Electoral Commission

Voting

Electoral Commission encourages voters in Northern Ireland to be ready

Dawn Hopper, chair of the Belfast See Change campaigning group, highlights that #BlindVotersCount

RNIB NI calls on voting to be made accessible for those with sight loss

The talks between Chris Heaton-Harris and the political parties will be held at Hillsborough Castle on Monday

NI parties to hold talks on public finances with Chris Heaton-Harris

Sinn Fein received the largest sum, accepting £294,257 in the third quarter of 2023 according to the Electoral Commission

NI parties receive almost £600,000 in donations - with SF top of the list

More than 5,000 postal and proxy applications to vote were rejected due to a missing digital registration number (DRN) in May’s council elections

More than 5,000 vote applications rejected in May council elections

Sinn Fein headquarters Connolly House

DUP calls for the closing of donation loophole after SF income revealed

The Electorial Commission has published the finances for Stormont's largest five parties for 2022. Photo: Liam McBurney

Finances of Stormont's big five political parties published

The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland headquarters in Church Street. The proxy vote application form was hand delivered and accepted but later rejected for not having a Digital Registration Number

Letter: Bureaucratic bungling when I tried to get my dad, 87, his vote

“The requirements for political parties are clear, so it’s disappointing when they are not fully complied with.” said Louise Edwards

Two NI political parties rebuked by watchdog over donations rules failings

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Vice President Michelle O'Neill. Donations to the party dwarfed those to other NI parties last year. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Donations to SF dwarf those to other parties last year

A view of a polling station. For the first time, people from across the country will need to show photographic ID to vote at this year’s local elections. Picture by James Hardisty

Voters in the UK need to show photo ID to vote

Sir Jeffrey took over the DUP in June 2021 after turmoil following Foster's departure

DUP income drops to an 11-year low putting the party behind the Ulster Unionists

Former NI Conservative candidate Gary Hynds

Former deputy chair tells Tories to pay election bill

Dogs at Polling Stations have become a feature of local elections

NI Assembly elections 2022: can you take your dog to polling stations?

TUV leader Jim Allister

‘TUV - No Sea Border’ given approval for ballot papers

Only parties which have MLAs who have been voted into the Assembly qualify for public funding

Alliance tops donations list, but concerns remain around transparency

Campaigners for more transparency on who finances Northern Ireland’s parties say the monitoring of political funding here still allows for foreign cash to leak into the system.

By The Newsroom

Letter to the editor

Electoral Commission: We want to be able to publish political donations

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds stand outside the door of number 10 Downing Street (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Boris and Carrie may have to hand over messages and emails to flat refurb fundin...

Paul Golding

Leader of far-right group Britain First fails to get political status in NI

Audit Office probe proposal over council’s attendance at Paisley-hosted dinner d...

Democracy for Sale, by Peter Geoghegan

Weeks before vast secretive donation to DUP, Vote Leave chief noted DUP ability ...

General election spending by parties has been revealed

Figures reveal Sinn Fein outspent rivals at general election last year

Nigel Dodds after losing his North Belfast seat

DUP and Sinn Fein spending on 2019 general election revealed

Upcoming local and mayoral elections have been postponed for a year due to coron...

Veteran IRA man Joe Cahill was named as one of the executors of William E Hampton's will

Man left Sinn Fein £1.5m to annoy the government, report claims

Gerry Adams and IRA veteran Joe Cahill, right, were given key roles in the will

Sinn Féin donor of no fixed abode gave it £2.5m – far more than initially report...

Polling stations have rules in place to ensure voting goes smoothly (Picture: Shutterstock)

These are all the polling station rules you need to know before voting Rhona Shennan

DUP MPs Nigel Dodds. Photo by Victoria Jones/PA Wire

DUP’s Nigel Dodds defends £13,000 donation from pro-Brexit campaign group

DUP leader Arlene Foster

High Court challenge over refusal to investigate EU referendum spending by DUP

Sinn Fein's Fra McCann and Niall O Donnghaile outside the Bank of Ireland HQ in Belfast on 1 September 2017, protesting at its decision to withdraw Irish from ATMs due to lack of demand

Bank of Ireland offers £300,000 loan to Sinn Fein

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, with Sinn Fein Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill (right)

Sinn Fein top earner for donations

Fine over £435k Brexit donation to DUP

Private donations to Sinn Fein made up more than 40% of all donations to NI parties in the third quarter of this year

Sinn Fein tops list for private cash donations

Alastair Ross

Former DUP MLA appointed to board

Ian Paisley

'˜No evidence' more vote sites would have changed Paisley recall petition result

A special sitting of the Causeway Coast and Glens council was held earlier this week to discuss the payment

Ian Paisley phoned council with invite before £1,500 payment was made for dinne...

Ian Paisley MP asked the council to pay for a table. Photo: Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

Ian Paisley dinner saw council sponsor £1,500 table

In session: The Causeway Coast and Glens council. INCR26-107S

Council to scrutinise £1,500 spent at Ian Paisley constituency event

Ian Paisley, MP for North Antrim

Ian Paisley dinner event: Council made £1,500 without agreement from elected re...

Ian Paisley, MP for North Antrim

Second council under investigation over Ian Paisley constituency dinner payment

Sinn Fein earned more than DUP and UUP combined in 2017

Michelle McIlveen was one of four MLAs who failed to report the donation

DUP MLAs' failure to report Israel trip donations '˜administrative error'

SF has often spoken of a desire to be transparent about donations, telling the News Letter in March it wants full disclosure, openness and transparency

SF faces sanction for another late filing of donor details

Ian Paisley

Airport donated £4,000 to Ian Paisley's constituency association

North Antrim MP, Ian Paisley

Electoral Commission probes Paisley dinner cash

Brexit campaign group Leave.EU has been fined a record-equalling 70,000

Leave.EU faces record fine and possible police probe over EU referendum spending

Ian Paisley

NI local government auditor to review Ian Paisley dinner

British election spending laws explained '“ and why they need updating

Alliances Naomi Long, who has advocated donor transparency for years, said there is no excuse for not publishing donors since 2014

NI set for (some) donor transparency after Commons vote

At the polls

Four Northern Ireland parties fined over finance rule breaches

The Metro front cover wrap around paid for by a donation of £435,000 to the DUP during the Brexit referendum campaign

New NI political donor rules '˜stink', say Labour

James Brokenshire has come under fire for failing to act on even a watered-down plan to reveal donors

Brokenshire '˜dragging his heels' on political donors

Letters to Editor

Electoral Commission wants diverse candidates

Stormont

Stormont parties' poll spending 'less than half of previous election'

Stormont

UUP fined for failing to declare £12,000 of Assembly election spending