Many took to social media…
While no official results will be available until Saturday afternoon, ballot boxes were opened at 9am around the country on Saturday to decide if Ireland should remove The Eighth Amendment from the constitution.
Two exit polls late on Friday, one from RTÉ (carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes) and the other from the Irish Times (Ipsos MRBI), show an overwhelming support for a YES vote. Both polls show that almost 70% of people have voted in favour of repealing The Eighth Amendment.
But again, for now, these are exit polls and not a result just yet.
It has the potential to be a huge day for Ireland should this referendum pass and the constitution is amended accordingly.
But here’s how Irish politicians reacted to the initial exit polls on social media late on Friday night.
😀 will sleep tonight in the hope of waking up to a country that is more compassionate, more caring and more respectful. It has been an honour to be on this journey with you and to work #togetherforyes . See you all tomorrow!
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 25, 2018
Thank you to everyone who voted today. Democracy in action. It’s looking like we will make history tomorrow…. #Together4Yes
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 25, 2018
Thank you to everybody who voted today – democracy can be so powerful on days like today – looks like a stunning result that will bring about a fundamental change for the better. Proud to be Irish tonight. Thank u to all at @Together4yes
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) May 25, 2018
Reacting to tonight's @IrishTimes exit poll, @MaryLouMcDonald wanted thank the people who hoped, who dreamed, and "thank you all of you who
voted. I think we're about to prove we can change it for the better."#Together4Yes #8thref #TrustWomen pic.twitter.com/mBHDKgU9vP— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) May 25, 2018
A massive victory for compassion, conviction and common sense #Together2Vote #Together4Yes #hometoveote #men4yes https://t.co/viREM3V4KC
— John Halligan (@JohnHalligan) May 25, 2018
With exit polls published, it looks like #8thRef has been emphatically passed. Important though that we respect and count every vote. If the exit polls are accurate, the view of our Republic is clear and we as an Oireachtas should move efficiently to enact the will of our people.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 25, 2018
Thanks 2 all the great Together4Yes team in Louth. Rinne muid é le cheile!!
— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) May 25, 2018
To my constituents in Laois/Offaly who voted YES to repeal the 8th, I say a big THANK YOU. #togehterforyes pic.twitter.com/nMUeKyKE0z
— Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) May 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/NoelRock/status/1000137110731526144
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