Press Releases

TEXT OF A RADIO ADDRESS BY THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS

January 29th, 2010

Fellow Anguillians, it is my duty as Supervisor of Elections to ensure that the elections on Monday 15th February are conducted orderly and fairly.  It is my duty to ensure that voters and candidates are conversant with the electoral process and are aware of their rights and of their obligations.  It is only through a knowledge of the process, and of those rights and obligations, that elections could proceed smoothly with minimum difficulties and disruptions.

At the close of nomination day on Thursday 21st January, twenty candidates were nominated to contest the seven seats for membership of the House of Assembly.  The candidates for the seven electoral districts are as follows:

District 1:    Island Harbour  

  • Terry T. Harrigan (Independent)
  • Kennedy W. Hodge (Independent)
  • Othlyn Vanterpool (AUF)
  • Palmavon Webster (APP)
  • Samuel E. Webster (AUM)

District 2:     Sandy Hill         

  • Cora Richardson-Hodge (AUF)
  • Jerome Roberts (APP)

District 3:     Valley North

  • Sutcliffe Hodge (Independent)
  • Evans M. Rogers (AUF)

District 4:     Valley South

  • Victor Banks (AUF)
  • Evan Gumbs (AUM)

District 5:     Road North

  • Edison Baird (AUM)
  • Fabian Arrindel Lewis (APP)
  • Delsic Rey (AUF)

District 6:     Road South

  • Brent Davis (APP)
  • Hubert Hughes (AUM)
  • Curtis A. Richardson (AUF)

District 7:     West End

  • Wilmoth O. Hodge (APP)
  • Kenswick Richardson (AUF)
  • Walcott Richardson (AUM)

Now to the arrangements for polling on Monday 15th February.

In the Electoral District of Island Harbour, polling will take place at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School where there will be three polling stations; and in the Electoral District of Sandy Hill, polling will take place at the Morris Vanterpool Primary School where there will be two polling stations.

Voters in the Electoral District of Valley North, will cast their ballots at Campus A of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School where there will be three polling stations, and voters in the Electoral District of Valley South, will cast theirs at the Valley Primary School where there will be three polling stations.

In the Electoral District of Road North, voters will cast their ballots at the Bethel Methodist Church Hall where there will be two polling stations, while those in the Electoral District of Road South will vote at the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School where there will be three polling stations. 

In the Electoral District of West End voters will cast their ballots at the Alwyn Allison Primary School where there will be two polling stations.

Polling at each station will be conducted by a Presiding Officer who will be assisted by a Poll Clerk.  The law makes provision for candidates to appoint agents to observe the proceedings, at the polling stations, on their behalf. 

On Election Day, Monday 15th February, all polling stations will open at 6 o'clock in the morning and close at 7 o'clock in the evening.  Only those persons who join the queue of voters before 7 pm will be allowed to vote.  I must make it very clear that persons arriving at polling stations after 7 pm will not be permitted to join the queue of voters and thus will not be allowed to vote.  It is therefore important that people vote early and, in any case, get to the stations before they close at precisely 7 pm.

Every voter, upon entering a polling station, shall declare his or her name, address and occupation, and only those persons whose names appear on the official list of voters will be permitted to vote.  If your name is not on the list of voters do not bother to go to the polling stations because you will not be allowed to vote.   To be able to vote your name must be on the official list of voters for the district in which you seek to vote.

There will be a few cases where some people’s names may appear on the list of voters for two electoral districts.  Where this happens the voter should vote at only one of the polling stations.  Voting twice is a serious offence and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment.  The Presiding Officers, Poll Clerks and the agents of the several candidates, will be on the look out for persons who may attempt to vote at more than one polling station.

Then there may be cases where a voter appears before the Presiding Officer and finds out that another person with his or her name, address and occupation had already voted.  For example, a situation may arise where James Lake, Carpenter, Rey Hill, voted in the morning and, later in the day, up came another James Lake, Carpenter, Rey Hill.  In this situation the second James Lake would be allowed to vote but only after taking the oath or affirmation of identity (Elections Act Form 13), and otherwise proving his identify to the satisfaction of the Presiding Officer.  As proof of identity a voter may be required to provide some form of photo identification.  In this regard, it is the interest of all voters to bring to the polling stations some form of photo identification just in the event that it is needed.  I repeat: it is the interest of all voters to bring to the polling stations some form of photo identification just in the event that it is needed. 

It may be necessary at times for the Presiding Officer to ask a person, who wishes to vote, the following questions:

          (a) Are you the same person whose name appears as, say John Brown, on the list of voters now in force for this polling station?

          (b) Have you already voted in this election either here or elsewhere?              

If any person refuses to answer such questions, the Presiding Officer shall refuse to give him or her a ballot paper.  The Officer will also caution that refusal to answer will result in a person not being allowed to vote.  Any person who makes a false answer may be imprisoned for up to 6 months.

There will also be occasions when the Presiding Officer, Poll Clerk, a candidate or his agent, may have reason to ask a voter to take an oath or affirmation in Form 18 (found in the Elections Act).  If the voter swears or affirms he or she will be allowed to vote.  If the voter refuses to swear or affirm he or she will be allowed to vote and the words “Refused to be sworn or affirmed” shall be recorded against his or her name in the poll book.  I am aware of the debate surrounding this matter but the Attorney General’s Chambers has advised that once a person’s name is on the register of voters he or she must be allowed to vote.  The Presiding Officers have been directed accordingly, and I urge that you cooperate with them.  They are at the polling stations to assist you.

The Presiding Officer is obliged to assist any voter who is incapacitated for any physical cause, other than blindness or illiteracy, to cast his or her vote.  However, before doing so the voter must take an oath or affirm to the effect that he or she cannot make the X because of physical incapacity.  In this situation the Presiding Officer will make the X on the ballot paper in the manner directed by such a voter in the presence of the Poll Clerk and of the sworn agents of candidates.

In the case of a blind or illiterate voter, he or she could bring a friend to mark the X on his or her behalf, but both the voter and the friend will be required to take the necessary oaths and go in the polling booth and mark the ballot in secret.  I must point out that no person will be allowed to act as a friend of more than one voter.  I must also point out that if the blind or illiterate voter does not have a friend, he or she may ask the Presiding Officer to make the X on his or her behalf.  This would be done in the presence of the Poll Clerk and of the sworn agents of candidates. 

Voters are reminded that when making their X on the ballot paper they should do so with the pencil placed in the polling compartment for that purpose.  Do not carry any pencil or pen for marking your X because any ballot marked other than with the pencil provided will be rejected at the time when the ballots are being counted.  Likewise, a ballot marked with anything other than an X will be rejected.  Tick marks, circles or marks other than an X do not count as votes.

I now turn to the question of the maintenance of order at the polling stations.  This is the responsibility of the Presiding Officer assisted by a police officer or officers assigned to the various polling stations.  And I stress forthwith that the use of cell phones, cameras or any form of recording equipment is strictly prohibited within the polling stations.  I repeat: the use of cell phones, cameras or any form of recording equipment is strictly prohibited within the polling stations. 

Further, on Election Day, Monday 15th February, no persons shall, between the hours of 6 am and 7 pm, assemble or congregate within 100 yards of any polling station.  This rule, however, does not apply to persons who are waiting to cast their votes and who are, in fact, part of a queue with other voters also so waiting.  The police officers at the various polling stations will ensure that no illegal assembly or congregation takes place.  If people want to congregate they may do so outside of the 100 yards limit.

I must also point out that during the hours when the polls are open, no persons shall upon any public road or in any public place within 100 yards of a polling station seek to influence any person to vote for any candidate, or to determine for which candidate any person intends to vote or has voted.  Candidates and their agents, in particular, are advised to stay away from the queue of voters.  They are advised to refrain from interfering with persons who are waiting in the queue to cast their votes. 

I wish at this juncture to warn all concerned to refrain from committing any of the various electoral offences which are being aired over radio and television.  They include, among others, bribery, treating, undue influence, personation and the sale of intoxicating liquor.  I admonish you not to break the law.  The offences all carry heavy fines or terms of imprisonment.  Elections are serious business and no one will be allowed to flout the law with impunity.

Having said that, I must remind all employers that Section 70 of the Elections Act makes it very clear that they must allow every voter in their employ a reasonable period for voting, and that no employer should make any deduction from the pay or other remuneration of any such voter, or impose upon him or her any penalty by reason of his or her absence, during that period.  I wish to make it abundantly clear that employers must give their employees reasonable time to exercise their democratic right to vote.  Failure to do so could result in imprisonment for six months or the payment of a fine of $20,000.

In closing, I advise that the counting of all ballots will begin at 8 pm.  The ballots for the electoral districts of Valley North and Road North will be counted in the House of Assembly building; those for the districts of Valley South and Road South in the High Court building; and those for the districts of Island Harbour, Sandy Hill and West End in the Magistrate’s Court building.  As customary, people will be able to stay at home and do their own tallying, vote by vote, because the counting will be broadcast live over radio and television.

I am confident that the elections results will be respected, and I therefore appeal to you, candidates and voters alike, to give the electoral officers and the police, who are assisting them, your fullest cooperation so that polling could proceed speedily and peacefully.  I have no doubt that the elections will be free, fair and transparent.

I thank you.

C. L. Petty