Youth Council warns of 100,000 lost voters

Gerry Adams and Pearse Doherty

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty has challenged the 26-County Government to explain what it is doing to increase voter turnout after a warning from the National Youth Council that up to 100,000 young people may not be able to cast their ballot on 11 June because they are not on the electoral register.

Doherty (26), the party's EU candidate in the Northwest constituency and local election candidate for the Glenties Ward in Donegal, said "it's not apathy that stops young people voting; it is the awkward and time-consuming process of registration that puts them off. The fact that young people now have to present proof of identity at a Garda Station and have a registration form signed by a Garda is making it very difficult for would be first time voters to get registered. This difficulty is increased in rural areas, where garda stations only stay open for a few hours a day.

"Voter registration drives should be carried out in colleges and shopping centres and other areas where young people congregate well in advance of elections. Even better would be for the Government to introduce automatic registration for people when they turn 18.

"It is no good Government Ministers wringing their hands about low voter turnouts when they refuse to make things easier for people to register and to cast their votes.

Earlier this year, I called on the government to ensure that this election would be held on a Saturday, as was the case with the Nice II referendum. Not only did the government not heed this call and the call of other youth organisations, but they have reduced the polling station closing time by one hour, making it more difficult for those working and studying away from home to cast their vote.

"All the signals from this government indicate that they fear the voice of the youth. Young people must ensure that their voices are heard, they need to use their vote, however much the Government might try to put them off. Voters can still register by getting forms from any post office, Garda station, local authority office, courthouse, public library, or from Sinn Féin."