Cancer campaigner angry at being sent polling card for late wife

Cervical smear test campaigner Stephen Teap has urged an overhaul of the electoral register after receiving a polling card for his late wife more than two years after her death.

Mr Teap said he was “angry at the stupidity” of being sent a polling card this week for his wife Irene (35), who died from cervical cancer in 2017 after two cervical smear tests were misread.

The 36-year-old was left to rear their two young sons, Oscar and Noah, who were just four and two at the time.

Mr Teap said he was surprised by the response he got on social media after posting a picture of the polling card.

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A number of people reported similar experiences.

“It seems to be an ongoing thing for many people,” he told Newstalk radio .

Mr Teap said he has been sent a polling card for his late wife for the Eighth Amendment referendum, the presidential election and the local election before the latest one for the general election.

It would be “logical” and “sensible” to have a review of the electoral register system he said, possibly creating a centralised database of votes based on personal public service numbers.

‘Sensitive nature’

“Clearly something obviously needs to be done – if anything just to tackle the insensitive nature of it,” he said.

Paul Dingivan, from Cork, also received a polling card for his wife Julie, who died aged 36 in April 2017 from cervical cancer after having been given the all-clear in a smear test.

Mr Dingivan tweeted a picture of the card, adding: “Had ye not of killed her I’m sure she would of given ye her vote”.

Speaking to Red FM’s The Neil Prendeville show, the widower said his young daughter picked up the polling card when they were returning home and said

“there was a postcard there for Mammy”.

“I didn’t know what to think at first ... I though it was ridiculous,” he said.

“It’s just not nice to see it coming in the door.. it’s just crazy.”

In order to remove the name of a deceased from the Register of Electors a RFA1 form must be filled out, which is available from local authorities.

Polling cards are sent to registered voters by the returning office in each area, and legislation requires the cards be delivered no later than three days before the vote.

However, a Department of Housing spokeswoman said voters do not need a polling card to vote, once they attend the polling station on the day with a valid form of identification.

This can include a driving licence, a passport, a Public Services Card, or a student card as long as it contains a photograph.