80. The overall context of Northern Ireland must also be taken into account. According to guidelines I.1 (I.1.1.c) of the Code of Good Practices in Electoral Matters, a residence requirement may be imposed solely for local or regional elections, but should not exceed six months. The three month residence requirement does not run counter to these standards in terms of length, and does not in any way infringe the democratic principle of free and fair elections. Its application to general elections may be considered justified by the overall context and situation of Northern Ireland, in which a very porous border has historically allowed movement of citizens between countries and the right to vote at all elections was given to Irish citizens.
