Ireland is voting Friday on legalizing same-sex marriage. Among the voters are about 60,000 Irish expatriates who left the country within the past 18 months and are coming back, most of them to vote yes. They’re tweeting their journeys back with #hometovote.
Irish expats are traveling home in droves to vote for same-sex marriage
Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Libby Nelson was Vox’s editorial director, politics and policy, leading coverage of how government action and inaction shape American life. Libby has more than a decade of policy journalism experience, including at Inside Higher Ed and Politico. She joined Vox in 2014.
The hashtag has been tweeted more than 48,000 times.
The #hometovote is like when you're watching The Hobbit and an army of elves you'd forgotten from earlier in the film arrive over a hill.
— Colm O'Regan (@colmoregan) May 21, 2015 Many of the voters are coming back from the United Kingdom:
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 Other voters are coming from even farther away. Ireland could become the 20th country to legalize same-sex marriage and the first to do it with a national referendum.
Came #hometovote, my Dad told me to shave my beard and my Mam needs 2 months of tech advice. This better be a Yes.
— Paul McDonnell (@Paul_Austin) May 21, 2015 Unlike other places, Ireland doesn’t let expats vote absentee — they had to fly home to cast a ballot.
Heatmap of #hometovote by @ivorcrotty is stunning. An outrage we drove so many away, amazing that so many returned pic.twitter.com/PCHMwzs8SD
— David Cochrane (@davidcochrane) May 22, 2015 Took a few days to get #hometovote from Nepal but getting job done with the family #VoteYes #MarRef #MakeGraTheLaw pic.twitter.com/v9Jhc4lXNL
— David M (@davidmrsn) May 22, 2015 Polls suggest that same-sex marriage will win in a landslide, with around 70 percent of likely voters saying they’d vote yes. (Polls in Ireland have been wrong before, though.)
I'm coming back to @ireland to vote in #MarRef. I'm coming back to help make history. I'm coming back for the future. pic.twitter.com/myq5tjAZ9e
— Ian McCafferty (@CommunalSpoon) May 21, 2015 This man found out today that he was eligible to vote and live-tweeted his race back from Edinburgh. He made it:
Just discovered I AM on the register. Fuck this, leaving work and flying #hometovote. #MarRef #YesEquality
— kDamo (@kDamo) May 22, 2015 Flight won't get into Dublin until after 8pm at this stage. Gonna be tight getting to polling station but equality will find a way. #MarRef
— kDamo (@kDamo) May 22, 2015 X #MarRef #YesEquality #hometovote #StMartins #Tallaght pic.twitter.com/V4RAtT2lZb
— kDamo (@kDamo) May 22, 2015 #MarRef inspo @MarkGovern boarding his flight back from Australia to #VoteYes. Safe travelling, Mark! Unbelievable! pic.twitter.com/YBtMa5Y72I
— Ireland \ Síomha (@ireland) May 20, 2015 My bro @diylan brought these balloons all the way from London! #hometovote #voteyes #marref pic.twitter.com/1zi0Dmv7yP
— Una Mullally (@UnaMullally) May 22, 2015 Results will be made public Saturday.
Just a few hopeful Irish people on the ferry coming #hometovote pic.twitter.com/4mhSIjI7MD
— Sarah Morrison (@S_R_Morrison) May 22, 2015 #marref #hometovote pic.twitter.com/PgYwg9iBMA
— Annie West (@anniewestdotcom) May 22, 2015 
