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Pressure being put on Electoral Office is beginning to pay off, but more needs to be done - Hearty
Published: 16 April, 2009
Crossmaglen Sinn Féin Councillor Terry Hearty has welcomed news that the Electoral Office will now use records from the Department of Work and Pensions database in order to verify addresses of citizens on the electoral register.
Cllr Hearty and his party colleague Mickey Brady MLA had previously received letters threatening to have them removed from the electoral register during the latest review of the register by Chief Electoral Officer Douglas Bain.
Cllr Hearty said that although the pressure put on Douglas Bain is beginning to pay off more needs to be done.
"Sinn Fein has been very open and very public in challenging Douglas Bain on the approach his office was taking on this matter."
"We had very legitimate concerns that the impact of this negative approach would be felt most within the nationalist community, in particularly in rural and working class areas."
"Sinn Féin along with community representatives and groups throughout the Six Counties also had very deep concerns with the implications of the review by the Electoral Office. The review questioned the legitimacy of people living in larger households as it does not comply with the Electoral Office's criteria for what constitutes an average family."
Recently a Sinn Féin delegation met with British Minister, Paul Goggins and highlighted these concerns. Following pressure from Sinn Féin, it seems apparent that Douglas Bain has decided to reveres this position.
Cllr Hearty concluded by stating that although this is a welcomed development more needs to be,
"The electoral office now needs to ensure that those 400 people removed from the electoral register are guaranteed their democratic entitlement and are put back on the electoral register without any further delay."
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