Republican News · Thursday 29 August 2002

Sinn Féin launches "Claim your Vote" campaign

Sinn Féin has urged people to ensure they are registered to vote and not to allow themselves to be disenfranchised at the next election.

In a joint statement at the launch of a "claim your vote" campaign on Friday, 23 August, Newry/Armagh Assembly member Conor Murphy and Councillor Davy Hyland said:

"New restrictions and regulations are being brought into force for people registering to vote at the next election. Sinn Féin has launched a "claim your vote" campaign by issuing 30,000 leaflets to voters in the Newry/Armagh constituency. Similar initiatives are being carried out across the Six Counties.

"We believe these new restrictions are another sop to unionist demands to exclude Sinn Féin from the political process. It is important that at all times we maximise the nationalist vote. We are therefore urging people to ensure they do not allow this bureaucracy to disenfranchise themselves or other family members. We are aware that many people will resent these new restrictions but we do however recommend that nationalists must and will fulfill these new requirements."

REGISTER NOW FOR IRISH UNITY

Sinn Féin has called on the nationalist electorate not to allow itself to be disenfranchised because of the 'new and additional electoral registration requirements' and a limiting of voting to only those who can present specific pieces of photographic identification.

Under the 'New Electoral Legislation,' more elaborate demands are being placed on people wishing to register to vote and non -photographic ID, such as birth certificates and medical cards, will no longer be deemed adequate to identify you when casting your vote.

Canvassers from the Electoral Office will begin calling at doors throughout West Tyrone from 9 September onwards, so Sinn Féin is now alerting the nationalist electorate of the following major changes to the electoral registration and voting process:

• The old 'Household Registration Form' has been replaced by an 'Individual Registration Form, which must be filled in and signed by each person in the household wishing to appear on the electoral register.
• Each individual form will be pre-printed with the voters name and address, as it appears on the current register.
• If the voter does not appear on the current register and now currently resides at the address, the onus is on them to ask for a registration form from the electoral officer at the door.
• Note that the criteria for registration is that a person must be living at the address for registration and have been there for 3 months previous (i.e. from the 16th July)
• On the form everyone will be asked for their; NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, and NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER, and EVERYONE will be expected to sign the form in an INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY.

Non-photographic identification will be scrapped before the next election. The only ID allowed will be:

• A passport (Irish or British)
• Driving licence
• Senior Citizens Smart Card (new and issued from 1 May 2002) or
• A new Electoral Photo ID card (issued by the electoral office).

Nationalists in the Six Counties are well used to subtle and not so subtle means to fix the franchise. This legislation has been brought in as a sop to unionists, seeking to stem the ever-increasing growth in the nationalist proportion of the electorate, and attempting to stop Sinn Féin from becoming the single largest political party in the Six Counties.

The Unionist driven legislation:

• Runs counter to civil liberties (introducing compulsory photographic ID for over 18s by the back door)
• Militates against those with literacy difficulties
• Creates prohibitive administrative tasks, especially for older people who might have to seek out their National Insurance number or apply for an elector photo-identity card
• Favours more affluent voters who are likely to possess a passport/driving licence
• Hopes that Catholics are lazy (the old stereotype) and will not bother to unearth a National Insurance Number or procure photographic ID in time.
• Gives near-inquisitional powers to the Presiding Officer
• Contradicts the British Labour Party's stated policy of raising the % turnout at elections by making the process of voting simple and straightforward in a participative democracy

Unionists will likely manufacture a Referendum on the future of the north to coincide with the Assembly Elections. Therefore, despite these unionist inspired requirements, every nationalist needs to be proactive in registering to vote and obtaining the necessary photographic ID to maximise the mandate for managing the peaceful transition to a United Ireland.