RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Linton Walters (left), a People's National Party (PNP) representative on the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC), tests the proposed electronic voter indentification machine yesterday at the Duke Street offices of the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EoJ), following a press briefing to announce the start of the EoJ's voter re-verification. Looking on are Ryan Peralto (right), and Abe Dabdoub, the Jamaica Labour Party's EAC representatives.
THE ELECTORAL Office of Jamaica (EOJ) is expected to spend less than $500 million this year to re-verify the voters list.
Pilot tests on the re-verification will begin on Monday, March 14, in South St. Catherine, South West St. Catherine and North East St. Ann.
The process will continue on Monday, March 21 in North West St. James and Central Westmore-land. A week later, the re-verification will take place in South Trelawny and North Trelawny.
It will include the spelling of names, addresses and removal of the names of dead persons from the voters list.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the EOJ's offices on Duke Street, downtown Kingston, Professor Errol Miller, chairman of the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC), said the re-verification in the seven constituencies should end in June. He added that in July it is expected to begin in the other 53 constituencies and end by December.
Professor Miller told reporters that following the 2002 general election, the EAC, at a retreat, developed a list of things needed to enhance the quality and efficiency of elections. He said representatives from the major political parties and civil society participated in the deliberations.
"...Our estimate is that somewhere in the region of about 20 per cent of the Jamaican electorate has changed residence since the last enumeration was done," Professor Miller said.
boundaries to be amended
Stressing the need for re-verification, he pointed to the proposed increase in the number of constituencies to prevent a tie in a future electoral outcome. Professor Miller stated that a shift in the boundaries of some constituencies would also have a significant bearing on changes in the number of constituencies.
"If we are going to carry out this process of amending the boundaries, it is necessary to use the most up-to-date and reliable data there is," he said.
"We have a quite a number of polling divisions that are empty people no longer live there and we have quite a number (of polling divisions) that are bursting the upper limits that have been set by the Constitution."
