TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDERS ARE AGAIN REMINDED THAT THE REGISTER OF ELECTORS IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED AND THE NEW REGISTER WILL BE PUBLISHED ON 31 MARCH 2015.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT ON THE CURRENT REGISTER BUT WISH TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW REGISTER OF ELECTORS WILL HAVE UNTIL 30 NOVEMBER 2014 TO CONTACT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE WITH THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION.
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS MR. DUDLEY LEWIS HAS ADVISED THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY TEN THOUSAND (10,000) ELLIGIBLE VOTERS IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND TODATE ONLY SEVEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTY SEVEN (7,247) NAMES ARE INCLUDED ON THE CURRENT REGISTERED.
NEW PERSONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO BE INCLUDED ON THE REGISTER ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE TURNED 18 YEARS OF AGE SINCE 1 MARCH 2014, ALSO THOSE PERSONS WHO ARE OVER 18 AND DID NOT APPLY TO JOIN THE REGISTER EARLIER IN 2014.
MR. LEWIS SAID; “ELLIGBLE VOTERS ON THE PRESENT REGISTER OF ELECTORS DO NOT NEED TO RE-APPLY TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW ONE. THEY WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDED UNLESS THEY NOTIFY THE ELECTIONS OFFICE THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR NAME OR PLACE OF RESIDENCE, OR NO LONGER MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. THIS INCLUDES BEING RESIDENT IN THE TCI FOR AT LEAST 12 OUT OF 24 MONTHS.
“AN ELECTOR’S STATUS AS A TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER MUST BE VERIFIED FIRST BY THE MINISTRY OF BORDER CONTROL THROUGH THE PROCESS TO OBTAIN TC ISLANDER STATUS CARD. THEREFORE, THOSE WITHOUT STATUS CARDS SHOULD APPLY FOR ONE PRIOR TO REGISTRATION.”
THE ELECTIONS SUPERVISOR ADVISES THAT HIS OFFICE WILL AWAIT THE COMPLETION OF THE TC ISLANDER STATUS VERIFICATION PROCESS BEFORE IT WILL CONSIDER A PERSON’S APPLICATION TO BE ADDED TO THE PRELIMINARY LIST AND REGISTER OF ELECTORS.
POTENTIAL NEW ELECTORS SHOULD COMPLETE A VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM. THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED THE STATUS CARD, BUT DID NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FORM ARE ENCOURAGED TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT IT BEFORE NOVEMBER 30, 2014 THE CUTOFF DATE FOR REGISTRATION.
MR. LEWIS FURTHER ADVISES THAT IF PERSONS DO NOT REGISTER, THEIR NAMES CANNOT BE ADDED TO THE PRELIMINARY LIST OR REGISTER AND THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EXERCISE THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO VOTE WHENEVER GENERAL ELECTIONS ARE CALLED.
