The Erse presidential election of 2018 teuk place on Friday, 26 October, atween 7.00 a.m. an 10.00 p.m.[2]PresidentMichael D. Higgins, wha wis electit in 2011, wis seeking re-election.[3] This wis the first time sin the 1966 election that an incumbent president faced a contest for a seicont term, an the first occasion on whit an incumbent president nominatin thairsels for re-election haed been opponed, as Éamon de Valera wis nominated bi Fianna Fáil when he socht re-election in 1966. It wis forby the first election wi twa candidates (Higgins an Seán Gallagher) wha contested the umwhile election. Higgins wis re-eleckit on the first coont wi naur 56% o the vote, becomin the first president sin de Valera tae win a seicont term in a contestit election; Seán T. O'Kelly (1952), Patrick Hillery (1983) an Mary McAleese (2004) haed been re-eleckit wanopponed.[4] He wis inaugurated for his seicont term on 11 November.