ailesbury Road
Ballsbridge
Dublin
Tel.: (01) 277 5000
Fax : (01) 277 5001
Website: www.ambafrance.ie

 

 

 

You can also download the information provided on this webpage as an information flyer

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