Reply to Chief Electoral Officer
20 April 2010
Dear Mr Bain,
I am in receipt of your letter of 9th April, received on
My first point of surprise was that BBC was able to contact me about your letter before I ever saw it! I can assure you they were not informed of its receipt by anyone in my office. So, can you shed any light on how and why Mr Gareth Gordon of BBC came by a copy of at least part of the letter and knowledge of it? I think this matter needs addressed, not least since your letter is prominently marked ‘Personal’. I am sure you would agree that correspondence marked ‘Personal’ between yourself and the leader of a political party should be kept as such.
At no time did I seek to question the integrity of the Electoral Office, nor do I seek to raise any such challenge. However, I have raised legitimate issues of public interest as to the delay in fixing the date for the Castlereagh by-election. So far I have not seen a credible explanation as to the delay and would be obliged to receive a full explanation.
Delaying the by-election till 6th May raises, I believe, practical difficulties which are incommodious to voters, including the use of two different voting systems and two inconsistent lists of acceptable photographic identification, which further adds to my surprise as to the decision to coincide the by-election with the General Election and create the longest gap in the recent history of by-elections between you being notified and polling day.
I did indeed question the motives of others, but I did not at any stage set out to impugn your office, nor do I think I have done so.
In order to progress any outstanding issues I would like a full explanation for the delay in fixing a date; copies of all memos, notes, correspondence ,emails telephone attendance records or any other documentary records relating to this issue passing between your office, CBC and any other party and on the issue of other parties representations, if any, particularly having regard to your statement of 1st March 2010, I would like to know if it remains your position that no other party or person made representations or contact about the date of the by-election.
In so far as you deem it necessary I rely on the Freedom of Information Act in respect of my requests for further information.
Yours sincerely,
Jim Allister
