Electoral Law in Ireland: Sustaining Electoral Integrity from Process, Procedures, and Precedent?

Integrity in the management and administration of the electoral process is key to the maintenance of public confidence in democracy. In Ireland, the integrity of the electoral process is set out in general terms in the Constitution and expanded upon in legislation. This article assesses the theory and practice that shapes both the structures and processes of electoral integrity in Ireland from a legal standpoint. There are three elements to the analysis: the principle of electoral integrity as encapsulated in its many forms, the incorporation of this principle into Irish regulatory procedure and legislation, and the precedents that have developed from judicial interpretation of this legislation. The article concludes with an overall assessment of how the legal framework for the administration of Irish elections compares to international best practice norms.