24-hour countdown: How to register to vote before deadline on ...

The Electoral Commission is calling on people to check the register to ensure they’re registered to vote in the upcoming election, and that their details are correct.

You can go to checktheregister.ie to register to vote, update your name, or update your address. These steps can all be done fully online.

The last date to register to vote in the general election is Tuesday, November 12th. To register to vote online, all you need is your PPS number and Eircode.

The deadline to apply for postal and special votes has passed.

To vote in a general election, you must be: Over 18 years of age; An Irish or British citizen; Resident in Ireland; Listed on the Register of Electors (Electoral Register).

The electoral system is the set of rules used to convert votes cast at the election into seats. Elections in Ireland are conducted using an electoral system called Proportional Representation by the Single Transferable Vote (PR-STV). The system has been used at elections since 1922 and is enshrined in the 1937 constitution.

It is an unusual system and the only other country in Europe which uses it for general elections is Malta.

The use of the word proportional in the name of the system is the critical part. In practice, the system does not work out as perfectly proportional, no system does. But it is generally agreed that the system is fair.

When you vote in an election in Ireland, you are asked to give your vote in order of preference. After the first count, your number preferences are distributed (in decreasing value) until all candidates either pass the quota or fill the seats available.

Your vote is secret. When you have finished marking your ballot, you should fold it over and place it in the ballot box.

There are no specific laws about taking selfies but it is an offence to reveal the content of your ballot in the polling station so no posing with it, no matter how much you want to. For the same reason, voters should not write any messages or slogans on their ballot.

Again, it may reveal the identity of the voter and could result in the vote being deemed invalid and thus excluded during the counting process.

Voters have sparked a big trend on social media by bringing their dogs with them to vote. The electoral law in Ireland does not cover dogs at polling stations but health and safety could strike so best to check whether your dog is welcome before you arrive together.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. A polling card is not required to vote but voters may be asked for identification so it is important to have some with you.

Voting under the PR-STV system is a straightforward process. Each voter will be given a ballot paper for their constituency. There is a lot of information on the ballot to help voters.

A photograph of each candidate is included along with information on any political party affiliation, their address and occupation.

Each voter ranks the candidates in order of their preference by placing 1, 2, 3…. in the box alongside the candidate. The number of candidates on the ballot will vary from one constituency to the next.

The great advantage of PR-STV is that it is an intuitive system allowing the voter to express an opinion on all of the candidates if they want to. It is often said, that whilst a person has one vote, they can offer many choices.

Many voters choose to express only a few preferences, often voting from 1 to 5. The important thing is to express a clear preference. If you would like to vote for just one candidate, put the number 1 next to their name.

Returning officers usually accept a single X next to a candidate’s name as a clear preference. But you should not put multiple Xs on the ballot as this will result in your vote being spoiled.

The same would be true if you put the number 1 next to a few candidates. The vote cannot be counted as the returning officer cannot be sure about the order of the preferences and it will be deemed invalid.