Data released following the Northern Ireland Assembly Election shows that Fermanagh and South Tyrone had the highest number of postal votes submitted for the May 2022 election.

A total of 2,125 postal votes were issued for the constituency of Fermanagh South Tyrone by far the largest amount issued for any of the constituencies across Northern Ireland. The next highest constituencies were Mid Ulster (1,490) and West Tyrone (1,258). The constituency with the lowest number of postal votes issued was Belfast West.

Of the 2,125 Fermanagh South Tyrone postal votes issued, 1,923 of those envelopes containing ballots were returned before close of poll, 18 were returned late, zero were returned as spoilt, five envelopes were returned as undelivered, 179 envelopes were not returned and 83 postal ballots or envelopes were rejected.

These figures mean that a total of 1,840 votes included in the poll to select Fermanagh and South Tyrone’s five MLAs; Jemma Dolan, Tom Elliott, Colm Gildernew, Áine Murphy and Deborah Erskine were postal votes. A total of 54,560 were cast.

The Impartial Reporter raised a query regarding the higher volume of postal votes in Fermanagh South Tyrone to the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland.

Chief Electoral Officer Virginia McVea confirmed to The Impartial Reporter that none of those who stood for election or their parties raised any concerns to the EONI regarding postal votes.

She said: “A big issue this year was the digital registration number (DRN) as some parties and individuals had difficulty registering it.”

You receive a DRN if you are applying to vote by post or proxy and you registered for this online.

Looking at figures on the wider level, The Chief Electoral Officer said: “Slightly less than two per cent of the electorate in Northern Ireland make use of absent (postal) votes but it’s 19 per cent in the rest of GB.”

Part of the reason for a lower absent vote in Northern Ireland could be down to the anti-fraud systems put in place by EONI. Ms McVea said: “All the bespoke anti-fraud measures were put in place in Northern Ireland as there was less confidence to begin with in the integrity of the system, and confidence needed to be built.”

Virginia explained that the voting system in Northern Ireland requires three things off absent voters that is not needed in the rest of the UK. She said: “First of all, you have to give a reason for your absence such as education, illness, work related etc. Secondly, you have to have your form attested and thirdly, there’s a signature match or the DRN.”