What a Christmas present to be sent by a kind reader…..
March the 9th 1973 a poll took place on the future of Northern Ireland.
The Ballot below shows the choices.
591,280 people voted to stay part of the UK.
6,463 voted in favour of a United Ireland….
The donor writes…
Nationalists were encouraged to boycott the poll, I can remember the graffiti for years after, ‘NO VOTE’ painted everywhere from derelict houses to trees…..
The images include the voting slip itself, the return envelope and declaration of identity which was a farcical document in the days of ‘vote early and vote often’.
The Nationalist Eddie McAteer once commented on the number of deceased Catholics who had managed to vote because their names were still on the election register;
‘The fools, the fools, they have left us our Fenian dead!’
Irish Election Literature 
This has been a great and illuminating find of a site this year, Merry Christmas and looking forward to more of the same in 2010!
Thanks a million Paddy. Its been a pleasure. Will be up in the attic over the Holidays so have a few things in mind to start the New Year with…
AJ
[…] A ballot paper etc from the 1973 Border Poll which was boycotted by the Nationalist population. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Latest from the Irish Election Literature Blog…Latest on Irish Election Literature Blog…This week at the Irish Election Literature Blog…Week at the Park Lodge […]
[…] in favour of a United Ireland. I’ve a Ballot,Envelope, Polling card etc from the poll posted Here […]