[Article] SDLP member hits out at disability decision

Victor

I'd be interested in hearing peoples opinions on this - at what point does someone become ineligible to vote (with the presumption being that everyone is entitled to vote).

There is a risk of some votes of people with disabilities would be misused by unscrupleous carers, assistants or family. Is the risk of a (one) corrupt vote worth taking to allow others vote?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/04/12/story142551.html

SDLP member hits out at disability decision
12/04/2004 - 2:10:33 PM

People with Down’s syndrome are being refused the right to register to vote in Northern Ireland despite having voted in the past, it was claimed today.

SDLP Assembly member Patsy McGlone said a constituent with Down’s syndrome had been refused a place on the electoral roll even though he had been on it as recently as the Assembly elections last November and had voted in the past.

“The Electoral Office is now saying that because he has Down’s syndrome he is not entitled to vote.

"This fellow wants to go out and vote with everyone else and I know fine well that he knows who he wants to vote for,” said Mr McGlone.

The Mid- Ulster MLA claimed his constituent was not alone and he knew through fellow Assembly members of hundreds of people across the North who were suddenly in the same position.

He has been in contact with the Equality Commission seeking to challenge the issue under disability legislation and said it could also be a matter for the Human Rights Commission.

“The Electoral Office has made a quite arbitrary decision and I think it is very, very unfair,” said Mr McGlone.

“He is entitled to everything else but the Electoral Office is saying that just because he has Down’s syndrome he is less of a citizen than anyone else and has less of a right to vote.

“I don’t think anyone ought to be allowed to make that sort of decision,” he added.

Victor

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/04/14/story142875.html

Offensive wording causes row in North
14/04/2004 - 7:08:31 PM

A row has blown up in the North after it was discovered that laws banning mentally disabled people from voting refer to them as "idiots and lunatics".

The SDLP is demanding the ban be lifted and the language used in the legislation changed.

Tighter laws governing voting in the North means each individual has to sign a vote application form.

This has led to mentally disabled people who cannot sign their own names being barred from voting.

According to the Electoral Commission, anyone with mental disabilities cannot vote at a general election, under common law, if they are incapable of making a reasoned judgement on polling day.

The row has deepened after the SDLP discovered that the words used to bar the mentally disabled refer to them as "idiots and lunatics".

The SDLP's Patsy McGlone is demanding the offensive reference be removed from official guidelines.

He said it was incredibly insulting to mentally disabled people and their families.