Gormley announces Register of Electors campaign
Issued: 01 November 2007
Statement by John Gormley
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley has launched a public information campaign to promote awareness of the Draft Register of Electors and the need for a concerted effort to ensure that the Register is as accurate and comprehensive as possible.
The nationwide awareness campaign coincides with the period (from 1 November to 25 November next) when the Draft Register of Electors is on display in public offices, such as City and County Council offices, Garda stations, libraries, post offices and online at www.checktheregister.ie.
The objectives of the campaign are to encourage voters to check the Draft Register to ensure that they are correctly registered, to advise them to inform the appropriate City or County Council of any errors or omissions in the draft Register, to remind the electorate that the right to vote is an important entitlement and to emphasise that you cannot vote unless you are correctly registered.
The Minister said that the campaign will include advertisements on both national and local radio and in print media, as well as an outdoor poster campaign. In addition, a supply of indoor posters to be displayed locally has been given to each City and County Council, third-level student bodies, constituent organisations of the National Youth Council of Ireland, as well as to members of the Oireachtas. The campaign activities will commence with press advertising, followed by the targeted roll-out of radio and outdoor advertising over the coming weeks with the campaign concluding on 25 November.
"A high quality Register of Electors is essential for the successful operation of the electoral system and of the democratic process itself and the coming weeks are an important opportunity for us all to work
towards that objective," the Minister said.
The Minister went on to stress the importance of the general public checking the draft Register. "The accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register of Electors depend to a large extent on the co-operation and engagement of the public in providing the necessary information to their local City or County Council. The awareness campaign starting today will play an important role in reminding people of the responsibility on us all to check the Register and make sure that our details are correct," he concluded.