A call for urgent reform of the electoral system amid claims that thousands are losing the right to vote failed to secure the support of the Northern Ireland Assembly tonight.
A call for urgent reform of the electoral system amid claims that thousands are losing the right to vote failed to secure the support of the Northern Ireland Assembly tonight.
Sinn Féin demanded action to simplify the registration process claiming young people and voters from large families were among groups being discriminated against.
But unionist parties and the SDLP accused Sinn Féin of overstating problems in an Assembly debate today and claimed rigorous procedures were made necessary by the history of voter fraud.
But despite the debate’s focus on ending the days of "vote early, vote often", Stormont officials revealed that in the Assembly vote on the Sinn Féin motion, six MLAs voted twice.
It was later confirmed, however, that under procedures, the representatives from the Alliance Party, Green Party and Progressive Unionist Party had to vote twice to have their abstentions on the motion officially recorded.
Earlier, Sinn Fein’s Daithi McKay (North Antrim) led his party’s calls for reform of the electoral process.
“Thirty-nine thousand and 14 - that number is more than the number of votes that were cast in the whole of north Belfast, west Belfast, south Belfast and east Belfast respectively in the last election,” he said.
“That figure, is the total amount of registration forms rejected last year by the electoral office.”
He said authorities had also asked larger families for further confirmation that all adults at their addresses were legitimate voters.
Mr McKay said: “If you come from a large household you are more likely to lose your vote. That is discrimination.”
But the SDLP’s Declan O’Loan (North Antrim) was among those who hit out at Sinn Féin claiming they had undermined legitimate criticisms by making overblown allegations.
The DUP’s Mervyn Storey (North Antrim) attacked Sinn Féin’s record and said the reformed system had been brought about as a result of voter fraud.
“It really is a bit sweet now coming from the party opposite that they are actually concerned about this particular issue,” said Mr Storey.
Sinn Fein’s Mr McKay responded: “I thank the member for his intervention and I do recall that a member of the DUP was actually convicted of electoral fraud . . . and no member of Sinn Féin has ever been convicted of electoral fraud.”
The DUP’s Lord Morrow (Fermanagh, South Tyrone) said the individual in question had now left the party.
The motion was voted down by MLAs.
PA