Apathy will be the enemy of OMOV campaign
(CNS): The supervisor of elections, Kearney Gomez, has said that mobile voting on the one man, one vote went like clockwork in George Town on Thursday but after visiting five out of the six districts, officials say not everyone who signed up to cast a mobile vote turned up to the democratic road show. Apathy will be the enemy of the OMOV campaign as government has set a high bar for the referendum to pass. Campaigners for the change have warned that people who stay home are essentially voting ‘No’ to the democratic principal of one man, one vote and single member constituencies.
Although they are continuing to fight a valiant campaign for equality in the Cayman Islands voting system, the OMOV grassroots organisation has had to fund its own educational campaign against the government machine. Despite the fact that this is a government sponsored referendum, the UDP administration is fighting against the more democratic move. In order for the referendum to carry, it needs 50% plus one of the entire electorate rather than just half of the turnout. This means that anyone who does not vote will be undermining the possibility of the referendum carrying.
However, because ‘no’ voters do not to go to the polls, those that do go are more likely to be voting ‘yes’.
So far 92% of those registered for a mobile vote turned out in the Sister Islands, 95% in East End, 88% in North Side, but only 75% in Bodden Town turned up to cast a vote at the mobile station. Meanwhile in George Town 84% of registered electors who had signed on for the mobile vote came out to cast their vote.
But all is not lost. Colford Scott, the deputy supervisor of elections, said that because officials want to ensure that noregistered voter is disenfranchised, those who applied to vote at the mobile trailer but for whatever reasons were unable to make it can still vote on Referendum Day on Wednesday 18 July when polls open at 7am or anytime until they close at 6pm that evening.
Today, Thursday 12 July, the trailer makes its last stop in West Bay at the John A cumber Primary School for mobile voters in that district to have their say.
OMOV campaigners are urging people to turn out next Wednesday and be one of the 7,582 people required to change the country’s voting to the democratic, equitable and accountable system of one man, one vote in single member constituencies.
Category: Politics
It's true that apathy will influence the OMOV Campagin. …and it should.
If I don't make the observation and conclusion about the issue myself .
,If I don't care enough to find out then it does not matter.
If the arguement presented does not move me to action then it does not matter.
Voter apathy is part of the process.
At which point is any issue resolved ? At which point is it reasonable to listen to what you have to say and then say, I don't agree, don't care…. it's not for me…. , your point while having some merit does not move me to action or for me to agree with you ?
No means No. …no more debate… no more discussion.
Poor voter turn out is a vote..by default and is truly an indicator of the merits of the issue….at least as it relates to the individual view on this issue.
Come on! this attitude and answer is rubbish! If someone doesn't care about the issue or are undecided and don't go to cast a vote then they should not be counted as influence to the end decision – that's only fare! Think… for example what happens if someone who was a "Yes" vote God forbid dies the night before or is really ill and can't make it then their absence is counted as a "No" – which is not fare. Not only are dead people who have not bee taken off the voters list being counted as "No's" but it is unfare that should someone be sick and would've voted "yes" and can't make it their vote is then made as a "no" – not the same for people who are "No" voters, they can stay home, take a trip off island or fall into out of space and their vote is still registered as a "No". Not to mention with any type of election only like 70 to 80% on average of the voting population actually go to the polls so right off the bat McKeeva has possibly taken 20-30% of the voting poulation's vote to the "No" he wants.
Fare is Fare and evidently McKeeva realized this and arranged this referendum as such to have a drastic advantage at having his way.
Do you want to work on July 18th ? "N0"
If it matters then supporters of OMOV will come out and vote.
I hope no one dies before they vote.. or don't care to vote.
The majority vote should always count and should alway be a clear majority of all voters.
I think it very reasonable in this specific instance to accept a none vote as a no vote.
Remember when we voted for the Referandum, you see what happened? It only gave those who oppposed it powersuch like the Premier and the Deputy. We have to be careful with all these changes. Anyway Jesus will soon come, just hope that ju ju get to preach the ministry before his coming. Preaching these days is a good salary too you know.
You gotta go bobo!!
There will always be a certain injustice if politicians get to set the bar based on their wishes. For example, they wanted the constitution passed, so the bar was set as a simple majority of voters. Now they don't want OMOV passed, so the bar is set as a majority of the electorate.
This makes me a perpetual loser… Time to double up on my Prozac.
A govt. initiated referendum is usually passed by a majority of the votes cast. The Constitution referendum was a govt. initiated referendum. The UDP says this is a govt. initiated referendum.
The only reason this became a Government initiated referedum was so that they could set the parameters as high as possible and be in control of the process.
17: 05
You are so dishonest, i hope you are not a candidate for the up coming election? if it were a people's referandum it would require the same parameters…so stop spewingshit.
I said this already on another post but I will say it here again.
We wanted a referendum and he’s trying to sabotage it.
We marched against him and he told us to go home.
We questioned him on public forums and he refused to have anymore press conferences or debates.
We write about in in the press and he calls us devil worshipers, liars and fools.
We stand up to him and he sues us.
Many hoped he would ensure our future instead he has stolen it from us and sold and given it away for nothing.
We implore the help from the Governor and he ignores us.
We’ve exercised many rights but this referendum is the only thing the government is actually scared of.
This referendum is how we will bear our claws.
This referendum is how Goliath will be slain.
The revolution will not be televised the referendum will.
The UDP is shitting bricks because if OMOV passes, for the first time in the history of the Cayman islands…
the people in power will not be as powerful as the people.
The Bush Dynasty must and WILL crumble and McKeeva will be defeated not by another party or by another politician… he will be defeated by Cayman and her people.
Vote true. Vote right. Vote YES.
It’s time to break free from the tyrany and the deceit of a government that has been allowed to pull the wool over your eyes and kept you ignorant to the truth and facts and your rights as free men and women, living in a quasi-democratic society. Embrace your rights and exercise it!
People should not fear their government. The government should fear its people.
Sorry, but the below info extracted from the article is NOT correct.
Both 'No' and 'Yes' votes will be counted to decide the final outcome!
Check with the election officials to confirm.
"people who stay home are essentially voting ‘No’ to the democratic principal of one man, one vote and single member constituencies…….However, because ‘no’ voters do not to go to the polls, those that do go are more likely to be voting ‘yes’."
This kind of garbage should not be allowed and IMO is total BS! I believe it's only fair to go by the votes that do come in and base the decision that way. This means that people who are undecided as to which they'd prefer technically will swing it to a "No" which is ridiculous. Like in a General election if somone is unsure in a politian to represent them so they just don't give that person the vote then their non vote just doesn't count as a yes or a no in influencing that politian to get in – this should be the same. The deciding factor should be got from the votes that do come in, plain and simple but of course Mr. Dictator Mac would arrange it as such and obviously intelligently did so and I have to wonder if Caymanians are blind sometimes. Something like this I think would've caused a major uproar in other countries and would never be made to go this way. Sometimes I think our civilized, non confrontational way as a nation gives us the crap end of the stick ALLOT!
I mean if a bunch of "yes" voters, God forbid, falls teribly ill and are unable to go to vote or die and don't get taken off the voters list, guess what – Mac gets his "No" vote.
Bottom line this setup has me furious from day one and I think is extremely biased to swing it for what Mac wants. and even technically ALL the "no" voters can stay home and have a holiday or even take a trip to Miami and their No is still registered – TOTAL GARBAGE!
And I think I should make clear the option I want is not based on any particular party but based on which system I feel is better for the country. Just couldn't help to notice how Mac wants a "no" so from day one arranged the results to be counted as such to benefit what he wants and it's very dictator like.
Farness is Fairness and it should not be counted for a yes or no for non voters.
/ End Rant
I hadn't thought about the fact that anyone who has died recently will still be on the voters list and will, therefore, be a NO vote on Wednesday. That has to be the straw that broke the camels back!
Apathy is not just the enemy of the OMOV campaign, its been apparent long before this came about and is the main reason our politicians get away with blue murder here – because they know whilst we might make plenty noise, not a lot of us seem motivated or indeed, bothered enough to stand up for what's right for Cayman and its people. Apathy is the enemy of Cayman, and its rife here. Nothing will improve until people educate themselves on their rights and empower themselves to do something about it.
Apathy = Anynomously writing a comment = Making sort of a promise but only sort of. You know you do not have to be part of a party to sign your name ? Or that don't make you against one either ; you just don't agree with what is going on and we are loosing Big Time. That's what good about our Freedom of speach. I know the UK is watching all of this closely and what we stand for and what we will decide. Are we a stong type or persons capable of choosing capable persons in the future to run our Country properly and TRANSPARENT before the fact or all we good for is complain. I don't know about you but I am not only tired of complaining but every curve balls that come with it. I was not born here but was educated by an older generation of Caymanian from 35 years ago, Very knowledgeble and they will tell you that is much worst then the old mosquito days. And they were the good days ! We need you Ladies to stand up again and help save our Beautiful Islands also and make sure your husband, children goes voting too. I am sure they all still listening to you All of you young Caymanians that are allowed to vote, don't miss this one bro. as you can see what going on. Listen to the old common sense caymanians , they will tell you that tings not well !! God. Bless, Michel Lemay
We need to spread the word. If we are not careful, we could lose out to the current government. Where are parades? Where are the honking of cars and street signs? This is the time to advertise OMOV more than ever before. only 6 days left!
In less than a week we have a chance to make a small but important change to our voting system. A change that will help to give us, the people,better representation.
The key is each and every eligible voter that favors OMOV must get to the polls and cast their yes vote. The article is right. Apathy is our only enemy.
Please vote yes on the 18th.
Thank you Mr. Layman. Yes, Yes. Yes. God Bless, Michel Lemay