Polling clerk allegedly tried to stop black Irish citizen from voting in referenda
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An urgent investigation is underway amid allegations that a polling clerk tried to prevent a black Irish citizen from voting in last Friday’s referenda.
The Dublin City Returning Office confirmed that an investigation is taking place, with one Sinn Féin councillor having been contacted by the voter earlier this week.
As reported by The Journal, the voter said that a clerk informed them they would not be permitted to vote, despite having an Irish passport and their name being on the electoral register.
“We are treating this complaint with the utmost urgency,” a spokesperson for the returning officer said.
“The returning officer has instructed the office to open an investigation on this complaint. We are currently compiling statements from all of our staff involved in the incident.”
The spokesperson said that, with returning officer Joseph Burke out of office, the matter will be dealt with on his return next week.
“No statements will be issued until the matter is fully investigated,” the spokesperson said.
Sinn Féin councillor Micheál Mac Donncha confirmed that the voter in question reached out to him earlier this week to raise concerns about the incident.
Mr Mac Donncha said that, following this contact, he reached out to the Dublin City returning officer to raise his concerns.
“Obviously, the incident would have to be investigated. I would be sure that [the incident] wouldn’t be any way typical,” he said.
“If it’s verified, I would see it as a very wrong incident, but obviously there needs to be safeguards in place to ensure that nothing like this could occur again.
“By and large, I would have confidence in the work of the staff who work in the polling stations, but there can always be an exception. It looks as if this may have been the case here.”