In a move that hopes to match the success of the marriage equality campaign, a new initiative is encouraging Irish people abroad to come home to vote on the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
The #HomeTo Vote campaign hopes to encourage the 40,000 Irish people living overseas and eligible to vote to come back to Ireland to vote in the May referendum. #HomeToVotes mission is to co-ordinate eligible voters to return to Ireland and to help with the campaign even if they're not eligible to vote:
#HomeToVote connects Irish pro-choice groups in several locations, including New York, Berlin, London, Liverpool, Manchester, Brussels, and Melbourne.
In 2015 thousands of people returned home to vote in the Marriage Equality campaign which saw Twitter light up with moving images of support from people wanting to vote Yes to support their families and friends.
Didn't get a badge so made this little print out instead. Home to vote YES #MarRef @gettheboat2vote @YesEquality2015 pic.twitter.com/oxP7pUa3eT
— Helen Kennedy (@HKHunterKiller) May 21, 2015
Advertisement
This is the scene on the 9:10 London to Holyhead train as Irish abroad return #hometovote #marref pic.twitter.com/spVfkb5sIT
— Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) May 22, 2015
The Central Statistics Office have calculated that over 30,800 people have emigrated between 2016 and 2017 alone and nearly three million Irish people live abroad. People have left Ireland in the last 18 months are eligible to vote but must turn up at a polling station in person.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has revealed that he believes the referendum should be repealed and The Oireachtas Committee has recommended that unrestricted abortion should be available for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
It is estimated that 11 women have to leave Ireland every day to access safe abortion health care. If you'd like to get involved head over to HomeToVote.com now.
