Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 July 2015
229. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures in place for the registration of homeless persons to vote; if he has provided any guidance or direction to local authorities on this matter; his plans to inform homeless persons of their entitlements to vote, and the locations they can register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27910/15]
View answerIn order to vote at an election or a referendum a voter must be registered in the appropriate register of electors for that election or referendum. The Electoral Act 1992 provides for the registration of voters where they are ‘ordinarily resident’. Depending on the circumstances, the registration authority may consider it appropriate to register a homeless person at a particular hostel or shelter where they may be residing, either permanently or temporarily.
While no specific guidance is given to registration authorities, I would expect, in the circumstances, that they take a reasonable and commonsense approach to the inclusion of homeless persons in the register of electors.
