The election was won by Pádraig O'Sullivan, a Fianna Fáil member of Cork County Council.

Sheila O'Callaghan was co-opted to O'Sullivan's seat on Cork County Council following his election to the Dáil.

Among the by-election candidates were Senator and former MEP Colm Burke; four Cork City Councillors (Thomas Gould, John Maher, Oliver Moran and Fiona Ryan); Cork County Councillor Pádraig O'Sullivan; and three unsuccessful candidates at the May 2019 city council election (Sinéad Halpin.

In mid-November it was reported that Fine Gael's Dara Murphy would be resigning his seat in the same constituency in December, to become deputy chef de cabinet of European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel.

[6] The number of votes to qualify for reimbursement of election expenses was 3,179 (one-quarter of the quota), which was reached by O'Sullivan, Burke, Gould, and Maher.