Laois Offaly General Election turnouts tumble from year of Fianna Fáil wipe out

Fianna Fáil's best General Election result in nearly two decades has corresponded with the lowest Laois and Offaly turnouts in recent years and is well below the result recorded by the party in its worst-ever showing in 2011. 

The counties were part of the same constituency in 2011 when the turnout in the five-seater was nearly 70%. Fianna Fáil's John Moloney, an outgoing Laois Minister, lost his seat to Sinn Féin's Brian Stanley. Nationally the party won 17.4% of the vote and won 20 seats. It lost 57 seats under the leadership of Micheál Martin. 

In 2024 the counties were split into two three-seat constituencies because of population growth.

Just 58.4% of the 65,873 people registered to vote in Laois exercised their right to vote on November 27. That's despite voters having the choice of 12 candidates. The turnout is below the 59.7% recorded nationally. Fianna Fáil's Seán Fleming comfortably retained its seat while the party's two candidates took 22.5% of the vote.

Across the border in Offaly, the turnout was also below the 60% mark. Fianna Fáil's two candidates took home nearly a quarter of the number one votes and won one seat in the Dáil. The constituency was represented previously by former taoiseach Brian Cowen and former minister Barry Cowen. Offaly now has an electorate of 62,931.

Laois and Offaly were united in 2020 General Election when the turnout was 62.6%. Portarlington and surrounding areas were in Kildare South in that election.

Laois and Offaly were three-seaters in 2016.There were just six candidates in Laois that year when 61.4% of the 63,295 those entitled to vote went to polling stations. Parts of the Kildare were in Laois.

The turnout in Offaly that year was 67% when 11 candidates contested. Fianna Fáil took 35% of the vote with Barry Cowen topping the poll on over 12,000 first preference votes. 

Micheál Martin is set to lead Fianna Fáil into the Dáil with 50 seats after 2024 General Election which has seen the party take about 22% of the votes cast.