{"id":1312784,"date":"2024-05-23T18:35:30","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T17:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1312784"},"modified":"2024-05-24T11:03:54","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T10:03:54","slug":"agriland-poll-rural-voters-back-punch-ahead-of-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/agriland-poll-rural-voters-back-punch-ahead-of-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Agriland poll: Rural voters back Punch ahead of election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The former general secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), Eddie Punch, has emerged as a strong favourite with rural voters according to the results of a snap Agriland<\/em> poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First time candidates standing in the European elections including Michael McNamara and Nina Carberry also appear determined to give sitting MEPs a run for their money, poll results would suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The countdown is now well underway to the European Parliament elections and potential voters have told Agriland<\/em> that key issues in rural areas include housing, infrastructure, transport links and immigration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next month voters in Ireland will elect 14 members of the European Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three European constituencies in Ireland which are: Ireland South; Midlands North West; and Dublin with 73 candidates vying for the number one vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four MEPs will be elected for the Dublin constituency while the Ireland South and Midlands North West constituencies will each elect five MEPs each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ireland uses a form of proportional representation called the single transferable vote (PRSTV) and this means that voters rank the candidates in order of choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agriland poll<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We gave our audience the opportunity to say who they planned to vote<\/a> for in the upcoming European elections in a snap 24-hour poll<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the poll our readers selected the one<\/strong> constituency that they will be voting in and also selected just one candidate that they would like to see elected to the European Parliament.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 2,484 votes were recorded in the Agriland<\/em> poll over the 24 hour period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results illustrate that some political newcomers are giving seasoned politicians are a run for the votes and that some seats are more hotly contested than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The percentages have been rounded accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dublin constituency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a total of 23 <\/strong>candidates vying for one of four seats in the Dublin constituency<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results of the Agriland<\/em> poll, where 482 votes were cast, show that the candidates who received the most votes in this constituency were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n