NI electoral register expanded

More than 40,000 voters will be added to the electoral register in Northern Ireland in time to allow them to vote in the Assembly…

More than 40,000 voters will be added to the electoral register in Northern Ireland in time to allow them to vote in the Assembly election, it was announced today.

The Chief Electoral Officer, Douglas Bain, said as a result of rolling registration 40,849 voters were being added to the list. The voters are those who completed electoral registration forms since October 16 which was the cut-off date for the register published on December 1.

The revised register, which will be the final version published ahead of the Assembly election, will contain the names and addresses of 1,115,965 people.

Mr Bain said: "The addition of nearly 41,000 names to the electoral register is excellent news for everyone who cares about democracy in Northern Ireland. "As a result the register, which was already by far the most accurate and comprehensive anywhere in these islands, is even better."

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He said the register was the result of an enormous programme of work over several months and he wanted to thank everyone who returned a form and all those who assisted with the registration process.

The number of people added to the register since December last year showed particular increases in nationalist constituencies.

The rise was 11.2% in West Belfast, 5.2% in West Tyrone and 4.7% in Foyle. By contrast the increase was 2.4% in Upper Bann, 2.5% in East Antrim and 2.6% in East Derry.

PA