The 2015 marriage equality referendum was the result of decades of work. Years of lobbying and campaigning, of working to change attitudes and increase the visibility of LGBT people across the country, were key to bringing the country to the point where it could be the first country in the world to introduce marriage equality through the popular vote.
But once the referendum was announced, a new, more practical type of preparation began to take place, one led by students. This involved everything from registering tens of thousands to vote before the referendum date was even decided to preparing literature and arguments that first-time campaigners could use when canvassing on doorsteps.
This type of work was key, particularly for young people, who are often not registered to vote or are registered in a different constituency to where they live during term, and who are unlikely to have much experience with political campaigning. Ireland’s voter registration system is difficult to navigate, and has been noted as one that discriminates against young voters in particular by the Policy Director at the Gay Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), who stated: “If you were to design an electoral register with the specific goal of disadvantaging young voters, this current system is exactly what it would look like.”
If students are going to have the same impact in the upcoming referendum on the eighth amendment, the work needs to start now. Deeply understanding the registration system in order to register as many students as possible took Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and other students’ unions months, as did the registration drives that took place on campuses and in student residences. This work had to take place before the referendum date was chosen, and intense lobbying had to take place to ensure that the referendum took place during term, on a weekday, so people would be present in Dublin and where they wouldn’t have to travel long distances to vote.
No students’ union in the country has a mandate to advocate against a repeal of the eighth amendment, and students have been instrumental in filling the crowds at rallies, protests and marches for access to abortion rights. By voting, and by canvassing others, students will have to play an instrumental role if we want this referendum to pass, but their efforts will be hampered without the early groundwork that needs to start now.
