UDP Factions to Choose Unique Symbols Alongside Red for Election Day

The two factions of the United Democratic Party are now working to decide what symbols they would want to use along with the UDP Red on Election Day. This morning, the Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai and two Elections and Boundaries Commission members met with the political parties and independent candidates looking to contest the upcoming elections.  The meeting sought to discuss Nomination Day requirements and provide an update on the department’s preparations for the elections. It lasted a little over three hours and touched on various other topics. However, one of the most interesting points came when one of the two secretariats who showed up for the United Democratic Party questioned the use of the color red. The discussion lasted for a few minutes and led to Orlando Espat, a member of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, rising to explain that a decision had already been made. It was the first time the commission confirmed that the Moses Barrow-led UDP and the Tracy Panton-led UDP would be allowed to use the color. Following the meeting, Espat spoke to the media about the decision and explained that both sides now have to determine what symbols they will use along with the traditional UDP red. 

Orlando Espat, Commissioner, Elections and Boundaries Commission: “When it comes to the colours, as I explained here in the meeting today, that the Representation of the People’s Act empowers us in the case that the political parties cannot agree with the colour then there’s a section in the Representation of the People’s Act that empowers the Commission to assign colours or symbols to the political parties. And we have already done it by taking a vote. As I gave you all today, we gave options and the option that was agreed upon by a not unanimous vote, but the majority vote in the commission, is that the two political parties will get red, and we gave them also the option to go back to their political parties which the UDP side is saying no, there’s only one UDP. The other side is saying we are also UDP, so both of them want the red. So we opted, okay, we’re going to give you both the red, but you go back to your party now and you come back to us next week and you tell us what symbol you want us to put there. What is confirmed is that the two sides will get red on the ballot. What is not confirmed yet is the symbol that they will choose to put on the red. And you’re correct that it can cause confusion but one of the things that I want to tell you is that the political parties have representation in the Commission. In this case, and you know the process, the advice comes from the Prime Minister, three, and then the leader of the opposition recommends two. So they have two persons in there. So we don’t act arbitrarily. We do consult with them. It is the position of both sides now, the UDP and I don’t know if I should call them UDP one or two because I don’t want to get into their politics. We are the commission, and we have to act as such but they have decided that both of them want the red. The problem is, as you said just now, it can cause confusion. So the best thing, and we adopted, okay let’s put a symbol in it. And inside of the commission they agreed that they are going back to their leaders and they will come back to us next week and say, okay this is the symbol that we want, and we’re going to adopt it.”

The meeting also touched on the rights of voters and the role of the Election and Boundaries Commission.