PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2011 | THE NUMBERS

Record vote performance breaks new ground

Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams arrive at the Dublin Castle results centre

IN FEBRUARY 2011, 220,685 people voted for 41 Sinn Féin candidates in 38 constituencies in the Leinster House election, electing 14 TDs, a record performance for the party who won 9.9% of first preferences. The turn-out was 70.1%.
Martin McGuinness running in the Presidential election campaign polled 243,030 votes, a 13.7% share of first preferences. The turn-out was 56.11%.
Of the 38 constituencies contested by Sinn Féin in February, 31 showed increases in percentage vote share, while Martin McGuinness also took double-digit vote shares in four out of the five constituencies that Sinn Féin didn’t run candidates in for the Leinster House election.
In 23 constituencies. the vote total for Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness was higher than the party vote in February despite the substantially lower turn-out.
The high-performing constituencies were: Carlow/Kilkenny, Cork North Central, Cork North West, Cork South Central and Cork South West. In Dublin, it was Mid West, North Central, South, South East, and West, which had higher total votes. Galway East and West were higher, as were Kildare North and South, Limerick City, Longford/Westmeath, Mayo, Roscommon/South Leitrim, Tipperary North and South, Waterford and Wexford.
In Tipperary South, the vote jumped from 1,860 first preferences for Sinn Féin in February to 4,188 in the Presidential poll - an increase in vote share from 4.5% in February to 13% for Martin McGuinness.
Martin McGuinness won 14% of first preferences in Wexford, taking 8,112 votes compared to a 5.8% share in February and 4,353 first preferences.
The five constituencies not contested in February were Clare, where Martin won 10.5% of the vote; Dublin North 10.4%; Dún Laoghaire 6.9%; Kerry South 14.9%; and Limerick 10.6%.
Sinn Féin polled 178,224 votes in the Assembly elections last May - combined with Martin McGuinness’s vote, it shows an island of 421,254 republican voters.

Martin McGuinness – Vote share at a glance

243,030 votes

13.7% of first preferences

31 out of 38 constituencies higher vote share than February’s Leinster House election
21 constituencies higher total vote than February despite lower turn-out

10% and higher in four of the five constituencies not contested by Sinn Féin in February
Sinn Féin vote share (26 Counties) 1997 to 2011

Year Election % share of first preferences

1997 Leinster House 2.5%

1999 Local 3.5%

1999 EU 6.3%

2002 Leinster House 6.51%

2004 Local 8%

2004 EU 11.1%

2007 Leinster House 6.94%

2009 EU 11.24%

2009 Local 7.3%

2011 Leinster House 9.9%