Clare women sign up to stop male-only ballot

THREE women made an eleventh-hour decision yesterday to register as candidates in the Clare constituency in an effort to “balance the ballot.”

Prior to yesterday, there were 12 male candidates contesting the four-seat constituency, prompting Sarah Ferrigan, Ann Cronin and Madeline McAleer, to make their move.

Ms McAleer has a background in the community sector and runs her own online business. “This is a move towards how a ballot paper should look in an open, fair and functioning democracy. Without us, there would not have been a woman on the ballot paper in Co Clare.