LONDON (Sputnik) — The polls have closed in Ireland, where voters took part in a referendum on Friday on whether same-sex marriage should be legalized in the country, with some stations reporting a higher turnout than in a May 7 general election, according to local media.
Dublin, Waterford and Limerick have all passed the 60 percent electorate turnout mark, the BBC said.
The right to civil partnership in Ireland was officially introduced in 2010, giving gay couples rights similar, but not equal to those of marriage.
Should a majority of Irish residents support same-sex marriage in a Friday vote, Ireland would become the 20th country in the world legalizing gay unions.
A 2011 census revealed some 4.000 same-sex cohabiting couples in Ireland.
