May 26 (UPI) — Workers on Saturday are counting ballots cast during Ireland’s abortion referendum, but exit polls and early results show the initiative to repeal the country’s abortion law was overwhelmingly successful.
A poll from Irish broadcaster RTE that surveyed 3,779 voters at 175 polling stations determined a likely result of 69.4 percent of voters passed the referendum to repeal the country’s eighth amendment to its constitution. Its margin of error was plus or minus 1.6 percent. The Irish Times newspaper predicted 68 percent of voters cast ballots to change the law in an exit poll of its own. Its poll surveyed more than 4,500 voters across 160 locations in Ireland. It had a margin of error at plus or minus 1.5 percent.
Both polls pegged widespread support in the country’s urban and rural areas and among both women and men.
If passed, the referendum could pave the law for legislation to allow for abortions as late as 12 weeks into pregnancy, or later in cases threatening a woman’s health or in the event of fatal fetal abnormality.
Ireland is expected to release the official result Saturday afternoon. Some local results were trickling in earlier Saturday. By 9 a.m. EDT, four of 40 constituencies released results, indicating 66.4 percent of support, according to The Guardian.
“Thank you to everyone who voted today,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar wrote Friday on Twitter. “Democracy in action. It’s looking like we will make history tomorrow.”
Varadkar said he’d like to pass legislation for a new abortion law by the end of the year.
The country has one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws, which is enshrined in its constitution. Under the law, fetuses in early pregnancy are guaranteed citizenship status and women who have an illegal abortion could face up to 14 years in prison.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee has criticized the law.
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