Researchers To Vet Electoral Register

An independent elections watchdog is starting research into the accuracy and completeness of Northern Ireland’s electoral register.

Researchers from the Electoral Commission want to make sure that there are no false entries on the register and that everyone eligible is registered to vote.

They will knock on 1,500 doors across Northern Ireland to check the information on file.

As there are no elections scheduled until 2014, Séamus Magee, the head of the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland said this was a "timely opportunity" to undertake the research.

There are currently more than 1.2 million people on the electoral register in Northern Ireland, the highest number since the introduction of individual electoral registration ten years ago.

But there has been no NI-wide canvass of electors since the annual canvass was ended in 2006.

Participants in the research will be asked to provide the names of all potential electors over the age of 16 in their household, which will then be checked against the information held on the electoral register.

A similar project in 2007 found that the Northern Ireland register was 96% accurate and 84% complete.

In December 2011, research by the Electoral Commission found that in Great Britain, where households register together, information on the register was only 85% accurate and 82% complete.

The Commission will report on the research in November.

(NE)