After a four-year hiatus, the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) is all set for the Local Government Election being held today, (February 26).
Voting will take place in 6,726 polling stations in 2,148 locations across the island. The polls open at 7:00 am and will close at 5:00 pm after which, the preliminary counting of ballots will take place inside the polling stations.
“We have been working diligently to ensure that all is in place; the constituencies have met, supplies have been distributed and workers will receive their final briefing on Sunday,” said Glasspole Brown, Director of Elections.
The EOJ is appealing to electors for patience at the polling stations, and reminded that they have until 5:00 pm to vote.
“Many electors seem to turn out during the first two or three hours of polling, which is when the lines are usually longest. We are reminding them that voting lasts for 10 hours, so I am encouraging electors to utilize the time during the day up to 5:00 pm to vote,” Brown said.
There are 499 candidates in total, with 496 contesting the 228 Electoral Divisions and three vying for Mayor of Portmore. This comprises 229 candidates representing the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), 229 representing the People’s National Party (PNP), four representing the United Independents’ Congress and 37 independent candidates.
The election will be observed by local observer group Citizens Action for Free & Fair Elections (CAFFE) and a small delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the British High Commission.
The election will be monitored by the Election Centre, which is a hub for receiving and validating reports on incidents on the ground and providing resolutions, as well as issuing reports to the media where necessary.
The Constituted Authority, which comes into effect whenever an Election Notice is issued and has the ability to halt or void elections where deemed necessary, will oversee the election.
Electors who are still unclear where to vote, may check the Electoral Commission of Jamaica’s website at www.ecj.com.jm and click on ‘Check my status’ on the homepage to find out at which polling station they are to cast their ballot.
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