Concerns raised over 200,000-plus spoiled votes in presidential election

The invalid ballots represent 13% of all votes cast on Friday, and a more than tenfold increase on the number of spoiled votes in the last presidential election

The names of Maria Steen and Conor McGregor written on spoiled ballot papers at Mallow GAA complex. Picture: Larry Cummins

Several senior politicians have said a response is needed to the 213,738 spoiled votes in the presidential election.

It represents 13% of all votes cast on Friday, and a more than tenfold increase on the number of spoiled votes in the last presidential election, when there were 18,438 invalid ballots.