Page 32 - COBH EDITION 15th MARCH DIGITAL VERSION

Minister Stanton urges voters to check the Electoral Register

Cork East Fine Gael TD and Minister of State at the Department of Justice, David
Stanton, is calling on all voters in Cork East to check the register to ensure they
have a vote ahead of this year’s local and European elections. Both elections will
take place on Friday, 24 May.

Minister Stanton said “I would ask all eligible voters in Cork East to check that they
have a vote. This can be done online at www.checktheregister.ie or by going to your
local Garda Station, Post Office or library which should all have copies of the 2019 -
2020 electoral register, published on 15 February 2019. If your name is not on the
register, you still have plenty of time to be added to the Supplement to the Register
of Electors which will allow you to vote in May.

“Checking that you are registered to vote in your local area is particularly important
for anyone who has recently moved to the constituency or has changed address.
Anyone who needs to transfer their vote can download application form RFA3 (Ap-
plication for inclusion in the Supplement to the Register of Electors - Change of Ad-
dress) from http://checktheregister.ie/PublicPages/AppForms.aspx
“Anyone who has recently turned 18 or who have never voted before but would like
to vote in these elections should download and complete application form RFA2 (Ap-
plication for inclusion in the Supplement to the Register of Electors) from the same
website. These forms must be witnessed by a member of An Garda Síochána and
returned to the Franchise Office, Cork County Council, County Hall, Cork.
“There are also Special Voters and Postal Voters forms available. Special Voters
are persons who reside in hospitals or nursing homes so will not be able to attend
a polling station to vote in May. By filling out Part A of the SVS1 form and having a
doctor complete Part B, a postal vote will be possible.

“Postal votes are available for anyone living at home due to physical illness or dis-
ability through completion of form PVS1 by a medical practitioner. Form PVS2 is for
persons who due to their occupation or education will not be able to attend their
polling station to vote.

“Form RFA5 is available for those who have previously been registered but have
recently become Irish citizens while the revised form EP1 is for EU citizens wishing
to register for the European Parliament elections.

“People can also call to or contact my constituency office directly at 29 St Mary’s
Road, Midleton (Tel: 021 4632867/email: david.stanton@oir.ie) if they would like to
collect any of these forms or have them posted or emailed out to them.
“The right to vote is central to our democracy and it is important that anyone who is
eligible to vote exercises their right. Applications for inclusion on the supplementary
register of electors must be received by Cork County Council 15 days before polling
day or 22 days for Special Voters and Postal Voters (both deadlines exclude Sundays
and public holidays)”, concluded Minister Stanton.