Home > 1. The principles of Europe's electoral heritage > IRELAND - Presidential Elections Act
 
 
 
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Article 50
 

(1) The presidential returning officer, on receipt from every local returning officer of a notification under section 49, shall ascertain from the notifications the total number of votes credited to each candidate and the total number of valid ballot papers.

(2)   The presidential returning officer shall then divide the total number of valid ballot papers by 2 and the result increased by one, any fractional remainder being disregarded, shall be the number of votes sufficient to secure the election of a candidate. This number is referred to in this Act as "the quota".

(3)   Where at the end of any count the number of votes credited to a candidate is equal to or greater than the quota, that candidate shall be deemed to be elected and no further transfer of votes shall be made.

(4)   Where at the end of any count the number of votes credited to some one continuing candidate exceeds the total of all the votes credited to the other continuing candidates, that candidate shall be deemed to be elected and no further transfer of votes shall be made.