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SINCE LAST MONTH’S referendum result, there have been calls by both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for the electoral register to get a “drastic revamp”.
TheJournal.ie reported that one woman in Wicklow discovered that despite submitting all the relevant documentation, on time, in order to be added to the supplementary register, she was told she would not be able to vote.
A letter from Wicklow County Council said the constituent would be unable to vote in the referendum due to an “administrative error”.
Fianna Fáil’s Stephen Donnelly, who has been in contact with the woman impacted by the administrative error told TheJournal.ie that the actions of the council were totally unacceptable and “outrageous”.
Donnelly said he would be bringing forward legislative changes to overhaul how the electoral register operates. Any change would have to be done ahead of the next general election, which some are tipping for early next year.
Since the publication of the story, a number of other voters from other constituencies have said they experienced something similar.
Fine Gael Senator Paul Coghlan has said a “drastic revamp” of Ireland’s electoral register is needed.
“While there is absolutely no doubt at the certainty of the result of the recent referendum, it has once again highlighted the outdated and cumbersome nature of our Electoral Register.
“People are forced through so many hoops to register. The process of having to download an RFA2 form to register or a RFA3 form to change address, then having to get it stamped by a Garda and then leaving it into a Council office is cumbersome and is actually creating a barrier for democratic participation,” he said.
He said calls for the system to be overhauled have fallen on deaf ears, but he believes with the referendum fresh in people’s minds, now is a good time to introduce changes.
“Before the 2016 General Election, a report endorsed by TDs and Senators of the Oireachtas Environment Committee found that at the last election, the Register of Electors contained almost half a million people more than it should have,” he said.
Coughlan said there are “significant inaccuracies” on the electoral register “up and down the country”. This leaves the system vulnerable to inaccuracies, he added.
The senator recommends Ireland follow the UK example and move to an online system.
In the UK eligible voters can register to vote and change their address online. The process takes five minutes and all that is required is a social national insurance number. He said a suitable substitute could be a Public Services Card.
“If we want to continue to enhance and strengthen the democratic process, we need to make it easier for people to participate. By following the same model as Britain we can make it easier for voters and local authorities alike, while at the same time ensuring we have a more accurate register.”
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Online and linked to a PPS number. Also, a revamp would significantly increase turnout rates
@David Healion: and rolling so you can change address or be added to register at any time of year. Once the PPS number is used that shouldn’t be a problem.
@Jane: pps is not enough. Any person working or long enough in the State can have a PPS number.
But only citizens can vote in Referendums.
@Good Early: Not true, legal residents of all nationalities can vote in the local elections, legal residents of EU nationalities can vote in the European parliament elections, Irish and British citizens can vote in the general election, only Irish citizens can vote in the presidential election and referendums.
@Conor Black: agree, that’s why said only citizens can vote if Referendums.
PPS is fine for the others, but not enough referendums
@Good Early: passport number could be used
@Seamus Mac: Not everyone has a passport.
The system thats there works once it’s all done in time & not at the last minute. I’ve moved house over the years & part of the process is changing to the local Register when I move. Not a blind panic 2 weeks before I need to vote.
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: I know several people in both camps in the recent referendum who got two voting cards for different polling stations. They all used them to vote twice
We also had foreign nationals registered who had no right to vote.
As we have no specific figures this is worrying. It’s seriously undermines our democracy.
The government should automatically enroll all citizens once they are 18 and post a voting card. No duplicating registrations. Whether people vote is another thing.
I received two polling cards. First one was correct, second one had my name on it, but my next door neighbours address. So I could have voted twice couldn’t I? I’m never asked for ID at the polling station probably because it’s local and manned by local people. All they do is put a line through the address when you show the polling card. If I’d gone again hours after I’d voted, I could have voted a second time probably.
@Rachel Giles: I know several people who got two cards and did vote twice. It’s poses a serious threat to out democracy
@Rachel Giles: Getting two voting cards doesn’t entitle a person to vote twice. If your name is only on the Register once, and they send out two voting cards in error, and you try to vote twice, you will be caught and this is a criminal offence.
@Rachel Giles: or you could have been arrested !
My Son who is 19 had a vote in the equality marriage referendum but had none in the 8th amendment referendum . He did not move house at all . No polling card came . Why was he taken off !
@Elaine O’ Brien: the same happened to my mother and when she got onto them she was told she had to prove she was Irish! She worked in the hse and was born and lived in Ireland all her life. It’s a joke
@Elaine O’ Brien: you don’t need the polling card to vote. Did you check the register to see he wasn’t on it?
@Sandra: checking the register isn’t 100% fool proof. My son didn’t show on it because we were searching for him using HIS name and address, he got a polling card with HIS name on it but next doors address so we never would have found him on the register
@Elaine O’ Brien: Just because you don’t get a polling card, doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have a vote. Your name might be on the register of electors and that gives you the right to vote. Check the register online on your local County Council website. There is a facility to register on it also. Not sure how they monitor registration for who can and can’t vote in different elections when registering online!
@Elaine O’ Brien: No polling card does not mean he was taken off the register
You can pay your car tax & dog license online but not change your address on electoral register online.
The whole political system needs total reform. Just because the local teacher or publican can appear on TV and in interviews before a general election spewing out well rehearsed party rhetoric doesn’t make him/her any more competent for the higher level jobs in gov. We need capable and proper qualified people in gov to get a competently run country and unfortunately that excludes most of the current shower of chancers we’ve got in the dail.
@Adrian: totally agree with you. Especially in the case of allocating ministers’ positions, people should have, not just a qualification, but experience in given ministry.
@Adrian: I totally agree. Anyone elected should have mandatory training in economics and public policy. They only seem talented at talking shite and paying themselves. Most jobs require qualifications. We wouldn’t let a teacher become a doctor without qualifications. It’s a joke
Still a half measure as we need an electoral commission as well with the power to put some order on the current chaotic process
The register as it stands gives many opportunities for fraud
The UK system isn’t quite as efficient as presented (though it’s undeniably better than the Irish one). You have a central entry point online, but it still gets sent to the local councils for semi-manual processing, which is fine but seems an unnecessary step, and can lead to issues where some councils are better organised and more efficient than others. If you have a specialised division centrally that does nothing else obviously they’re going to be better resourced and better trained.
Do what they do up North,you have to submit your National Insurance Number to register,going door to door to update the register is too much for one man these days given the population explosion etc.
When my father died they took my name off the register also despite the fact that I registered tre Gaelinn, had to go to the local courthouse and deal with some snooty officials to have it restored and no apology from them either.
There is significant problems with voters register. I have two polling cards for people who have died. Note highest vote yes in DBS in country yet second lowest turn out ie 54%. This has more to do with the voters register than apathy.
How long after you leave the country can you retain the right to vote??
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