Electoral Office not coping with demand

Sinn Fein Director of Elections Danny Power says the Six-County
Electoral Office is not dealing adequately with applications from
voters to be included on the electoral register.

Power was speaking after figures released by the office revealed
that of the 200,000 voters missing from the new register, which
became available last year, a mere 22,000 voters had been added
in the last three months.

"The worrying aspect of this situation is that the Electoral
Office isn't doing enough to clear up the backlog created by its
own failures," said Power.

He said that throughout the Six Counties, Sinn Fein activists had
reported that there are backlogs and lists of names already
submitted are not appearing on the March addendum of the
electoral register. "Sinn Fein is concerned that unless the
office can clear and deal with this backlog, then tens of
thousands of voters will loose out in the May election," he said.

"The Electoral Office is presiding over a mess of its own making,
but the problem is that the voters are going to pay the price.
The deadline for people to be included on the Register for May's
Assembly elections has been set for 10 April. Given the current
state of affairs, with the huge backlogs, thousands of voters
will miss out.

"Also, people who need the new voter ID card must apply soon, as
16 May is the last day people can get this ID. Without
photographic identification, people will lose their vote."

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the North's Human Rights
Commission has written to the Chief Electoral Officer, Denis
Stanley, expressing its concern that people with disabilities may
not be allowed to vote in May.