Thousands of voters may be disenfranchised because of the Government’s “failure” to legislate in time for a new Seanad electoral panel, Senator Rónán Mullen has said.
Almost 140 candidates are set to run in the Seanad election. Graduates of both National University of Ireland (NUI) institutions and Trinity College Dublin (TCD) vote for the six seats (three in each) on the NUI and University of Dublin panels respectively.
However, less than 200,000 graduates made up the electorate who decided who would fill the seats in 2020. Reforms to the Seanad elections have been described as long overdue, and will see approximately one million graduates across all third level institutions in Ireland eligible to vote in future Seanad elections. However, such reform has not been delivered in time for this election.
A six-seat ‘Higher Education’ constituency will be established after next April, replacing the current two three-seat National University of Ireland (NUI) and Trinity panels, the last two elections for which are currently underway. The deadline for ballots to be received in these panels is 29th January, while the deadline for registering for the new constituency is earlier – 23rd January.
Senator Mullen, who was first elected to the Seanad for the National University constituency in 2007 and re-elected in 2011, 2016 and 2020, said that “confusion abounds” and that he has been contacted by many voters who he says are “baffled by being told to register by 23rd January at the same as waiting for postal ballots for another election to arrive in the post.”
“This colossal bad timing is the fault of the Government and Minister Darragh O’Brien who left it to the last minute to legislate for the Supreme Court decision in the Heneghan case,” Senator Mullen said in a statement.
The Senator pointed out that the Heneghan decision requires the extension of the University franchise to graduates of other Higher Education institutions in the State. An election register for the new constituency must be in place by April to meet the terms of the Supreme Court decision.
However, Senator Mullen voiced objection to the fact that currently-registered voters are not being re-registered automatically. He says that instead, they have been sent a letter telling them to log on to www.seanadvoter.ie by 23rd January in order to keep their vote.
“After that they will be put through the hoops by having to upload passport details, despite the fact that the law doesn’t require you to hold a passport.”
“Many people will lose their right to vote because, as they cast their ballot this time, they think they are still participating and therefore remaining in the system.”
Senator Mullen also criticised the failure of the National University of Ireland, the designated Central Registration Authority for the new constituency, to send a paper registration form to currently-registered graduates. The failure to provide a phone number to assist voters who may not be computer literate, particularly those in advanced years, adds insult to injury, he says.
“Some banks have been justly criticised over the years for foisting digital transactions on those who for whatever reason find information technology difficult to navigate,” said Mullen. “You don’t expect the same insensitivity from agents of the State responsible for organising an election to the Oireachtas.”
Senator Mullen is now calling on the National University of Ireland to run an advertising campaign to help people register for the new constituency.
“They should put up a phone line immediately to enable people to request a paper form without having to ask help from somebody with a computer,” Mullen added.
“Is it that the people in charge want as few people as possible to register for what they may see as an expensive postal vote system?”
“In a democracy, it should be easier, not harder, for people to register to vote.”