Electoral Commission statement on Northern Ireland Assembly election announcement

17 Jan 2017 02:53 PM

Following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that an election to the Northern Ireland Assembly will be held on Thursday 2 March, Ann Watt, Head of the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland said:

“The Electoral Commission has plans in place to support the efficient delivery of the election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, announced yesterday [16 January 2017]. Our role will include providing advice and guidance to parties and campaigners, as well as delivering a public awareness campaign so that voters have the information they need to cast their vote with confidence.

“Our report on the recent Assembly Election held in May 2016 found that this was well run and we will work closely with the Chief Electoral Officer to support their work and make sure that this is the case again.

“To vote in this election you must be registered to vote. The deadline for registering to vote is Tuesday 14 February. You can check if you are registered by calling the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland on 0800 4320 712 or emailing info@eoni.org.uk. If you can’t make it to the polling station on 2 March then you have until Friday 10 February to apply for a postal or proxy vote. For more information on registering to vote or how to vote at the election visit www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.”

For further information please contact Cahir Hughes on 028 9089 4023 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk Out of office hours - 07789 920 414.

Notes to editors

• The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:
  • enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focussing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
  • regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
  • using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency

The Commission was set up in 2000 and reportsto the UK and Scottish Parliaments.