The North's Political Development Minister, Mr Paul Murphy, has announced that computerised "smart" cards may be introduced as a means of combating electoral fraud. "Confidence in the voting system lies at the heart of democracy. The public have the right to expect a system that establishes the strongest possible shield against malpractice," Mr Murphy said yesterday.
The "high-tech" card would have an in-built voter's signature, stored in a computer micro-chip, but no photograph. Specimen signatures would be given by electors signing on an electronic sensor pad with an "intelligent pen" attached to a computer. The signature could be checked at polling stations, or when voters completed electoral registration forms or applied for an absentee vote.
A review of electoral safeguards which was conducted by the Northern Ireland Office said the "smart" card was the "best option for improving the integrity of the electoral process and for improving the efficiency and consistency of procedures".
Speaking at a news conference in Stormont's Castle Buildings, Mr Murphy said: "The review found no hard evidence for systematic vote-rigging on a scale that should undermine public confidence in the conduct or results of elections in Northern Ireland."
Elections in Northern Ireland were efficiently and fairly administered, but there could be no room for complacency: "There are problems and abuses and the government wants to see changes in the system to guard against them."
The changes proposed by the Elections Review Team - such as tighter checks on voter identity, changes to the electoral register and improvements in the Absent Voting facility - "would do a great deal to wipe out fraud, boost confidence and cut down confusion for voters".
Mr Murphy said the proposals would be put before the Northern Ireland Assembly, the political parties and the general public, who would have two months to consider them. Legislation on the main recommendations was ultimately a matter for Westminster. The "smart" card was "not a national identity card", he stressed.
Mr Alex Attwood, SDLP Assemby Member for West Belfast, said later the "smart" card proposal had to be assessed on the grounds of cost, practicability and civil liberties: "It deserves serious consideration to protect the principle of one person, one vote, so powerfully advocated 30 years ago this week."
Mr Alex Maskey, Sinn Fein Assembly Member for West Belfast, said Mr Murphy had corroborated Sinn Fein's view that allegations of widespread electoral fraud "were the product of wishful thinking and political opportunism".
The Alliance Party chief whip, Mr David Ford said that, although Mr Murphy said there was no firm evidence of fraud, "there is a clear belief that fraud is extremely common in some areas of Northern Ireland".