Turnout falls below 2009

| 22/05/2013

(CNS): In an unexpected turn of events, what was predicted to be a very high turnout at the 2013 General Election ended with a final number of voters below the percentage turnout of the 2009 national ballot. Although a record 14,760 people were polled, that represented only 79.94% of the voting population, falling below the 80.54% at the last election. While East End had the highest turnout with more than 87.3% of registered voters polled, in the neighbouring district of North Side the lowest percentage voted, with just over 78.3% of voters going to the polls. Meanwhile, in West Bay and the Sister Islands more than 80% of voters turned out and in Bodden Town just under 80%. In the capital of George Town 79.3% of registered voters were polled.

Despite the lower than anticipated turnout, the percentage figure is still high by international standards and demonstrates a healthy participation.

With the polls closed and the count due to start at 7pm, it will be just a few hours before the results start coming in. East End and North Side are expected to be the first results, while Cayman Brac and Little Cayman is expected shortly after the eastern districts. With lots of new voters, the result in Bodden Town may not be in before West Bay but both results should be confirmed before midnight. While there should be some indications of the George Town result the early morning hours, the final count is expected in the capital around dawn.
 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    One of the reasons the numbers were lower is because a number of us were disenfranchised by the actions of the Elections Office.

    I was in the Elections Office on the 10th May when a number of us were told that the deadline to register that we were going to be off island on Election Day was the 9th May, even though the deadline for the collection of our ID cards was the 10th and there was nothing on the website saying anything about an earlier cut-off date.

    The elections officers were not in the slightest bit interested in our arguments that the public had not been made known about any cut off date (prior to the 10th May), and this should be looked into by the Election Observers.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Maybe with the Election Observers in place all the left-the-island, dead and fake voters on the list of electors couldn’t make it out. Or maybe they didn’t get their fridge…

  3. Cayman Mama says:

    The turnout is a lower percentage because the whole Island is given the day off. Some will have left the island for a long week-end & others will have slept in & gone to the beach. It is much better to ensure employers give registered voters a 4 hour window to vote.

  4. Anonymous says:

    And still more voters than ever before even though the percentage may be slightly lower.

  5. CompariSon says:

    Wow… people were more passionate about the government spending wrought by the PPM government in 2009 than they were passionate about the corruption charges from the UDP government this 2013. The voter turn out was not that enthusiastic than it was the previous election.

  6. Anonymous says:

    North Siders have a right to relax. Under the election rules established for referenda, anyone not showing up is a NO vote. No For Joey!

    • Anonymous says:

      (((((((((((((((((((((  Thank God the 2 representatives that

      believe in Sun Shine cleanses are back in. ))))))))))))))))))))))!!!!!!!!

      Hy raYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

  7. Anonymous says:

    That’s because no one was worth voting for.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Slightly misleading headline??
    Numbers are higher now lower??

  9. Anonymous says:

    I think voters are disenchanted. I voted but I had not attended one political meeting and had a hard time choosing the full number for my district.

    I decided to vote in the end to give some of the newcomers a chance, but even among that lot I had uncertainty and voted for a mix of the old and the new.

    It will be a challenge for the new group coming in — and I think many well — to turn things around and change national perceptions.

    My prediction? I would be surprised if Marco Archer did not come in in GT. I have my hopes based on him — I hope a few other good new faces like him will get in.

    Good luck, Marco — and I am not a family member or even close friend. Just someone who has observed and had conversations — on a casual level — over the years.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Still rounded to 80% no need to be grim. Anyone knows that number is rounded. So we are right up there with the average.

  11. Anonymous says:

    The result will be the same as 2009. I know now, so I gie up.