There are reports that a number of electoral ID cards have been issued with the wrong photographs. Apparently all came from applications sent in after “a well-intentioned community group held a session in west Belfast’s Park Centre using a digital camera.” *shakes head* According to the report, out of 400 applications just under 300 were approved and it’s unknown how many cards were issued with the wrong photographs. Anyone affected who doesn’t have an alternative ID, and that would presumably be most if not all, will not be able to vote. Adds Thanks to one of our eagle-eyed commenters, we can identify that “well-intentioned community group”
Almost 500 people signed up for electoral identity cards after a successful campaign organised by the Falls Community Council (FCC).FCC have just completed the major drive aimed at ensuring those people on the register are able to vote at the forthcoming Assembly elections on March 7. They organised a series of ID clinics which were sponsored by their partners in the community sector. Steven Corr of the FCC said they were delighted by the community’s response to the initiative. “We were amazed by the numbers of people in West Belfast who had no valid form of photographic ID,” he said. “An astounding 472 individuals came along to the clinics, completed the form and had their photograph taken.