The election race is a head-to-head contest between Catherine Connolly, an independent who has secured the backing of left-wing opposition parties, and Heather Humphreys, the candidate for Fine Gael who was a minister in the last coalition.
The women are vying to replace Michael D Higgins, who has served as president since 2011.
Connolly, the clear favourite in a series of opinion polls conducted throughout the campaign, said she was the representative of a "movement" and a "voice for peace" and "unity".
The 68-year-old Galway mother of two had previous careers as a psychologist and barrister and has been backed by Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats, Labour and other left-leaning parties.
The Irish speaker has been vocal on the issue of Palestine and protecting Ireland's military neutrality, and has criticised the US military's use of Shannon Airport.
Meanwhile, Humphreys pitched herself as a "a centre-ground, pro-European, pro-business, common-sense" candidate, adding that she would bring her experience in government and as a Credit Union manager to the office.
The 64-year-old, also the mother of two children, is a Presbyterian who was raised on a rural farm near the border of Northern Ireland.
Beyond their visions for the presidency, coverage of the contest has centred on a series of controversies affecting the hopefuls.
Connolly's judgment was called into question over hiring a woman to work in Leinster House, the seat of Ireland's parliament and its committees, who had previously been convicted of a firearm possession offence.
The left-wing candidate said she believed in rehabilitation and the woman had been highly recommended, while her opponent said the security of the parliament had been put at risk.
Lucia O'Farrell, a constituent of Humphreys, publicly criticised the former cabinet minister for not supporting an inquiry into the death of her son, Shane, who died after being hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.
The candidate said she made representations to ministers on the matter and said she was "sorry that the O'Farrell family feel it wasn't enough".
Connolly was also asked several times about a 2018 visit to Syria, while she was a Galway TD, in which she encountered supporters of then-president Bashar al-Assad.
with PA
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