Councillor "shocked" as considerable number of spoiled votes in local elections down to staff error

A councillor says she's "shocked" over the revelation that a considerable number of spoiled votes in the recent local elections were actually down to staff errors. 

Councillor Geraldine Donohue raised the issue at a meeting at County Hall this week.

She said she had learned that in her own area of Gort/Kinvara, almost a third of the 101 spoiled votes were as a result of polling station staff not stamping the ballot paper. 

The Independent councillor said it's a very serious problem when people take the time to vote correctly, only for their voice to end up in the proverbial bin. 

Councillor Donohue told David Nevin a few mistakes are understandable - but there's no excuse for dozens of errors.