The recent CSO quarterly national household survey on voter participation and abstention provides valuable new information on attitudes to voting and on the causes for non-voting among the public. The survey establishes a strong correlation between turnout and increasing age of voters and indicates that 70% of those surveyed are very or fairly satisfied with the working of democracy in Ireland. Another interesting finding is that over 60% of the people responding to the survey did not have a preference regarding the day of the week on which voting occurs.
In general, the results of the CSO survey indicate that publicly-funded awareness campaigns regarding electoral participation are properly targeted. Advertising of this kind has been designed to address younger voters in particular. In addition, much of this advertising budget is concentrated on the need for voters to register a priority highlighted by the survey finding that "not registered" was the most commonly cited reason for abstaining from voting. The challenge is to intensify awareness efforts in both these areas and to make them more effective.
The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 addresses barriers to voter registration and voting that exist within the current system and provides for a range of measures which will make a positive contribution to encouraging voter participation. Among the measures included in the Act are provisions for photographs and party emblems on ballot papers, earlier opening of polling stations, the display of a large print copy of ballot papers in polling buildings, companion voting for persons with literacy difficulties, voting by poll workers and provision that a registered voter who changes address can apply for entry in the supplementary register. In addition, the Act pro vides a statutory basis for the introduction of electronic voting and vote counting which will be extended countrywide in 2004 following its successful use in seven constituencies at the second Nice referendum.
The Referendum Act 2001 provided the Referendum Commission with a new function of promoting awareness of the referendum and encouraging citizens to vote. The recently published Referendum Commission report refers in positive terms to this additional function.
As part of the PPF initiative, extended publicity campaigns to promote voter registration were undertaken in the three-year period to the end of 2002.
Additional Information.
Separate information campaigns were carried out to promote the introduction of electronic voting at the general election and the second Nice referendum in 2002 and an extensive campaign will also be undertaken prior to the countrywide roll out of the electronic system in 2004. This campaign will contain a strong focus on encouraging voter turnout.
My Department will continue to keep under review measures which will contribute to improving voter participation having particular regard to the findings in the CSO survey, the Referendum Commission report and any other relevant research.