Who will win this two horse race?

Polls open nationwide this Friday

On Friday, voters across Cavan and Monaghan will cast their ballots in the 2025 presidential election - choosing either former local TD Heather Humphreys or Independent Catherine Connolly to sit in Áras an Uachtaráin for the next seven years.

At polling stations voters must present valid ID and will receive a ballot paper listing the candidates.

Voting is by secret ballot under the proportional representation–single transferable vote system - and voters will rank candidates by preference - 1, 2, 3 - though marking just one candidate is also valid. Once marked, the ballot is folded and placed into a sealed ballot box.

Former Fianna Fáil candidate and Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin’s name remains on the ballot despite withdrawing his candidacy following controversy over rental overpayments relating to a former tenant.

Counting will begin the following morning, Saturday, October 25, with the Cavan-Monaghan constituency count taking place at Ballyhaise Agricultural College.

First, ballots are sorted by first-preference votes and spoiled votes are set aside.

The quota for election is calculated as 50% of valid votes cast plus one.

In the 2018 Irish presidential election, the Cavan–Monaghan constituency recorded a voter turnout of 41.85%, slightly below the national average.

President Michael D. Higgins secured the highest number of first-preferences locally with 16,749 (44.3%) though there were many more candidates in the field. Though he won comfortably overall, Cavan-Monaghan was one of Higgins’ weakest in the country.

The region also stood out for its strong support for independent candidates.

Peter Casey came second with 7,023 votes (18.6%), followed closely by Ballyhaise businessman Seán Gallagher with 6,771 votes (17.9%) - his best performance in any constituency nationally.

If no candidate meets the quota on first preferences come Saturday, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and their votes are transferred according to next preferences, with keen interest on seeing how any votes for Gavin could influence the final result.

An outcome is expected by Saturday evening and the new president will be formally inaugurated at Dublin Castle days after.