Elections and Boundaries Intensifies Preparations for March 12 General Elections

With less than 10 days remaining until the highly anticipated general election, on March 12, the Elections and Boundaries Department is ramping up efforts to ensure a smooth and fair electoral process. Amid concerns over voter confusion and potential irregularities, the department has issued a stern reminder to the public about key election offenses under the Representation of the People Act.  One of the most notable regulations is the restriction on the sale of intoxicating liquor on election day. Another critical provision mandate is that employers must grant their employees a reasonable amount of time to vote during the prescribed polling hours. Today, Chief Elections Officer, Josephine Tamai appeared on The Morning Show and elaborated on the dos and don’ts of election, especially this time around when things look a little different. 

Josephine Tamai, Chief Election Officer: “In some constituencies, you have as many as five candidates. In others, you have two candidates. And so I want to encourage voters to pay keen attention to the ballot paper in terms of them marking these paper. I know traditionally, and people will say that yes in Belize we vote by colors, right? We all know that for the United Democratic Party, depending on the number of candidates that they have the commission has decided that all those candidates will utilize the color red. And so in some instances, voters will see more than one red on the ballot paper. I want to remind persons that you are only allowed to vote for one candidate. So you are to mark only one X. As I mentioned a short while ago, people in Belize would say that you vote by color. But this time around I want for persons to pay attention to the ballot paper. It’s no different than the other ones. But every candidate has a number. So it goes number one, two, three, four, five. You have your name as well. It’s in alphabetical order according to the name of the candidate. And so you also have the color for the candidate as well and so you could always identify the number of the candidate who you wish to vote for, the name, and then you mark one “X” beside the name of the candidate who you want to vote for. If you mark the ballot for more candidates than there are seats, and I will repeat again in this case it’s only one seat So you are to mark one “X”. No more, no less right ? If the ballot paper has any mark that could identify the voter, because remember we vote by secret, again that ballot paper would be rejected. If the ballot paper is not marked for any candidate well it’s rejected because you can’t indicate who you voted for and if it’s marked with uncertainty, you’re not sure who you want to vote for right. Let’s say for example if you mark more than one x people might say “oh I see two of the same color I’ll put two let me vote for” no that ballot paper will be rejected and so basically your vote is rejected so even though you went to the polls, your voice would not be heard.”

Tamai also urged all citizens, businesses, and stakeholders to familiarize themselves with these regulations to avoid unintentional violations. 

Josephine Tamai, Chief Election Officer: “For voters, I want to advise you that in order for you to know where you are to go and cast your votes, we have the Election and Boundaries website, www.ELECTIONS.gov.bz. Currently the information is being uploaded and so sometime later today that information will be up in terms of persons going to that site, they put their name and use the calendar to put their date of birth it will indicate to you where your polling station is.  Also whenever you go to the polling station at the doors of each polling station will be a printed list of electors who are eligible to vote in that polling station. And so it goes by your surname. So you will go to the classroom, go to the polling station where your surname appears for that electoral division. And so you will join the line. I want to advise persons to take along your voters’ identification card. We have a lot of ID cards that persons have not yet picked up. And so for persons who still haven’t picked up their ID cards, please go and pick up their ID cards at the office.”

As the countdown to election day continues, political parties, candidates, and voters alike are being reminded to adhere to the rules and regulations governing the process