Electors warned not to cast too many votes

(CNS): The Elections Office is warning voters that ballots will be rejected if they vote for more candidates than their constituency allows. Electors in multi-member constituencies don’thave to use all their votes but they must be careful not to use too many. Officials said voters in George Town now have six votes while those in Bodden Town now have four, but they warned electors to ensure that they do not mark any more than that on their ballot sheets. In West Bay voters have the same four votes and Cayman Brac & Little Cayman voters still have two.

Electors can only vote for the number of candidates prescribed in section 5 of the Elections Law and they should be aware that to vote for more candidates than are specified for their districts will result in their ballots being rejected at the count, the office said. If electors choose to give all their votes to one candidate it will still only be counted as one vote.

Officials also reminded voters that ballot papers can be marked with a ballpoint pen or the pencil provided in the poll booth.  However, the use of fountain pens is discouraged because the mark on the ballot made by the elector could show through the ballot paper.  Electors should be aware that in marking the ballot an X must be made next to the names of the one, two, four or six candidates they are voting for, depending on the district. 

However, electors are perfectly entitled to spoil their ballot if they so choose. It is considered a legitimate means of democratic protest and a significant number of spoilt ballot papers sends a signal to the powers that be that voters want to engage in the political process but are not pleased with what is being presented to them. All spoilt ballots must be counted as they have to be accounted for in order to avoid election fraud. Although the local Elections Office normally records a small number of spoilt ballot papers, it has not been used historically in Cayman as a means of protest.

Meanwhile, new electors who have only just registered and those who have not previously applied for an elector’s registration card cannot collect new voter cards this week from the main office as staff are on the road. Voters who have had a card in the past may still obtain replacement cards during this period. Officials explained that the arrangement is temporary while election technicians are out in the districts this week.

New voter cards will again be issued from Tuesday 23 April but officials are asking voters to be patient as the office has only one new printer and a few almost obsolete units. The Elections Office also offered its appreciation to all voters who are arranging to pick up voter ID cards as it said they will help to expedite the voting process on Election Day and the office would do all it could to issue cards to everyone who wants them before the General Election on Wednesday 22 May.

See schedule for voter ID card pick up below.