# proposal to remove my name from Register of Electors



## Lizard (20 Nov 2012)

I got a letter from my local authority informing me that it is proposed to remove my name from the register of Electors, as their records indicate that I am no longer resident at my home address! 

This came as a complete surprise to me. I am at a loss as to why it was proposed, and what records indicate that I'm not resident at my own address anymore. 

Is it because I didn't use my vote in the last referendum? Has this happened to anyone else, and how does the council come to this decision?

Someone please enlighten me. And what should I do?

Thanks.


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## Time (20 Nov 2012)

Tis that time of year again.

Write to the council and tell them you are resident at your address and seek clarification you will remain on the register.

What has happened is that the council spies for your area must have missed you during their rounds and thus marked you off their list.


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## Lizard (20 Nov 2012)

Thank you Time. This has never happened to me before. My mortgage is with the Council. I pay my Household charge with them, and I am registered as a library user in one of their libraries. 

Doing rounds? You mean electoral council officers going around door to door? I never knew they did this. Oh dear, what a pain. I have submitted my address again. I will now seek clarification that I will remain on the register.. as you have suggested. 

Thanks again.


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## Time (20 Nov 2012)

I have had councils officials calling to the door demanding names and DOBs for all occupants. Not seen them this year yet. 

One year I was not in and they tried to remove my name from the list, I ended up having to go to the Circuit court to stay on the register.


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## Jim2007 (20 Nov 2012)

Lizard said:


> Thank you Time. This has never happened to me before. My mortgage is with the Council. I pay my Household charge with them, and I am registered as a library user in one of their libraries.



But are you in fact living at the address???


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## huskerdu (20 Nov 2012)

Time said:


> I have had councils officials calling to the door demanding names and DOBs for all occupants. Not seen them this year yet.
> 
> One year I was not in and they tried to remove my name from the list, I ended up having to go to the Circuit court to stay on the register.



Yes, they have called to my door many times over the last 15 years.
If you are not there, they often put a form in the letter box for you to send back, confirming that you still live there.

I'm in a good mood and I dont want to ruin my evening, so I am not going to have a rant about how inefficient a system it is.


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## Time (20 Nov 2012)

It is a totally inefficient system. The shower around these parts don't leave a form so you have you go to court to fight for your right to vote.

Also you had local councillors adding people to the register without their consent. A totally crazy system which is open to abuse.


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## Lizard (21 Nov 2012)

I cant believe I'm going to have to fight to keep my vote. That's absurd.


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## Jim2007 (21 Nov 2012)

Lizard said:


> I cant believe I'm going to have to fight to keep my vote. That's absurd.



Again, are you in fact resident at that address?  If so it should be a very easy thing to sort out...  The most likely reason for removal is that the have been informed that you have moved on to some other location.


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## Time (21 Nov 2012)

> If so it should be a very easy thing to sort out...


At this stage to get back on the register a court order is required.


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## SarahMc (22 Nov 2012)

Time said:


> At this stage to get back on the register a court order is required.



Would it not be handier to just reregister?


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## Setanta12 (22 Nov 2012)

Not absurd at all. Consider the tens of thousands who didn't vote at the last referendum - and the thousands of voters registered twice.

Its a small price. Yes it is inefficient, but they are trying and oh-so-slowly (too slowly) succeeding.


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## Lizard (22 Nov 2012)

I rang the Council yesterday, and they told me that I probably wasn't in when their people were going around. I live in an apt. Apparently difficult to gain access to addresses in apt blocks. Also my intercom is broken. But I didn't get the letter stating that they had called. 
I was also told that in theory I should download the Registration Form from their website every year, fill it in manually, and post it to them. I cannot apply online. Mind you I can apply online to pay the household charge.Grrrrr


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## Time (22 Nov 2012)

SarahMc said:


> Would it not be handier to just reregister?



Once you past the deadline your application must be considered by a judge.


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## ajapale (22 Nov 2012)

Time said:


> Once you past the deadline your application must be considered by a judge.



Are you sure about that? About 20y ago I was taken off the register and just applied to be put back on the draft register and was put on the full register the next time it was compiled. Has the law changed? Do you have a link?


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## Time (22 Nov 2012)

If you apply before the deadline which is mid November, you are put on the register without formality. 

If you realise you are not on the list after the mid november cut off, your application is referred to a circuit court judge who sits in January to adjudicate on late applications. They call this a claim court. 





> Preparation of Register
> During September/October the registration authority carries out house-to-house or other local enquiries for the purpose of preparing the draft register. In many cases, this will involve delivering registration (Form RFA) forms to households for completion. A registration authority may require a person to produce documentary evidence in support of eligibility to vote e.g. a birth certificate or a certificate of naturalisation in the case of citizenship. The draft register is published on 1st November and is made available for examination at post offices, public libraries, Garda stations, courthouses and local authority offices up to 25th November. The public are invited to check the draft during this period to make sure that they are correctly registered.
> 
> *Any errors or omissions in the draft should be brought immediately to the attention of the registration authority. Claims for the addition or deletion of names are ruled on by the county registrar who is a legally qualified court officer. The ruling is made in public and any person may attend and give evidence. Interested persons are notified of the county registrar's decision. An appeal may be made in the circuit court against a county registrar's decision.*
> The final register is published on 1st February and comes into force, for a year, on 15th February.


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## dereko1969 (22 Nov 2012)

Lizard said:


> I rang the Council yesterday, and they told me that I probably wasn't in when their people were going around. I live in an apt. Apparently difficult to gain access to addresses in apt blocks. Also my intercom is broken. But I didn't get the letter stating that they had called.
> I was also told that in theory I should download the Registration Form from their website every year, fill it in manually, and post it to them. I cannot apply online. Mind you I can apply online to pay the household charge.Grrrrr


 
Is your letter box accessible to people that can't get into the building? I know a good few apartment blocks where if you can't get into the building you can't get to the letterboxes, perhaps that's why they couldn't leave a notification that they couldn't get in.

Still doesn't excuse the fact that there seems to be a severe lack of communication between sectors as you say you pay your mortgage to the council - (but perhaps that's no certainty that you're living there, you could be renting the house out).


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## Jim2007 (22 Nov 2012)

Time said:


> At this stage to get back on the register a court order is required.



He has not actually been removed yet, at least that is what he seems to be saying


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## SarahMc (22 Nov 2012)

But can't you go on the supplementary register without a court order?


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## lucylu (29 Nov 2012)

I had this problem with my County Council.. I was being removed off the registrar because I was "married". however I was not listed with my married name either. The council have data collectors in the area who update the list. I dont use my married name however this old guy compiling the list suggested I did twice.
It took a while to sort.


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