Patti Shields, chair of Democrats Abroad Ireland, reported a 650 percent increase in inquiries about voter registration since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, succeeding Joe Biden. In the 2022 US midterms, 25,000 Irish residents were eligible to vote, and this number is now estimated to be between 25,000 and 35,000 due to rising numbers of students and other new residents.

Shields advised voters to use votefromabroad.org for registering and requesting their ballots, as this site streamlines the process. Ballots from all 50 states will be sent electronically on September 21, unless voters request postal delivery.

The surge in interest since Harris’s nomination has been significant, with a weekly average increase in voter registration of over 650 percent. This includes first-time voters like a man who has lived in Ireland for 30 years and an 83-year-old nun in a Limerick nursing home.

Shields recounted helping a US citizen in Ireland who had never voted before but is now eager to participate, and assisting the nun through parish connections. She noted that the enthusiasm for voting is growing as people encourage others to register and vote.