Everything you need to know ahead of Ireland's General Election

An Taoiseach Simon Harris has confirmed a general election will be called by the end of the week following recent confirmation of a November polling date.

The Fine Gael leader confirmed on Tuesday that he would be calling for a dissolution of the Dáil by the end of the week.

The election was set to be called following the passing of the Finance Bill, which passed all stages in the Dáil on Tuesday night with a vote of 75 to 55.

With the election nearing, we here at Extra.ie have everything you need to know about what to expect in the coming couple of weeks.

What is a General Election?

A General Election is the opportunity granted to the people of Ireland to decide who they want to represent them inside Dáil Éireann and what political party or parties should form the government.

Members elected are called TDs (Teachta Dála) and the head of the government is the Taoiseach, who is assisted by the Tánaiste.

A General Election must be called every five years, however the sitting government can call the election whenever they decide.

When is the General Election?

Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, however last month Government sources said the election would be called on Friday (November 8) for polling day to take place on Friday, November 29.

Ahead of the election, the Dáil must be dissolved. An Taoiseach Simon Harris will have to ask President Michael D Higgins to approve of the dissolution. An election must be held within 30 days of the dissolution.

How do I vote?

In order to vote in elections or referendums in Ireland, voters must be both eligible and registered to do so.

Voters must be 18 or over on the day of the vote. Irish citizens and British citizens living in Ireland can vote in General Elections.

To check if you are registered, or to register go to checktheregister.ie. If you are registered but need to make changes — such as change of address — you can do so on the same link.

You can also apply by filling out an application form, which can be found here. Those who do not have a PPSN must apply via registration form and present to a local Garda station with the form and form of ID.

How many TDs are voted in?

The Constitution states that there must be a Teachta Dála ("TD") for every 20,000 to 30,000 people in the population. Following a review last year, the number of TDs and constituencies will increase ahead of the next election.

The number of TDs will increase from 160 to 174 while there will be an additional four constituencies, bringing the total number to 43.

In order to run as a candidate you must be over 21 years of age and a citizen of Ireland. Candidates can run for a political party or as an independent candidate.

How do I fill out the ballot paper?

A polling card will be sent to your home ahead of the election, which will include your electoral number and where you must go to vote. You may be asked for ID when attending your local polling station.

Voters will enter a private voting compartment to complete their ballot.

Candidates will appear in alphabetical order with a photograph beside their name and their political affiliation.

Indicate your preference by writing ‘1’ beside your first choice, followed by ‘2’ beside your second and so on. You do not need to put a number beside each candidate.

What voting system is used in Ireland?

Ireland use the single transferable vote system in elections. The first step is to calculate the minimum number of votes needed to guarantee the election of a candidate, which is called the quota.

The ballot papers are then sorted according to the first preference votes for each candidate, with those hitting the quota following the first count deemed elected. Their surplus votes are then transferred to the remaining candidates.

If no candidate receives more than the quota of votes or a surplus is not enough to elect a candidate, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated.

How is the Government formed after?

A political party will need the majority to form a government, however if there is no clear majority there may be a period of negotiation where parties try to build a majority. This is called a coalition, which is what our current government is like.

*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.