Attempts to reduce Voter Numbers in North of Ireland

["D OC" <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (Received 'Royal' Assent May
2002)

>Reacting to ongoing problems of percieved electoral fraud in the province,
this government bill provides the chief electoral officer for Northern
Ireland with additional functions to address the problem of electoral fraud
there.

>The seven-clause bill gives effect to the proposals in the white paper,
Combating Electoral Fraud in Northern Ireland (Cm 5080), which was published
in March 2001.

>Specific measures include:

>- requiring a canvass form and an application for voter registration to be
signed by, and to include the date of birth of, each of the persons to whom
the form or application relates.

>- Introducing an electoral identity card for those people entitled to vote
but who might not otherwise have satisfactory proof of identity.

>- The presiding officer at a polling station gets the power to ask the date
of birth of an elector applying for a ballot paper

I understand the British Government (which has introduced this law) reckons
they might reduce the Sinn Fein vote by up to 20% because of this - its
going to hit illiterates, those without any identification and students
worst. It's hard enough just getting people to return forms but to force
them to put their National Insurance numbers down and to require identity
cards (in small print at the bottom) is clearly an attempt to reduce numbers
voting. The registrar is only coming to houses once and if you're not in you
have to travel up to 50 miles in person to get registered.

Everywhere else in the world, they are trying to get more people involved in
the electoral process - here, they are running scared of it.

The one thing though, is that this will effect everyone to an extent and we
will turn this weapon  they designed for our necks against the British and
their puppy-dogs. We will visit every Nationalist house in the six counties
over the next 3 months - other parties won't have that option.

D OC.


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