The counting of votes for the next president of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) is underway with Laois man Francie Gorman currently ahead according to tallies.
As of 11.30am today, Gorman has polled 4,675 votes compared to 3,828 for his opponent Martin Stapleton from Limerick. That means that Gorman currently stands on 55% of the vote and is in a strong position as things stand.
But only 286 of the 941 branches have been counted so far – and the postal votes have yet to be open.
Gorman has polled very strongly so far in Laois as well as in Carlow, Kildare, Offaly, Roscommon and Wexford and to a lesser extent in Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Meath and Sligo.
Stapleton is leading the way in his native Limerick as well as in Munster counties – Tipperary (North and South), the three Cork districts, Kerry, Waterford and Clare.
So far there have been no votes counted in Kilkenny, Wicklow, Dublin, Louth, Westmeath or Leitrim.
The IFA has a membership of around 72,000 – and it’s understood that just unde 30,000 votes in total have been cast.
The counting of votes is underway today in the Castleknock Hotel in Dublin.
Gorman – a beef and sheep farmer in Ballinakill – is seeking to be the first Laois man elected to the role since the late Padraig Walsh was in 2005.
Originally from Spink, he has previously served as South Leinster and Laois chairman.
His opponent Martin Stapleton is a dairy farmer from Oola in Limerick.
Both candidates embarked on an exhausting campaign over the past couple of months – at IFA hustings, farming events and phoning IFA members and officers across the country.
As well as the president’s role, counting of votes for the deputy president’s position is also underway.
Alice Doyle from Wexford and Pat Murphy from Galway are battling it out for that role while the regional chair positions – Connacht, Munster and South Leinster – are also up for grabs.
You can follow the voting on the IFA website here.
SEE ALSO – LoveLaois Podcast: Francie Gorman on his bid to become the next IFA president
