Galway East Election results LIVE as candidates fight for new extra ...
Galway East's ballot boxes closed after a strong turnout for General Election 2024 on Friday 29 November. After a night to chew on the turnout numbers, and the exit polls, the count began early on Saturday morning 30 November.
A lot of eyes were on Galway East, one of the few counties to gain a seat after the 2023 electoral commission boundary report was enacted.
The quota announced at the first count at around 7:45pm on Saturday was 10,843. No-one met the quota, but two candidates went very close. Albert Dolan got an impressive 10,140 first candidates, poll topper from 2016 and 2020 was in second with 10,030.
Galway East's three seats became four after a boundary redrawing moved 32 electoral areas from the neighbouring Galway-Roscommon constituency. With so many new voters on board, and the extra seat, the constituency was one of the most unpredictable in the whole country.
Another reason for the heightened interest in the constituency is that two seats were wide open. One seat added by the commission, and the seat left vacant by Ciaran Cannon, who announced he would not run in 2024. Two sitting TDs Anne Rabbitte (FF) and Sean Canney (Ind.) were on the ballot and favoured before the poll.
A total of 14 candidates were confirmed for Galway East ahead of the election.
The two sitting TDs, Rabbitte and Canney, as well as Albert Dolan (FF), Louis O’Hara (SF) Clodagh Higgins (FG), Niamh Madden (FG), Peter Roche (FG), Eoin Madden (GP), Liam Silke (Aontú), Declan Geraghty (Ind. Ire.), Conor Burke (PBP), David O’Reilly (IPP), Sean Canney (Ind.), Fergal Landy (Ind.), and Paul Madden (Ind.).
The huge changes to boundaries and the population added had an effect on the overall vote. These changes were made after the boundary survey revealed that over 400,000 people lived in a different constituency from the time of the 2020 general election and 2023's electoral commission survey.
There was a surge in registrations seen across Ireland with over a quarter of a million people putting their name on the electoral register between December 2023 and June 2024.
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21:11Vinny Fanneran
Sean Canney, now on 10,323, has overtaken Albert Dolan, who is now on 10,235.
Sean Canney is now just 520 votes shy of the 10,843.
20:49Vinny Fanneran
He's on 7,459 votes, still a long way from the quota of 10,843 but transfers could quickly carry him closer.
20:45Vinny Fanneran
The 620 votes of Paul Madden (Ind) and the 612 votes of David O'Reilly (TIP) arebeing counted after their elimination after the second count.
The quora is 10,843, and Albert Dolan, on 10,162 is just 721 short. Sean Canney, on 10,076, is just 767 short.
20:24KEY EVENT
Albert Dolan is still ahead now on 10,162. Sean Canney is now on 10,076.
No candidate met the quota of 10,843 and no candidate was deemed elected after the second count.
20:00Vinny Fanneran
He will not be elected on the second count, and neither will second placed Sean Canney, who is 813 short.
Only 385 transfer on the table from Fergal Landy.
19:55Vinny Fanneran
A second count will not be long in coming
19:53KEY EVENT
Quota is 10,843 - no candidates deemed elected but we are close
Albert Dolan on 10,140 is close, Sean Canney is second on 10,030. Fergal Landy has been eliminated an his votes will be redistributed.
19:34Vinny Fanneran
Dublin Fingal East and Dún Laoghaire have now completed their third counts as we wait for the first counts in the three constituencies of Co Galway.
19:00Vinny Fanneran
The count was expected around 7pm, but we will have to wait a little longer.
17:02Vinny Fanneran
Headford is the count centre for Galway East
16:59Vinny Fanneran
Meath East and Dublin Fingal West have finished their first counts but no-one was deemed elected
15:38Vinny Fanneran
Albert Dolan (FF) final tally estimate of 18.95% is an extremely strong poll for the 25-year-oldin Galway East, a four-seater.
Poll-topper from 2016 and 2020 Sean Canney (Ind) took 18.4% of first preferences. Louis O'Hara (SF) is in the drving seat for the third of four spots
13:48Vinny Fanneran
Anne Rabbitte's most optimistic transfer hopes may not be enough, and the Minister for State may be the latest big name to go.
13:17Vinny Fanneran
Albert Dolan (FF): 9958
Sean Canney (Ind.): 9570
O'Hara (SF): 7120
Anne Rabbitte is struggling on 3,421
13:12Vinny Fanneran
In Headford (Galway East) people are loving the real time display provided by @michaelgmadden pic.twitter.com/4toIEkBJdk
— Eoin Madden (@eoinmadden) November 30, 202413:02Vinny Fanneran
Tally almost complete
12:51Vinny Fanneran
85% of the ballot boxes have been opened in Galway East - serving minister Anne Rabbitte of FF in grave danger of losing her seat.
Sean Canney, the sitting Independent TD who topped the 2016 and 2020 polls leads on 20% of the tally so far. Her running mate for Fianna Fail and current Chair of Galway County Council, Albert Dolan, is polling very well in second place.
Sean Canney (Ind) 20%Albert Dolan (FF) 19%Louis O'Hara (SF) 13.8%Peter Roche (FG) 10.1%Declan Geraghty (II) 8%Anne Rabbitte (FF) 7.4%Clodagh Higgins (FG) 6%Niamh Madden (FG) 4.9%12:35Thomas Telford
With almost all the boxes in Galway East tallied, it's too close to call between Independent Sean Canney and Fianna Fails Albert Dolan
12:13Thomas Telford
FF’s Anne Rabbitte (8%)
12:13Vinny Fanneran
Sean Canney is on 8,230 votes, 30.9 so far. Albert Dolan of Fianna Fail in second is on 6358 votes, running mate Minister Rabbitte is on 2,820
12:10Vinny Fanneran
No quota as of yet
12:08Vinny Fanneran
Turnout in Galway East ranges 48 and 63%.
40% of the boxes have been tallied, and Sean Canney, serving Independent deputy, is on around 31% - he topped the last two polls in 2016 and 2020.
11:34Thomas Telford
With 40% of boxes open, the state of play is:
Sean Canney IND 31%Louis O'Hara SF 12.5%Albert Dolan FF 12.5%Peter Roche 11.7%Declan Gerraghty II 7.5%Anne Rabbitte FF 6.3%11:08Thomas Telford
With 15% of boxes open in Galway East, the leading candidates are:
Sean Canney (Ind) 45.1%
Peter Roche (FG) 15.2%
Louis O'Hara (SF) 11.4%
Albert Dolan (FF) 9.4%
Declan Geraghty (II) 4.9%
09:45Thomas Telford
Final turnout figures across Galway West and Galway East, with Moycullen and Monivea seeing 72 per cent and 68 per cent respectively. #GeneralElection24 @galwayad pic.twitter.com/EBM41MpLL6
— Galway Advertiser (@galwayad) November 29, 202407:53KEY EVENT
The two sitting TDs, Rabbitte and Canney, as well as Albert Dolan (FF), Louis O’Hara (SF) Clodagh Higgins (FG), Niamh Madden (FG), Peter Roche (FG), Eoin Madden (GP), Liam Silke (Aontú), Declan Geraghty (Ind. Ire.), Conor Burke (PBP), David O’Reilly (IPP), Sean Canney (Ind.), Fergal Landy (Ind.), and Paul Madden (Ind.).
07:53KEY EVENT
The big day is here
14:25Vinny Fanneran
32 electoral areas were reallocated to Galway East, from Roscommon-Galway
