# The Electoral Register/ Married or Maiden Name



## mo3art (3 Dec 2006)

Boy am I mad.
With all the much-publicised amendments to the electoral register and encouragement to check that you're on.  I logged onto the website to check and see was I on the register.
I've been registered since I was 18 and everytime I moved house, I changed it accordingly, so have been registered at my current address for the past 4 years.
Imagine my surprise when I checked the register and couldn't find my name registered to my address!  So I checked my husband's name and his was fine.  We were married during the summer, so he suggested that I check under my married name on the off chance.
Lo and behold my surname came up as that of my husband.
Now just to clarify, we never received a call to the door and nobody ever verified that I intended to take my husband's name.  Eventually I do plan on doing so, but at present I don't even have a copy of the marriage certificate & use my maiden name for most official things.
The fact is that I don't even have any form of identification in my married name & somehow the register has been changed without my permission.
Does anybody know is the only way I can now get my name changed back is to show proof of my maiden name.  If so, I will have to get a copy of the marriage cert to them then because there is no other document with evidence of my maiden & my husband's surname?


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## auto320 (3 Dec 2006)

*Re: The Electoral Register*

What's the link for checking the register?


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## ajapale (3 Dec 2006)

*Re: The Electoral Register*

http://www.checktheregister.ie/


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## auto320 (4 Dec 2006)

*Re: The Electoral Register*

Thanks, didn't realise you could check on line, was thinking of going to garda barracks etc to have a look. You saved me a trip!


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## GeneralZod (4 Dec 2006)

*Re: The Electoral Register*

Is it possible to be ex-directory on the register? I can't find the Minister responsible for the coming debacle, Dick Roache, on it at his home/constituency clinic. It would be wonderfully ironic if he couldn't vote.


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## ajapale (4 Dec 2006)

*Re: The Electoral Register*



GeneralZod said:


> Dick Roache



I heard him on the radio last week about this. Try searching for _Richard Roche. _The spelling of the Name and Address has to be an exact match. On occasion the local authority has misspelt a townland or street name in that case you have to misspell it too to find if you are on the register.

image

Notwithstanding the very real frustration expressed by the Mo3art I think this post is a straight up information Q&A style post and Im moving it back to Misc Non Financial Questions from LOS.


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## michaelm (4 Dec 2006)

mo3art said:


> Boy am I mad.


Is it really a big deal? You're not a maiden any more; it will simplify things for you if you change your name sooner rather than later.  You should have a copy of your marriage cert anyway, you'll need it for various things.  Any chance that your husband gave said details at the door or over the phone at some point and just forgot?


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## Dreamerb (4 Dec 2006)

michaelm said:


> Is it really a big deal? You're not a maiden any more; it will simplify things for you if you change your name sooner rather than later. You should have a copy of your marriage cert anyway, you'll need it for various things. Any chance that your husband gave said details at the door or over the phone at some point and just forgot?


 
There is no onus on any woman to change her name, and it most emphatically should not be changed on her behalf without her consent. It is a *very* big deal: no-one has any right to make such changes except her. If she intends to change her name, that is a matter for her to decide. Not the council, not her husband, not anyone.


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## ajapale (4 Dec 2006)

mo3art said:


> Now just to clarify, _we never received a call to the door_ and nobody ever verified that I intended to take my husband's name...
> ...
> The fact is that I don't even have any form of identification in my married name and somehow the register has been changed without my permission.
> ....
> Does anybody know [how] I can now get my name changed back?



As far as I know what we are talking about here is a mistake in the draft register. (The presumptious use of your married name rather than your single name). Im not sure what the procedure is to correct the register but if I find out ill post here.


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## Leo (4 Dec 2006)

There's a link on the home page of CheckTheRegister to download the RFA1 form which is to be used to sublit updates or corrections. You have until December 9th to return these.
Leo


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## ClubMan (4 Dec 2006)

michaelm said:


> Is it really a big deal?


It could be if the register/voting card carries the husband's name but the woman's documentation is all still in her own name I guess and she is asked for ID when voting. For what it's worth my wife never did anything about changing her surname and is still registered under he own name.


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## Lorz (4 Dec 2006)

We were away when they called to our area so our neighbours kindly added us to the register!  Could be the reason for your problem too!


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## mo3art (4 Dec 2006)

Still not acceptable to me either way.
For what it's worth, none of my neighbours informed the inspector.  I have checked so I'm baffled as to how it happened.
I admit to being very annoyed at the assumption that it's alright to do this and sure amn't I changing it in the future anyway?  Just like any other person, I have the right to be addressed in any way I see fit.  So if I decide to be called "ming the merciless" on the electoral register it is my decision - NOT anybody else's.


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## ajapale (4 Dec 2006)

Hi Mo3art,

Somebody in the local authority has made a mistake in compiling the draft register. Leo has pointed out how you can go about correcting the error.



Leo said:


> There's a link on the home page of CheckTheRegister to download the RFA1 form which is to be used to sublit updates or corrections. You have until December 9th to return these. Leo



I understand your frustration and annoyance and have reinstated that part of the thread in Letting Go Steam.

We can leave this interesting thread as an example of how mistakes in compiling the draft register can be rectified.

aj


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## Danmo (4 Dec 2006)

I sumitted the form and am *still not register* but have been removed from register where I used to live!!!


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## ajapale (4 Dec 2006)

How have you determined that you are still not on the register?


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