Amendments to elections law - 1,239 citizens struck off voters’ register |10 June 2015

One thousand two hundred and thirty nine (1,239) citizens who were not yet 18 years but whose names featured on the voters’register as per the old election law, have been struck off the list.

Under the old law, whereby the voters’ register remained open only for a specific period of time every year, all new voters who were to turn 18 within a 15-month period from the time the voters’ register is open for inspection were listed.

Under the new law, which came into effect on May 15, the voters’ register will remain open throughout the year and all new voters are being urged to exercise their duty and register their names on the voters’ register as soon as they turn 18 and not to wait until the last minute to do so. The law stipulates that registration of voters only stops on the day the Electoral Commission announces the date of an election.

Electoral Commission member Beatty Hoareau said now that voter registration is open all year round, it also makes it easier for young voters to exercise their civic duties.

Mr Hoareau gave these details yesterday afternoon when announcing the completion by the office of the Electoral Commission of the first exercise under the Elections Amendment Act 2014.  This is the publication of a list of applications from voters for registration as a voter or transfer from one electoral area to another or objections received during the month of May 2015.

The list has been verified in accordance with the legislation and is open for public inspection in all district administration offices, all voter registration centres and the office of the Electoral Commission pursuant to Section 8 (1C) of the Elections Act as amended by Elections (Amendment) 2014  (paragraph 11 of  Schedule 3).

The list also shows citizens whose names appear on the Certified Voters Register as at March 31, 2015, but who have not attained the age of 18 years at May 15, 2015 in accordance with the Constitution and the Elections Amendment Act 2014.  

The Electoral Commission hereby invites objections to the names set out in the list within seven (7) days of its publication.
During the meeting with the press yesterday afternoon the newly appointed chief registration officer Lorna Lepathy was also presented. She is replacing Jenny Adrienne who has retired from the position.

Meanwhile Mr Hoareau is urging voters to do the necessary to carry out the required changes they need to do, noting that voters who are not registered will not vote and voters who have changed district and have not rquested for a transfer will have to vote in the district on whose voters’ list their names feature.

With regard to the ongoing all year round registration process Mr Hoareau said it got off to quite a slow start so far for last month with 12 new applications, 20 corrections, 21 transfers, four transfers and corrections.

He noted that people who turned up for verifications were not registered.
Mr Hoareau noted that an updated list will be issued every first week of each month.