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Mon 12 Dec 2002Registered voters total down by 11% in NIThe North's political parties will be given access today to the latest electoral register, compiled under new anti-fraud rules, which shows a drop in voter registration of some 130,000, or 11 per cent. The drop is almost 20 per cent in west Belfast. It is the first register to be compiled under the new strict Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act, 2002, which came into force last May and was published just after midnight.The new Act seeks to reduce voter fraud by insisting on stronger voter identification at registration and at polling stations. The old system whereby the head of household completed registration on behalf of all over the age of 18 at a particular address is replaced by a system which requires individual applications supported by date of birth, national insurance number and a signature. Photo-ID will also be required at polling stations when a ballot paper is requested.