Youth Council urges young people in Offaly to get on Electoral Register in time for General Election

1125 young people in Offaly have turned 18 since last year and will have right to vote

• Deadline to avoid supplementary register is 25^th November –

The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is encouraging young people in Offaly to make sure they are registered to vote, given that a General Election is just a few months away. The registration deadline is November 25^th (after which time applicants must look to be included in the supplementary register).

James Doorley, NYCI deputy director explained: “We are especially anxious to ensure that 1125* young people who have turned 18 in the last 12 months in Offaly are included in the electoral register and can exercise their democratic right.  

On November 1^st last, all local authorities published the draft register of electors, so those who are unsure if they are registered can check online atwww.checktheregister.ie. If having checked online applicants find that they are not on the register or want to add their name because they have now reached voting age, they have until Wednesday November 25^th to get the relevant form to their local authority. Applicants need to fill in an RFA1 form which is available on the www.checktheregister.ie site or at local post offices and libraries.

“It is important to note that the November 25^th deadline means that the RFA1 form will have to be posted by November 24^th or delivered in person at the council offices on the 25^th. Therefore we advise applicants not to leave it until the last minute,” continued Mr Doorley.

“Also, any young person who will be 18 years on or before February 15^th 2016, is eligible to be registered now. In the very likely event that the next General Election will be in late February or early March, any person who registered now, will automatically be able to vote and not have to go through the much more cumbersome supplementary registration system.”

“Excellent work has been done in the last year to get young people on the electoral register, especially since we published our study in September 2014 showing that 30% of 18 to 25 year olds were not registered.** However, with over 59,000 young people nationwide reaching 18 years in the last 12 months,* we need to work continually to ensure all are registered and can vote in the upcoming General Election,” concluded Mr Doorley.