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Fourth Amendment

Signed 5th Jan, 1973

Reduced the minimum voting age at Dáil and Presidential elections and referendums from 21 years to 18 years.

Article Amended

Article 16 After

The text of Article 16 after enacting the Fourth Amendment

Article 16.

…
  1. 1:
    1. 1°:
      Every citizen without distinction of sex who has reached the age of twenty-one years, and who is not placed under disability or incapacity by this Constitution or by law, shall be eligible for membership of Dáil Éireann.
    2. 2°:
      Every citizen without distinction of sex who has reached the age of eighteen years who is not disqualified by law and complies with the provisions of the law relating to the election of members of Dáil Éireann, shall have the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann.
    3. 3°:
      No law shall be enacted placing any citizen under disability or incapacity for membership of Dáil Éireann on the ground of sex or disqualifying any citizen from voting at an election for members of Dáil Éireann on that ground.
    4. 4°:
      No voter may exercise more than one vote at an election for Dáil Éireann, and the voting shall be by secret ballot.
  2. 2:
    1. 1°:
      Dáil Éireann shall be composed of members who represent constituencies determined by law.
    2. 2°:
      The number of members shall from time to time be fixed by law, but the total number of members of Dáil Éireann shall not be fixed at less than one member for each thirty thousand of the population, or at more than one member for each twenty thousand of the population.
    3. 3°:
      The ratio between the number of members to be elected at any time for each constituency and the population of each constituency, as ascertained at the last preceding census, shall, so far as it is practicable, be the same throughout the country.
    4. 4°:
      The Oireachtas shall revise the constituencies at least once in every twelve years, with due regard to changes in distribution of the population, but any alterations in the constituencies shall not take effect during the life of Dáil Éireann sitting when such revision is made.
    5. 5°:
      The members shall be elected on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
    6. 6°:
      No law shall be enacted whereby the number of members to be returned for any constituency shall be less than three.
  3. 3:
    1. 1°:
      Dáil Éireann shall be summoned and dissolved as provided by section 2 of Article 13 of this Constitution.
    2. 2°:
      A general election for members of Dáil Éireann shall take place not later than thirty days after a dissolution of Dáil Éireann.
  4. 4:
    1. 1°:
      Polling at every general election for Dáil Éireann shall as far as practicable take place on the same day throughout the country.
    2. 2°:
      Dáil Éireann shall meet within thirty days from that polling day.
  5. 5:
    The same Dáil Éireann shall not continue for a longer period than seven years from the date of its first meeting: a shorter period may be fixed by law.
  6. 6:
    Provision shall be made by law to enable the member of Dáil Éireann who is the Chairman immediately before a dissolution of Dáil Éireann to be deemed without any actual election to be elected a member of Dáil Éireann at the ensuing general election.
  7. 7:
    Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Article, elections for membership of Dáil Éireann, including the filling of casual vacancies, shall be regulated in accordance with law.
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