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Irish presidential elections elect the President of Ireland: the Republic of Ireland's head of state.
The President of Ireland is formally elected by the citizens of Ireland once in every seven years, except in the event of premature vacancy, when an election must be held within sixty days. The President is directly elected by secret ballot under the system of the Alternative Vote. While both Irish and UK citizens resident in the state may vote in elections to Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament), only Irish citizens, who must be at least eighteen years of age, may vote in the election of the President. The presidency is open to all citizens of the state who are at least 35. A candidate must, however be nominated by one of the following:
Where only one candidate is nominated, he or she is deemed elected without the need for a ballot. For this reason, where there is a consensus among political parties, the President may be 'elected' without the occurrence of an actual ballot. No one may serve as President for more than two terms.
| Election | Other candidates | President | Nominated by |
| 1938 election | Agreed | Douglas Hyde | Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael |
| 1945 election | Sean MacEoin (Fine Gael) Patrick MacCartan (Independent) |
Sean T. O'Kelly | Fianna Fáil |
| 1952 election | Unopposed | Sean T. O'Kelly | Self-nomination |
| 1959 electionElections in Ireland In the Irish presidential election in 1959 Fianna Fail's founder and longterm leader and Taoiseach, Eamon de Valera under party pressure decided to leave active party politics and seek the presidency. Fine Gael decided to run its defe | Sean MacEoin (Fine Gael) | Eamon de ValeraEamon de Valera 1 (born Edward George de Valera Irish name amonn de Bhaileara ( October 14, 1882 August 29, 1975), was a leader of Ireland's struggle for independence from Britain in the early 20th Century, and of the Republican opposition in the ensuing | Fianna Fáil |
| 1966 electionElections in Ireland In the Irish presidential election in 1966 President de Valera reluctantly agreed under Fianna Fail party pressure to seek a second term. Fine Gael decided to run one of its younger TDs, Tom O'Higgins against him. In an astonishing up | Tom O'Higgins (Fine Gael) | Eamon de ValeraEamon de Valera 1 (born Edward George de Valera Irish name amonn de Bhaileara ( October 14, 1882 August 29, 1975), was a leader of Ireland's struggle for independence from Britain in the early 20th Century, and of the Republican opposition in the ensuing | Fianna Fáil |
| 1973 electionElections in Ireland In the Irish presidential election in 1973 with President de Valera constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, Fianna Fail sought to get former Tanaiste Frank Aiken to run for the presidency. He however declined. Under pressur | Tom O'Higgins (Fine Gael) | Erskine Hamilton Childers | Fianna Fáil |
| 1974 election | Agreed | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour Party |
| 1976 election | Unopposed | Patrick Hillery | Fianna Fáil |
| 1983 election | Unopposed | Patrick Hillery | Self-nomination |
| 1990 election | Brian Lenihan (Fianna Fáil) Austin Currie (Fine Gael) |
Mary Robinson | Labour Party |
| 1997 election | Mary Banotti (Fine Gael) Adi Roche (Labour) Dana Rosemary Scallon (Independent) Derek Nally (Independent) |
Mary McAleese | Fianna Fáil |
| 2004 election | Unopposed | Mary McAleese | Self-nomination |