COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, July 08, 2019
QUESTION NO. 54
QUESTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy
To ask the Chief Executive for an update on plans for preparation of the next electoral register, including proposed field work is proposed staffing, awareness campaigns, use of technology, and if he will make a statement on the matter
REPLY:
The draft Register of Electors for 2020 will be published on the 1st of November 2019 until the 25th November 2019. The final register is produced on the 1st February 2020 and comes into force on the 15th February 2020. If an election or referendum is called prior to the publication of the next register, a supplement to the current register will be produced to facilitate all citizens who have since moved to a new address or who have reached the age of 18 years in the intervening period to be re-entered into the register for voting.
Voter.ie is a new Electoral Web Portal enabling over 1 million Dublin residents to check their electoral details in real-time was rolled out across the four Dublin local auhtorities over 2018. Voters can check if they are on the register by entering their full name and address or Eircode on the Voter.ie website. In addition to the basic search functionality, the portal will also allow voters who are registered with mygov.id to:
- Add themselves to the Register of Electors
- Change their address or other details, including citizenship or change of name
- Remove themselves from the Register
This is an additional service available to voters in Dublin that does not replace the existing paper process and thus people can still submit their details using the RFA forms. Corporate Services are currently making preparations in advance of the next electoral register by arranging for delivery of the RFA forms to all households and nursing homes in the county.
In conjunction with the publication of the draft, the Council will carry out communications campaigns on Valuing Your Vote across all communication channels such as print media, digital communications, poster campaigns in Council buildings and on bus shelters within the county as well as supporting national campaigns led by the Department to promote and to alert citizens to check the register. On social media, the Council will utilise Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to reach as wide a target audience as possible. There will also be registration drives in community centres, schools and colleges. Registration forms are also available on our website and in Libraries across the county to assist those wishing to register.
In order to assist migrants all forms are available online in a number of different languages. The Department of Planning Housing and Local Government carried out a national awareness campaign in relation to the whole registration process in conjunction with the Immigrant Council of Ireland in advance of the Local Elections, including videos in ten different languages on their website with information on how to vote. During the New Citizens Ceremonies the Department of Justice and Equality provide information packs to all new citizens with details on how to register to vote.