Dublin voters urged to check if they are registered to vote

The Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, T.D. has called on electors and potential electors to check if their voting details are up to date and if they are registered to vote.

The Government is launching a campaign to encourage everyone, including those already registered to vote, to go to checktheregister.ie and either confirm or update their details.

In a year when there is a referendum promised, less than 12 months before local and European elections, and a general election due within the next 18 months, the Minister is encouraging everyone to act now to get ahead to ensure their information is correct.

“Local authorities around the country are gearing up for a substantial body of work over the summer months to update the electoral register and further improve its accuracy but they can’t do it on their own,” the Minister said.

“Even if we’re already on the register, we all have a part to play and we can do this by checking and either confirming or updating our information.  Adding details including date of birth and PPSN allows local authorities to cross-check and confirm the information provided by each person, adding to the integrity of the process.”   

“We can also let local authorities know about other changes needed, for example in relation to family members who are deceased and still on the register, I think we all know that it can be upsetting for a loved one to receive a polling card for someone no longer with us,” said Minister Noonan.

Despite moving the last general election to a Saturday in a bid to boost turnout, the 2020 general election saw a 2% drop in turnout compared to 2016, with only 62.9% of registered voters turning out to vote in February 2020.

No Irish general election has seen a turnout of more than 70% since the election of 1987, while the turnout for the last local and European elections of 2019 saw a turnout of just over 50%.