Copyright thejournal
We need your help now Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open. You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough. If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it. One-off amount I already contribute Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you. An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. Investigates Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates Daft.ie Property Allianz Home The 42 Sport TG4 Entertainment The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories In some ballot boxes in Jobstown, half of votes were spoiled.Valerie Flynn/The Journal Thanks but no thanks Why did so many people spoil their votes? We asked people and politicians in Jobstown Irish politicians may need to do some soul-searching. 9.16pm, 25 Oct 2025 Share options “I’VE ALWAYS VOTED, all my life, and I’ve never spoiled my vote before,” Geraldine from Jobstown in west Dublin told The Journal this afternoon. Like over 200,000 people nationwide, Geraldine spoiled her ballot yesterday. One in eight voters did so, an unprecedented protest vote that’s already as big a talking point as Catherine Connolly’s resounding success in this presidential election. A further 7% voted for Jim Gavin, despite his withdrawal from the race. Spoiled votes were at historically high levels in constituencies nationwide, particularly in some working-class areas. In Jobstown, to the west of Tallaght, half of votes in some boxes were spoiled. One tallyman who was watching the votes come in this morning said the manner in which they were spoiled was mixed. Many people just put an X across the paper, while others wrote a message such as “none of the above” or the name of a candidate they would have preferred. Some people wrote racist messages, including in relation to asylum seekers in nearby Citywest. Some of the people The Journal met in Jobstown raised immigration as an issue, but none of them had voted or spoiled their vote. A number of people we met said they had never voted. “Nothing in Jobstown will change,” said 25-year-old Stephen, who has never voted. For Geraldine, who had spoiled her vote after voting all her life, the problem was the limited choice in this two-horse race between Connolly and Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys. “Once I saw who was running, I knew I was going to. There had to be some sort of protest,” Geraldine said. She said she’s a lifelong Fianna Fáil voter and “would have voted for Bertie [Ahern] or Jim Gavin”. In fact, we met a number of disaffected Ahern fans in Jobstown, who had either spoiled their vote, stayed home or reluctantly voted for Humphreys knowing she was doomed to lose. One middle-aged man, who asked not to give his name, said he spoiled his vote because there was “no choice”. He wanted to vote for conservative campaigner Maria Steen, who failed to secure a nomination from either county councils or a sufficient number of members of the Oireachtas. ‘Deep-rooted alienation’ Politicians who have been out on the campaign trail in this area in recent weeks say there’s no one clear political motivation shared by the people they met who signalled they planned to spoil their votes. Nor was it just one type of voter. However, a sense of alienation from and disillusion with current politics may be the most common factor. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy was one of the organisers of Catherine Connolly’s campaign. He won his seat in this constituency in a 2014 by-election in which voter disaffection crystallised around the issue of water charges, on which Murphy was campaigning. Now that frustration has found a different outlet. Advertisement “There is something real here. There’s a lot of people who feel very deeply alienated from the political process,” Murphy said. A poster for Catherine Connolly in Jobstown.Valerie Flynn / The Journal Valerie Flynn / The Journal / The Journal He said the campaign on social media to encourage people to spoil their vote was clearly effective. This campaign was promoted by supporters of Maria Steen and by anti-immigration campaigners. The idea pushed by this campaign that voters are being denied choice, and that there has been “carve-up by the political parties” had “resonated with some people who are alienated”, Murphy said. “The deep roots of alienation are that people are living in an awful housing crisis. They’re experiencing cost of living crisis. They’re rightly angry with this very rich country that we live in, but their lives are very difficult.” Canvassing for Connolly in west Tallaght, Murphy said he met many people who were considering spoiling their votes and it was possible to have a discussion with them. He said people who were planning to spoil their vote believed the available candidates were “all the same”, or would reference Maria Steen or, in a minority of cases, immigration. “I think anti-immigration is definitely an important part of it but it’s more general than that. It’s a protest: ‘spoil the vote’. It’s about a lot of things.” Mick Duff, an Independent councillor for Tallaght who has long been involved in local politics, said spoiled votes in this area were almost certainly voters “venting spleen” at the government rather than expressing support for an alternative candidate. “I don’t think the very good people of Jobstown are honestly concerned that Maria Steen didn’t get on the ballot. Maria Steen’s world and the world in Dublin South-West are completely different,” Duff said. Alan Edge, a left-wing Independent councillor on South Dublin County Council who also worked on Connolly’s campaign, agreed that many people he met on the campaign trail who planned to spoil their vote were “not necessarily fans of Maria Steen or leaning more to the right – they just weren’t enthused and felt that they weren’t spoken to”. Edges said there was a significant sense of disenfranchisement in Jobstown, an area where there is economic deprivation and inadequate services. He noted that west Tallaght is close to the Citywest area where there were anti-immigration demonstrations and riots in recent days. “You see people who are angry, and that anger is exploited by people pushing a far-right narrative, who are using social media to push disinformation and myths about people in international protection,” Edge said. ‘Politicians need to reach people’ So what happens next? Politicians may need to do some soul-searching. “There’s work to be done across the political spectrum to try and reach people who are feeling so disenfranchised that they would take the trouble to spoil their votes,” Edge said. “They didn’t just stay at home. They actually took the trouble to spoil their vote. I think that says something to all politicians,” Edge said. Paul Murphy said the next step for political system is to “not give up on people”. “I think it’s a big challenge to the left, but we need to open a dialogue with people, not to shame people for spoiling their vote. It is a legitimate choice spoil your vote. I don’t agree with it, but it’s not a moral failure,” Murphy said. Murphy believes the left now needs to “mobilise people in working-class communities” on the day-to-day issues that affect them, in particular the cost-of-living crisis and the housing crisis. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Support The Journal Valerie Flynn View 33 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Why did so many people spoil their votes? We asked people and politicians in Jobstown”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Why did so many people spoil their votes? We asked people and politicians in Jobstown”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Newly created accounts can only comment using The Journal app. This is to add an extra layer of security to account creation. Download and sign into the app to continue. Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion áras25 race for the áras Heather Humphreys spoil the vote campaign Thanks but no thanks What Happened News in 60 seconds Catherine Connolly will be the 10th President of Ireland How did your constituency vote? Here are the full results of the presidential election Candidate Candour Quiz: Which presidential candidate said these quotes? 33 mins ago Na Fianna crowned Dublin hurling champions again after snatching fairytale from Lucan It's that time of year again - the clocks are going back tonight! INVALID VOTES Here’s how many people in your constituency spoiled their vote This election was a testing ground for left-wing parties ... but can they stay united? Christina Finn reports from Dublin Castle Catherine Connolly will be the 10th President of Ireland The Morning Lead Ireland's next president: The votes have been cast, but when will we know the offical result? Marek Puska Investigation launched as brother of Jozef Puska attacked in Mountjoy Prison overnight How did your constituency vote? Here are the full results of the presidential election more from us Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online
