Electronic voting

Process

When the House divides, the item of business to be voted on and the names of the tellers will be displayed on a large display board in the Chamber. Each Member has a designated seat, and the Whips will have details of the seat numbers assigned to each Member.

Seats in the Chamber are identifiable by row, lettered A to E, and number (e.g., B23). Seats should be taken as soon as possible after entering the Chamber.

The Chair announces the question to be put and the names of the tellers in the usual way and informs Members that they have one minute to vote, during which time Members may change their vote. 

How to vote

The Member votes by pressing either a green (Tá) or red (Níl) button in device on the wooden ledge at their designated seat, or if the designated seat is in the front row, in the seat's armrest). Members also have the option of registering an abstention by pressing the abstain (Staon) button in their panel. Pressing any button switches on a light in the voting display screens on either side of the Ceann Comhairle’s chair.

At the end of an electronic vote the number of votes for each side will be shown on the screen, as well as the number of abstentions. Members can gauge time by the countdown clock at the top right-hand corner of the display board.

Results

When a minute has expired, a printed sheet of the result is given to the tellers, who sign it and it is then handed to the Chair. On presentation of the signed result sheet, the Chair declares the result. The vote is then formally concluded.

If Members have encountered any problem voting it should be raised with the Tellers before they sign the result sheet. The Ceann Comhairle may call a fresh division by electronic or other means or postpone a division where he or she believes an irregularity has occurred that materially affects the outcome of the division.

Any Member may demand that a vote be taken again, either by electronic means or by manual means, provided that the difference in the result is ten or fewer. If the Member is not a teller, the Chair will call on the Members in support of that demand to rise. The Member must have the support of at least 20 Members in order for the Chair to call a new division.

If there is an "absolute equality" of votes for and against, the Constitution gives the Chair a casting vote that he or she must use to decide the issue. This applies also to a manual vote.