A total of 70% of the ballot boxes have now been opened and the first count is getting closer to a conclusion at the 2019 Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) election count.
The count is taking place at the Castleknock Hotel, Dublin, today, Tuesday, December 17.
So far, 664 of the 944 ballot boxes have been opened and a nail-biting 69 votes separate the three presidential candidates – Tim Cullinan, John Coughlan and Angus Woods.
19 votes off Cullinan is Co. Cork’s John Coughlan who has 5,173 votes secured so far.
Finally, 50 votes short of Coughlan is Co. Wicklow’s Angus Woods.
All of Connacht’s votes have now been counted in the president and deputy presidential race and staff are currently counting the votes for the Connacht regional chair position.
Here’s how it’s looking on a county-by-county basis at the moment:
The big challenge in the election (carried out in a proportional representation style) is that all three candidates want to avoid being bottom of the pile on the first count.
The candidate who receives the lowest number of first-preference votes following the first count will be eliminated and their ‘Number 2’ votes will then be transferred to the remaining two candidates.
The deputy race
Remarkably, it appears as though the deputy race will also go to the wall as rivals Thomas Cooney, Co. Cavan, and Brian Rushe, Co. Kildare, battle it out for the position of deputy president of the IFA.
Here’s how the deputy race is looking on a county-by-county basis at the moment:
As there are only two candidates running in this race, the successful candidate will be elected on a first-past-the-post majority system.
A winner for the deputy presidential race is expected to be announced shortly.
Stay tuned to AgriLand for further updates on the election as the count unfolds.