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Organising to campaign for Irish emigrant voting rights.

Ireland, with over 1 million emigrants living around the world, and over 800,000 citizens in Northern Ireland, has among the most restrictive voting policies in the world. Most nations, including nearly all our EU peers, allow their emigrant citizens to retain their right to vote. Ireland does not. This disenfranchisement deprives citizens of their right to be heard in their home country, and deprives the home country of the perspectives of a substantial proportion of the nation. It puts Ireland out of step with EU norms, and deprives EU citizens exercising their right to freedom of movement of their right to vote in their home country.

VotingRights.ie is a coalition of groups and individuals working to advance the cause of emigrant voting rights through uniting the global leadership of the movement; informing decision-makers, media and citizens on issues related to emigrant voting; and providing a platform for interested citizens.

We are a non-political, citizen-based initiative. We recognize that some Irish emigrant organizations are social and cultural and may shy away from anything with a political association. This issue is not about politics but about citizenship: your rights under Article II of the Irish Constitution, which states, “It is the entitlement and birthright of every person born in the island of Ireland, which includes its islands and seas, to be part of the Irish Nation.”  This is about your right and the right of your children to grow up as equal citizens in a global 21st Century Ireland.

As believers in the importance of political representation for all, we also support and stand in solidarity with those campaigning for extending the right to vote to those 16 and over, and to immigrants resident in Ireland.

You’re Irish where ever you are.  Ireland Abú! Join us!