A substantial number of potential voters have been left off the electoral register for the next Seanad election in Trinity College Dublin, because a box of applications forms was mislaid, the college has confirmed.
Of the 2,000 graduates who applied for inclusion on the register, published on October 1st, 742 were left out due to the administrative error. It means they will not be able to vote if there is a Seanad election between now and June 1st next.
The loss of 742 votes is a significant figure in a Trinity Seanad election. In the last election in 2002, the total valid poll was just 14,237 and the difference on the last count in 2002 between Mary Henry, who won the third and final seat, and Ivana Bacik, who failed to be elected, was 532.
"On investigation it was discovered that a box of forms containing the 742 forms had been mislaid and not included in the register in time to meet the statutory deadline for the publication of the updated register," said the college in a statement last night.
"The college sought legal advice as to whether a supplementary register could be prepared. This advice was that the relevant electoral legislation allows no discretion to the Minister to permit the submission of a revised electoral register," it said.
The statement added that the missing 742 voters will be instated in the 2007 register with effect from June 1st next year and will be able to nominate candidates for, and vote in, any Seanad elections subsequent to that date. There are currently 46,589 people on the register.
"The college has already advised the existing Senators of the error and will contact all those affected over the coming days.
"The college deeply regrets this error and is currently reviewing its electoral registration process to identify what improvements need to be made," said the statement.
Ivana Bacik, who will be a candidate in the next election, said yesterday that turnout in Seanad elections was a serious cause of concern, with only one in three of those on the register voting in the last Trinity election.
"Given this background it is extremely disappointing that Trinity College failed to register 742 of the 2,000 voters who were entitled to be added to the register that came into force on October 1st."
She added: "Under Section 164 of the Electoral Act, 1992 the Minister appears to have the power to deal with any special difficulty arising with the registration of voters through Ministerial Order. However, it seems that the Minister's department is not prepared to use this avenue to restore the 742 people to the register. It beggars belief that at a time when Minister Roche is promoting a €1 million voter registration form, he can't find his way to use the power granted to him by the Oireachtas to deal with the difficulty that has arisen in Trinity College and ensure that these 742 people are entitled to vote."