Tomorrow, the people get to have their say. I will spare you from a pious exhortation as to why you should vote, but I will remind you that in every election there are always a number of races that are decided by a handful of votes. One of the Cork constituencies in 2002 was decided by a single vote. Martin Mansergh’s winning margin in 2007 was a relatively massive 59 votes. Every single vote does matter.
A tip: If you are confused about how to vote or what happens at the count but are too embarrassed to ask questions, my friends Jason O’Mahony and Andrea Pappin have two excellent videos on their website www.election2011.ie that will tell you all you need to know.
A second tip, and a word of warning: I have heard tales all week of people not receiving their polling card. If you haven’t received a polling card, and you are on the register, you can still vote by going to the polling station with ID. However, I have also heard tales of people checking the register on the www.checktheregister.ie website and finding they are not on it.
IF YOU ARE IN THAT CATEGORY READ CAREFULLY: If you registered to vote by having your name added to the supplemental register (that is, by having to get a Garda sign your form), then your registration probably hasn’t been updated on the Check the Register website. However, you are more than likely on the register at your local polling station, so you should still turn up to vote.
But, there is a but. I have heard that some local authorities – who have responsibility for the electoral register, have made a mess of the supplementary register and some voters who should be on it are not. I DO NOT WANT TO CAUSE PANIC – the reports I have heard have been anecdotal, but I have heard enough of them to believe that the problem, while not widespread, is certainly not an isolated one.
Firstly, this is a disgrace. It is eerily similar to the hames that local authorities make of student grants. No wonder local government is so weak when the few simple tasks that are devolved to them they are so bad at doing.
Secondly, I would encourage any voters who find themselves in this position not to accept it. If you filled your supplementary register application in properly and submitted it on time, or if you took part in the Students’ Union’s registration campaign, then you should be able to vote – if you turn up at your polling station and are denied a vote, I strongly encourage you to do the following:
- Ring the Franchise Section of your local authority immediately and demand an explanation.
- Ring your candidates, particularly the candidate or candidates that you intended to vote for.
Personally, I believe that voters who properly submitted their registration and are denied a vote have a strong case to take legal action, but that’s another days work. Let’s get over tomorrow first.
