North's electoral register falls by 130,000

The North's electoral register has fallen by 11% due to changes in the way the list is compiled, according to reports in today's London Independent.

The number of registered voters has fallen by around 130,000 because of the changes, which were designed to eradicate voting fraud.

The changes require each voter to register individually rather than be registered by the head of the household, as was previously allowed.

They also require voters to provide their National Insurance number, date of birth and signature.

The most striking fall in numbers came in west Belfast, where Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is MP.

Almost one-fifth of the constituency's electorate has disappeared off the list since the changes were introduced.

In north Belfast, the electorate has fallen by 16%.

In other areas, however, the drop has been less dramatic, with an 8% decrease reported in Fermanagh/south Tyrone and a 7% drop in mid-Ulster.