Republican News · Thursday 12 September 2002

Newry electorate urged to claim their vote

At a meeting of Sinn Féin activists on Monday, Davy Hyland, Sinn Féin Assembly candidate for the Newry area, outlined the importance of everyone claiming their right to vote.

"During the next few weeks Sinn Féin activists will be visiting homes throughout the greater Newry area," he said. "We believe it is vital that every nationalist should claim their right to vote. All the more so if a referendum on the future of the North is held to appease David Trimble. We have unearthed alarming statistics for the greater Newry area which indicate that in fact the number of people on the electoral register has fallen below that in 1992.

"In contrast to Britain, new rules are being introduced here in the Six Counties that require individuals to personally fill out and sign the form for the electoral register and voters will have to produce specified photographic evidence on the day of the election. This is obviously a deliberate attempt by faceless civil servants to stifle the nationalist vote.

We are therefore urging people to make sure they complete the forms properly and 'claim your vote'.

"Our canvass teams have identified a number of problem areas which will impact on people applying to get on the Electoral Register. Access to residents in flats and apartments, which operate a security system, is extremely difficult and will therefore complicate the distribution and collection of forms. Also those in our community who are less able and require some form of assistance will be further inhibited to comply with this new set of regulations."