
People have until next month to register to vote
Thousands of voters have been removed from the electoral register in Northern Ireland.
According to the electoral office, 60,433 people are not currently able to vote in the upcoming Assembly elections on 2 March.
The drop is attributed to a canvassing of households which took place in 2016 to update voter details.
Anyone who did not return their form, as required by law, was removed from the register.
Voters still have until 14 February to re-register.
"A total of 60,433 names were removed from the electoral register on 1 December 2016," a spokesperson told the BBC.
"These were the names of people who did not return an electoral registration form during the last canvass of electors in 2013.
"The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland has written several times to all of those affected by this - most recently last autumn. Anyone who did not return a form at this time was, as required by law, removed from the register.
"Anyone wishing to vote at the Northern Ireland Assembly election on 2 March must complete and return an electoral registration form by Tuesday 14 February."
The electoral office added that it will be launching a public awareness campaign in the coming days.

Voters removed by constituency
Belfast East 2,379
Belfast North 4,463
Belfast South 3,213
Belfast West 5,759
East Antrim 2,323
East Londonderry 2,651
Fermanagh & South Tyrone 3,014
Foyle 4,912
Lagan Valley 2,554
Mid Ulster 3,145
North Antrim 2,795
North Down 2,310
Newry & Armagh 4,534
South Antrim 2,997
South Down 4,012
Strangford 2,449
Upper Bann 3,451
West Tyrone 3,472

You can check if you're registered to vote by calling 0800 4320 712 or you can visit your local electoral office, here, external.
- Published17 January 2017
- Published16 January 2017
