Guidelines to be issued ahead of Kerry poll recount

Fresh guidelines on counting election votes will be issued to returning officers after a landmark court case over the May 2014 local elections and the counting of ballot papers.

The Supreme Court ruling, which requires a recount of election votes in Listowel, Co Kerry, means a substantially different result could be declared for the seven-seater area.

Department of Environment sources said all votes ‘from the start’ will be counted again under the supervision of the courts after the successful challenge by former Senator Dan Kiely. A full recount will now take place and due to our proportional representation system, which eliminates candidates but transfers their votes, there may be a totally different result.