DUBLIN (AP) – Irish political observers from both sides said the first ballot boxes to be opened Saturday pointed to a strong victory for legalizing gay marriage, as the nation began counting results from a national referendum.
Observers from parties and both sides’ pressure groups observed the count of votes from Friday’s referendum, the first national vote on the issue held worldwide. All initial vote counts in Dublin and rural areas showed majorities voting to amend Ireland’s constitution to permit gay marriage.
A government minister, Kevin Humphrey, said “yes” votes represented more than 75 percent cast in his Dublin South East district and forecasting a landslide victory for the “yes” campaign when official results were announced later Saturday.
Fianna Fail party leader Michael Martin, whose party is traditionally closest to the Catholic Church but like all other parties campaigned to legalize gay marriage, said it “looks like an emphatic win for the yes side.” Voters in his native Cork were displaying as more than 60 percent yes.
Senior campaigners against gay marriage said they were bracing for likely defeat but offered no official concession.