When I first started writing about emigrant voting rights back in 2006, a study had come out saying that there were 115 countries and territories around the world that allowed emigrant voting rights. The number would now be far higher – some of the countries that have introduced or are in the process of introducing voting rights or absentee ballots for overseas citizens since then include:
- India
- Costa Rica
- Bolivia
- Paraguay
- Egypt
- Libya
- Tunisia
- South Sudan
- Cyprus
- South Africa
- Malaysia
- Fiji
As the trend toward overseas citizens voting rights continues and accelerates, Ireland’s status as a true outlier becomes more extreme.