Equal Marriage Referendum - Are you registered to vote?

Annasopra

Do you intend voting in next years equal civil marriage referendum? Well thats great - are you actually registered? You have approximately 8 weeks to do so

You can check this by going to http://www.checktheregister.ie/ and see if you're listed there.

If you are not listed you should contact your local county council immediately.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/elections_and_referenda/voting/registering_to_vote.html

Annasopra

Bump - 5 weeks to get onto 2014/2015 register

freshpopcorn

Have they picked a date for the referendum yet or are they still saying its in Spring?

Annasopra

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Have they picked a date for the referendum yet or are they still saying its in Spring?

Theres no date.

As the Children and Family Relationships Bill is only starting the legislative process I would expect that to take another three of four months and then a bedding down period before a referendum in late Spring possibly even Summer

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR14000257

Its possible there will be 3 or 4 other referenda on the same day

Voting at 16 and changing the President age from 35 to 21 I think

Annasopra

By the way

Could everyone use their social media pages to also ask friends to make they are registered by November 1st.

baby and crumble

There's nearly always ways to get on the supplementary register after this cut off date. So if some of your friends miss the date it's not the end of the world.

Annasopra

baby and crumble wrote: »

There's nearly always ways to get on the supplementary register after this cut off date. So if some of your friends miss the date it's not the end of the world.

Of course but its easier to get onto the main register

To get onto the main register sign a form and post it to the county council

To get onto the supplementary - sign a form, go to the garda station, get it signed by them, post it to co co

GLEN and ICCL and Marriage Equality are working together. They want to encourage registration NOW not in 6 months time.

Stoneyfaced

Hi there

I work on the elections and without exception ten or so people turn up on every single polling day who aren't registered to vote.

They always throw a strop, insist that they've always voted at this polling station then demand the telephone number of the sheriff's office to complain about the incompetency of the polling staff!

If you're not on the register you can't vote and no amount of excuses, threats or abuse can change that.

Thank you for starting this post.

Daith

I'll share on FB but would be nice if there was template or post from GLEN or something to share.

Thanks for bringing this up!

PeteK*

I can vote but I know someone who can't and the registration page on the website isn't working.

Annasopra

Daith wrote: »

I'll share on FB but would be nice if there was template or post from GLEN or something to share.

Thanks for bringing this up!

Marriage Equality has posters you can share https://m.facebook.com/marriagequality

Annasopra

PeteK* wrote: »

I can vote but I know someone who can't and the registration page on the website isn't working.

http://www.dublincity.ie/onlinevotersregistration/

http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-your-council/register-vote

Aard

Is there any way to register without going through snail mail? Lile either online or even in person (assuming it's not in an out of the way location)? DLR btw.

Annasopra

Aard wrote: »

Is there any way to register without going through snail mail? Lile either online or even in person (assuming it's not in an out of the way location)? DLR btw.

I presume you could just turn up at the DLR offices with a form.

Aard

Thanks. It's nonsense that you can't register online. Especially considering that so many students live away from home for most of the year, and that students/young people tend to be the ones in need of registering.

Daith

Aard wrote: »

Thanks. It's nonsense that you can't register online. Especially considering that so many students live away from home for most of the year, and that students/young people tend to be the ones in need of registering.

This is going to be a major thing. You have students (or young people in general) who aren't registered and may not be bothered to and even then they need to get back home to actually vote.

Annasopra

Daith wrote: »

This is going to be a major thing. You have students (or young people in general) who aren't registered and may not be bothered to and even then they need to get back home to actually vote.

Thats why we all need to ask any young people we know to register. USI and Belong To are doing a lot of work on this.

Annasopra

Marriage Equality and GLEN and ICCL are running a joint voter registration campaign. Please like this facebook page and suggest it to friends too

http://www.facebook.com/yesequality

Uncle Ruckus

No but I reckon it will pass by 70-80%.

lazeedaisy

Thanks for the prompt, moved house & county, keep forgetting to go to post office to pick up a form, should be online registration, would have done it if it could be done,

But thanks, off work weds, will sort it then,

Annasopra

Uncle Ruckus wrote: »

No but I reckon it will pass by 70-80%.

There is absolutely no room for complacency. It's possible that it will pass by that margin but only if all supporters work hard for it and turnout to vote and dont make assumptions.

Jasnah

Does registration lapse after a certain period? I'm no longer on Dublin's list it seems (or else they can't find me). Unsure whether to send a change of address form (I've moved) or what…

L1011

Jasnah wrote: »

Does registration lapse after a certain period? I'm no longer on Dublin's list it seems (or else they can't find me). Unsure whether to send a change of address form (I've moved) or what…

Yes, not that theres a defined period. I bought my house two years ago after it was empty for maybe another two and I still get polling cards for a previous tenant. Each local authority varies.

Annasopra

Jasnah wrote: »

Does registration lapse after a certain period? I'm no longer on Dublin's list it seems (or else they can't find me). Unsure whether to send a change of address form (I've moved) or what…

Local authorities do things differently. The best thing to do is get an rfa form from your local authority where you vote or online and send it in

https://www.checktheregister.ie/PublicPages/AppForms.aspx

PeterJC!

When is the latest I can register by? Hoping to do it over midterm..

L1011

PeterJC! wrote: »

When is the latest I can register by? Hoping to do it over midterm..

End of the month I believe.

You can go on the supplementary register until a few weeks before the referendum but that requires going to a Garda station which is a little awkward.

eviltwin

Does anyone know the procedure if you are due to turn 18 in 2015? Do you register now?

Annasopra

PeterJC! wrote: »

When is the latest I can register by? Hoping to do it over midterm..

25th November is the cut off date. You can register after that but it gets more difficult.

Annasopra

eviltwin wrote: »

Does anyone know the procedure if you are due to turn 18 in 2015? Do you register now?

It depends. When does the person turn 18?

If the person is 18 before Feb 15th they can register now.

If the person is 18 after Feb 15th they would have to wait and go onto the supplementary register.

hotmail.com

Given the lack of clarity on the date of the referendum, why are they putting out a deadline for people to register?

Daith

hotmail.com wrote: »

Given the lack of clarity on the date of the referendum, why are they putting out a deadline for people to register?

Well the assumption is that it will be Spring 2015. It's important to get people to register because apathy either to register or to vote is what will kill this referendum.

Aard

The longer this referendum gets dragged out the better, imo. Once the economy starts steadily growing again people will begin to feel more comfortable and will care less about controversial issues.

L1011

hotmail.com wrote: »

Given the lack of clarity on the date of the referendum, why are they putting out a deadline for people to register?

This is the annual deadline for the annual register; not a deadline for the supplementary for the referendum.

LegacyUser

Hi, I'm trying to register for the first time. Does anyone know if on the RFA form I need to include my details only or those of all the eligible members living in my household (all of which are already registered to vote) ?
The notes attached to the RFA form says to include every person eligible but I am unsure whether that is inclusive of those already registered.

Thanks for your help!

Annasopra

hotmail.com wrote: »

Given the lack of clarity on the date of the referendum, why are they putting out a deadline for people to register?

There is always a deadline every year.

Annasopra

sesh23 wrote: »

Hi, I'm trying to register for the first time. Does anyone know if on the RFA form I need to include my details only or those of all the eligible members living in my household (all of which are already registered to vote) ?
The notes attached to the RFA form says to include every person eligible but I am unsure whether that is inclusive of those already registered.

Thanks for your help!

I think personally I would include everyone but just to be sure you could ring the local county council franchise section.

Annasopra

The draft register for 2015/2016 will be published on November 1st.

At that stage you still have until November 25th to register.

Trisha_H

I would have voted, but I'm not 18 until March, so that rules me out.

Daith

Trisha_H wrote: »

I would have voted, but I'm not 18 until March, so that rules me out.

The referendum would probably be April/May. Do you have to be 18 this year to vote?

Trisha_H

Daith wrote: »

The referendum would probably be April/May. Do you have to be 18 this year to vote?

You have to be 18 before February to register to vote. So I'm literally just a few weeks off.

rainbow kirby

I am apparently still registered to vote in Dublin South-West, despite not having been resident in Ireland for over a year...

NuMarvel

Trisha_H wrote: »

You have to be 18 before February to register to vote. So I'm literally just a few weeks off.

I think people who turn 18 before polling day can still apply to be added to the Supplement to the Register. The Citizens Information website says to include a copy of your birth certificate with form RFA2: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/elections_and_referenda/voting/registering_to_vote.html.

Trisha_H

@NuMarvel Thank you so much! That's great to know.

Annasopra

Trisha_H wrote: »

I would have voted, but I'm not 18 until March, so that rules me out.

No it doesnt. You can go onto the supplementary register in March.

RedXIV

Worth noting that you can fill out your form and email a scan to the registry offices. I just did it this week.

BRING ON THE REFERENDUM!

Yarf Yarf

The last time I voted was in the European elections a couple of months ago. Does this mean I should still be registered from that time at my local polling station or do I need to register again? I keep seeing people talking about this registration thing and it's making me worried especially since I won't be back in the country til Christmas.

Aard

Why don't you check the register?

Yarf Yarf

I did, but it wasn't working for me.

Annasopra

RedXIV wrote: »

Worth noting that you can fill out your form and email a scan to the registry offices. I just did it this week.

BRING ON THE REFERENDUM!

It may be worth noting your county council does it. That doesnt necessarily mean all do.

NuMarvel

Yarf Yarf wrote: »

The last time I voted was in the European elections a couple of months ago. Does this mean I should still be registered from that time at my local polling station or do I need to register again? I keep seeing people talking about this registration thing and it's making me worried especially since I won't be back in the country til Christmas.

You probably are, but I'd check the register anyway, just to be sure. What happens when you go to the website?

Annasopra

Yarf Yarf wrote: »

The last time I voted was in the European elections a couple of months ago. Does this mean I should still be registered from that time at my local polling station or do I need to register again? I keep seeing people talking about this registration thing and it's making me worried especially since I won't be back in the country til Christmas.

So if you voted this May you are on the register for 2014/2015. The 2014/2015 register is in force until 15th February 2015.

You need to make sure you are on the 2015/2016 register. A draft of the 2015/2016 register will be published on November 1st. If you are not on the draft register you still have until November 25th to get onto it.

If after that you are still not on the register you will still be able to get onto the supplementary register.

The important thing to do is around the 1st November or a day or so later check you are on the draft register for 2015/2016.