Voters set for change as new ballot papers rolled out on Leeside

IT SEEMS change is in the air for this election — in more ways than one. Voters in the two Cork city constituencies will be presented with a new format ballot paper next Friday.

People in Cork South Central and Cork North Central will not see the usual long format ballot paper, where candidates are listed one below the other in a single column. They will instead be handed landscape format ballot papers where candidates names and photos will be laid out in rows.

A spokesperson in the office of Cork City sheriff, Martin Harvey, said the decision to change the layout was because of printing constraints.

There are 15 candidates in Cork North Central and 17 in Cork South Central. The company printing the ballot papers said in both constituencies it could not fit the names of all the candidates onto the usual long format ballot paper. It said if the number of candidates exceeds 12, it would have to print them in a landscape format. However, in Dublin South, where 16 candidates are standing, it is understood voters will be presented with the usual ballot paper.