Northern Ireland

Forthcoming canvass for updating the electoral register will not involve door-to-door calls by staff

Chief electoral officer Virginia McVea
Chief electoral officer Virginia McVea Chief electoral officer Virginia McVea

THE CHIEF electoral officer has insisted that the forthcoming canvass for updating the electoral register will not involve door-to-door calls by staff.

The canvassing of households to update the electoral register is legally required but was delayed last year due to the Covid pandemic.

Sinn Féin has voiced concerns about the exercise in the midst of a pandemic, labelling it a "mass purge of voters".

Chief electoral officer Virginia McVea has indicated that she plans to press ahead with the review but has stressed that it will not compromise public health guidelines.

The Electoral Office will maildrop every house in June giving notice of the canvass and explaining to the public how they can register online or get a paper application

A second maildrop in July will inform people that the canvass has opened, while there will be "targeted paper exercise" for harder to reach groups such as the over-75s.

There will be further maildrops in August, September and October.

Ms McVea said it was possible, if public health guidance allows, that in the autumn there could be a small canvasser group dispatched to target those who fail to respond but only "if needed and safe".