AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after it emerged that around 10 people who had signed up for the electoral roll will not be able to vote.
They had registered online and got their names in on time but are now disenfranchised because of an error at the Home Department.
Some are reportedly furious. The department was attempting to contact them over the weekend. ‘The Home Department wishes to apologise sincerely to those individuals affected by these omissions which, we believe, have been the result of staff changes and human error,’ said a spokesman.
‘Once the errors came to light, the staff made every attempt to rectify the situation. Unfortunately, it is not legally possible to make further additions or amendments to the electoral roll once it has been officially closed.’
That happened on 31 January.
‘The department is deeply sorry that this problem has occurred and has initiated a full inquiry.’
Its result will be made public.
‘The Home Department recognises that being able to vote is extremely important and will take appropriate steps to ensure that this unfortunate occurrence does not happen again.’
It is not the first problem to happen with the roll.
The department decided not to renew it for the 2008 election, which would have cost £50,000.
Because of that, candidates are reporting more anomalies than usual, including dead people still being on it.
Others are registered in two districts because they signed on for a new one but failed to return the card posted by the department to confirm that they had moved.
One of them is Ian Timms’s wife, who is registered in St Peter Port North and South.
Mr Timms rang the department but was also told because the roll had closed it could not be changed.
‘I’m surprised they don’t get a new roll every time we have an election,’ he said.
He believed the electoral process might be open to abuse, but there are strict penalties for anyone trying to vote twice.
Deputy registrar-general of electors David Robilliard said that district lists were checked against each other.
Offenders face a maximum penalty of a £10,000 fine and three months in prison.
‘At the last election no cases were found and in previous elections there have been very, very few.
‘I’m not aware there have been any prosecutions and the isolated cases that have been found have always been down to misunderstandings, basically.’
If a case of double voting was discovered, it would not invalidate an election.
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One Article Comment
Headline “How would you feel being left off the Electrol Roll?”I will tell you! I have voted since 1945 so reregistered 4 years ago only to be told at the polling station that i was not on the register.I was thoroughly humiliated in front of a queue…well you forgot dear etc!…I rang the home dept.fuming who admitted their error but said i could not return to vote. Ishall NEVER be returning to vote!