Voters urged to update details

Councillors have been urged to encourage members of the public to check and update their details on the electoral register, as part of a nationwide effort to improve the accuracy of voter records.

The issue was raised at the March meeting of Cavan County Council, where members were told that voters are being asked to confirm or update their details by adding their Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) and date of birth if they have not already done so.

Trevor Smith of Fine Gael said some people in the community had expressed concerns after receiving correspondence asking for the additional information.

He said some voters were reluctant to provide their PPSN due to fears about potential GDPR breaches.

His party colleagues T. P. O'Reilly and Carmel Brady said they had also encountered unease among constituents.

Cllr Brady noted that one person who contacted her had only voted once previously, while another had been voting “their whole life”, yet both were concerned about the request for additional personal data.

Meanwhile Niall Smith of Fianna Fáil questioned an email he had received encouraging him to update his details.

“It says I’ll be removed if I don’t provide the information,” he told the meeting.

However, Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley said the process should not come as a surprise, reminding councillors that it forms part of efforts to ensure only eligible voters remain on the register and that records are kept up to date.

Senior Staff Officer Elaine McGinn told the meeting that the council had received 670 applications so far, with more expected.

She said the council had not been informed of anyone refusing to provide their PPSN as part of the update process.

Shane P. O'Reilly of Independent Ireland suggested that people’s names should automatically be added to the electoral register once they are assigned a PPS number.

He argued that data protection rules had complicated what should be a simple process, adding that the need to modernise the system was clear.

Patricia Walsh of Fianna Fáil said councillors themselves had long been frustrated by inaccuracies in the register, including the same person appearing multiple times or receiving several polling cards.

Ms McGinn explained that local authorities, in their role as registration authorities, are responsible for maintaining the electoral register. Under the Electoral Reform Act 2022, this may now include collecting a person’s PPSN, date of birth and Eircode as part of their registration details.

She said the use of PPS numbers allows local authorities to cross-check identity information, helping to confirm voter details and prevent duplication.

It will also assist with removing names from the register more efficiently, such as in the event of a person’s death.

Director of Services Lynda McGavigan thanked Ms McGinn for the clarification and reiterated that the process was driven by national legislation rather than the council itself.

She added that, over time, the updated system should “clean up” the electoral register, an objective that had long been sought.