ELECTIONS OFFICE
CONSULTATION – PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ELECTIONS ORDINANCE
The Supervisor of Elections is inviting comments, feedback and input if any from Political Parties and Independent Candidates to the proposed amending of Section 38 (2) of the Elections Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The present election ordinance Section 38 (2) make provision for the ballot paper of each voter to be printed in which the names, Occupation, Residence and voting symbol (if any) of Candidates alphabetically arrange in order of their surnames.
However, for the up-coming general election in addition to the required five (5) Candidates to be put forward by each political party for the “All Island” District there may be an extraordinary number of Independent Candidates that will be nominated and their names will also have to appear on the “All Island” ballot paper and if this should transpire it is anticipated that it will make the voting process long and cumbersome and can result in voters unintentionally voting for less or more than five (5) Candidates and spoiling their ballot paper.
In the circumstances it is proposed that Section 38 (2) of the Election Ordinance be amended to reflect changes to the layout of the “All Island” ballot paper.
The changes proposed to this section of the ordinance are as follows:
The layout of the “All Island” ballot paper change from portrait to landscape
Candidates to be listed alphabetically and group by party affiliation
Names of Independent Candidates listed in alphabetical order represented by Candidates symbol if any
Form 17 in Schedule 1 in the Ordinance to be amended accordingly
Please submit your feedback on this propose amendment to the Elections Ordinance by email or hard copy document to the Supervisor of Elections at Woodville Court Pond Street Grand Turk or email to DLLewis@gov.tc no later than August 26, 2016.
For perusal I forward a sample copy of the proposed amended “All Island” ballot paper.
Lister Dudley Lewis
Supervisor of Elections
