Mr Hazzard said:
“The figures released show that on average only 55% of those eligible to vote have returned their electoral registration form. This is a shocking statistic.
‘If things remain the same this means that 45% of those of voting age will not have a vote on election day.
“The Electoral Office must take this figure very seriously. It is their responsibility and they must take immediate action to ensure that people are registered.
“Sinn Féin have raised our concerns surrounding the entire electoral registration process. This includes the view that the message was not clear enough in terms of deadlines and the seriousness of not being on the register along with the fact that people will be taken off the register if they have not sent in completed forms.
“This has implications wider than not being able to vote, which is serious enough, but can affect people’s access to personal finance and credit.
“I will be contacting the Electoral Office to press this message home. We cannot have 45% of eligible voters disenfranchised.’
