Kildare gardai warn general election candidates to keep their distance from polling stations!

Tens of thousands of Kildare people are making time today to head to their local polling station to vote in the general election.

However gardai have warned that the law states that no candidates should be within 50m of the venues.

This rules is there to allow people to make up their own minds and not be influenced by last-minute canvassing.

A Naas Garda Station spokesperson said: "Also useful to know that no one can or should canvass you within 50 metres of any polling station.

"This means 50 metres of the boundary of the place where the polling station sits e.g. the school railings or wall."

Gardai also advised that voters don’t need to bring polling cards but bring some valid form of personal identification like a passport or a driving licence.

The spokesperson added: "It won’t always be asked for, but if it is, you’ll need to show it.

"Other types of acceptable ID include an employee identity card containing a photograph, a student identity card issued by an educational institution and with a photograph, a travel document containing a name and photograph, or a bank or savings or credit union book containing your address in the constituency."