A Sinn Féin delegation led by Paul Maskey MP today met with the Electoral Commission to raise a series of concerns relating to the electoral process in the North.

The West Belfast MP said:

“We raised the planned wiping of the Electoral Register during the COVID pandemic when it will be more difficult to get people re-registered. 

“We also raised the need to modernise the electoral system in order to have an accurate register and to encourage people to get on the register. 

“We highlighted the differences in electoral registration and voting processes in the North compared to elsewhere and how the process of registering to vote, obtaining a postal or proxy vote, and staying on the electoral register, is much smoother in England, Scotland and Wales.

“16 year-old can also vote in various elections in these countries and the same right should be extended to the north. 

“We need to encourage participative democracy to its fullest extent, and the British Government and Electoral Office should immediately bring forward proposals to achieve this.”