'Landslide' predicted for Catherine Connolly as counting underway in Donegal

Counting of votes is underway in the Donegal constituency for the 2025 Presidential election - and early indications point to a ‘landslide’ for Independent candidate Catherine Connolly.

With 7pc of boxes opened and around 3,300 votes counted, Connolly is at 80.74pc of votes according to tally figures with Heather Humphreys on 15.21pc and Jim Gavin on 4.06pc.

There have been 509 spoiled votes so far. 

Indeed, in 12 of the 18 boxes opened, all of which are in the Inishowen area, there have been more spoiled votes than votes for Heather Humphreys.

Counting of votes in Donegal began at 9am at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny. The County Registrar, James Canny, one of 17 local returning officers, will announce the local results for the constituency shortly after the Presidential Returning Officer, Barry Ryan, announces the result at national level at Dublin Castle, where the 10th President of Ireland will be confirmed.

There were 127,789 electors in Donegal, but turnout was not reported to have been high across the county.

In 2018, just 40,256 people out of a total electorate of 119,318 turned out to vote in Donegal with the turnout just under 34%. Back in 2011, the turnout was 49% and in 1997 there was a 40% turnout.

Nationwide, the latest total number of presidential electors is 3,612,957. 

Former Dublin football manager and public servant Jim Gavin announced his withdrawal from the race following revelations that he had failed to reimburse a former tenant about €3,300 in overpaid rent dating back more than a decade. 

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In his statement, Gavin said he had “made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself” and cited concern for the wellbeing of his family and the impact of the campaign on them as key reasons for his decision. 

Because the nomination deadline had passed, Gavin’s name remained on the ballot despite his exit.