Former Mayor fears thousands could disappear from electoral register

A former Mayor has claimed that thousands of people could be stripped from the electoral register if they fail to return forms. 

Councillor Elisha McCallion says the Electoral Office is carrying out a review of the live register.

Urging people to complete and return the forms, she said:

“We have seen in the past when the Electoral Office carries out such review that thousands of people come off the register unless they reply to the correspondence sent out. Once this happens it can be very difficult to get people back on the register.

"People are only too aware of the struggle and sacrifice made down the years  by the ordinary man and woman to win the right to vote.  At different times in history, depending on gender, race, religion or social class whole sections of society have been excluded from this most basic of democratic rights.  Here in Ireland, particularly in Derry, we are only too aware of what it has meant to be denied the right to vote.

“There are very real possibilities that many people in the city will be disenfranchised and that this will further impact those who do not appear on the register in terms of availing of credit and mortgages services for example."