1983 Irish presidential election explained

Election Name:1983 Irish presidential election
Country:Ireland
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1976 Irish presidential election
Previous Year:1976
Next Election:1990 Irish presidential election
Next Year:1990
Election Date:23 November 1983
(Unopposed)
Nominee1:Patrick Hillery
Party1:Independent politician (Ireland)
President
Before Election:Patrick Hillery
Before Party:Fianna Fáil
After Election:Patrick Hillery
After Party:Independent politician (Ireland)

In the 1983 Irish presidential election outgoing President Patrick Hillery agreed under enormous political pressure to seek a second term. Though former Nobel Peace Prize and Lenin Peace Prize winner Seán MacBride made it known in the Sunday Press that he wanted to contest the office, only Hillery was nominated and was declared re-elected without the need for a poll.

Procedure

Under Article 12 of the Constitution of Ireland, candidates could be nominated by:

All Irish citizens on the Dáil electoral register were eligible to vote.

Result

The Minister for the Environment made the order opening nominations on 7 October, with noon on 21 October as the deadline for nominations, and 23 November set as the date for a contest.[1] The only candidate nominated was Patrick Hillery, who had the right to nominate himself, and he was declared elected at the close of nominations.[2]

Hillery was inaugurated for his second term as President of Ireland on Saturday, 3 December 1983.

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Date for presidential poll set. 7 October 1983. Dick. Walsh. The Irish Times.
  2. News: Hillery deemed elected to office. 22 October 1983. The Irish Times.