‘Out-of-date’ electoral register raises fears over vote-rigging

FEARS have been raised about potential vote-rigging in West Cork.

A survey suggested thousands of people on the electoral register in that area may actually have votes in other constituencies.

The Labour Party, which carried out the survey in Cork South-West, discovered that some 6,600 should not be on the register there.

Apart from many replies about the electorate not trusting politicians, 11% of the 300 who responded said they were now working outside the region and had votes elsewhere. However, they remain on the register in West Cork.

One woman revealed a relative had been working in Chicago for the past 10 years. She added he had taken his name off the register, but it had “mysteriously reappeared” a couple of years ago.

The wife of a man who died nearly two years ago said his name was still on the register. Another person, now living in east Cork, requested the county council remove their name from the register in Cork South West - but she still has votes in both constituencies.

Dunmanway-based Senator Michael McCarthy said that if 11% was a true reflection it was likely to be repeated in every other constituency throughout the country.

“Potentially there are 6,600 people on the electoral register in Cork South-West who shouldn’t be there, leaving room for widespread abuse,” he said.

Mr McCarthy said if such a scenario existed throughout the country - believing it would be shown to be the case if a thorough investigation was carried out - there was a very serious problem with the registers.

“The integrity of the electoral register system has to be questioned,” he said.

“Research will have to be carried out on it and we may have to have stricter criteria, such as passport-type applications, to wipe out personation at polling booths.

“Everybody almost knows everybody else in rural areas, so impersonation might not be too easy.

“But, in large urban centres, it would probably be much easier to get away with it,” he said.

Labour sent 1,500 questionnaires to people on the register in Cork South-West who didn’t vote at the last General Election. It is now closely studying the findings.

As a follow-up, the party plans focus group discussions in Bandon, Skibbereen, Dunmanway, Bantry, Clonakilty, Kinsale and Castletownbere.