The Elections Office has said it will start a voter-registration drive this weekend in anticipation of government’s planned vote on a national lottery, and legalising small quantities of cannabis.
This will occur even though government has yet to take a referendum bill to Parliament with its proposed date for the vote and question for debate.
Acting Attorney General Reshma Sharma had announced in her address at the Grand Court opening last month that the legal framework to pave the way for Cayman’s vote was expected to head to Parliament in the first quarter of this year.
Since then there has been no notice of a Parliament meeting nor any related legislation gazetted.
The Elections Office, in a statement Friday morning, said while the motion approving the referendum passed on 7 Dec. 2022, an official date is still to be determined and “it is conducting a voter registration drive to give qualified electors the opportunity to participate in the anticipated Referendum on Gambling and Small Quantities of Cannabis”.
Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell, commenting on the start of the drive, said “Our aim, as always, is to make registration as effortless as possible for those wishing to vote while maintaining the highest accuracy and confidence in the process.”
He added, “To facilitate a smooth and easy process and avoid additional follow-up appointments, we ask persons looking to register at supermarket locations to bring copies of all the required identification documents with them when registering. The Elections Office staff is also ready to assist individuals registering to vote at our convenient locations.”
The Register of Electors, as of 1 Jan., contains 23,496 registered voters.
The Elections Office pointed out that in 2021, the Economics and Statistics Office estimated that there were 27,423 Caymanians over the age of 20, leaving an estimated 3,927 eligible persons off the current register.
The deadline to register is Saturday, 1 April 2023, the office said.
“Voter registration applications received by 1 April 2023 will be vetted and processed by the Registering Officers for inclusion in the 1 July 2023 Official Register of Electors,” the statement added.
Persons wishing to register should present the following documents based on their Caymanian status:
Caymanian status holder:
- Birth certificate
- Caymanian status certificate/letter
- Photo ID: passport or driver’s licence
Caymanian-born with Caymanian parent/s or grandparent:
- Birth certificate of the applicant, if born in the Islands, and
- Birth certificate of one of the parents or grandparents who was born in the Islands
- Photo ID: Passport or driver’s licence
Caymanian with an acknowledgement letter from Immigration or Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman:
- Birth certificate of the applicant
- Acknowledgement letter from WORC/Immigration
- Photo ID: passport or driver’s licence
In addition, the Elections Office said, staff members will be available to register individuals on weekdays and weekends at the following supermarket locations:
Hurley’s – Grand Harbour
- Saturday, 25 Feb. – 9am to 1pm
- Wednesday, 8 March – 4:30 pm to 7:30pm
- Saturday, 18 March – 9:30am to 12:30pm
- Wednesday, 22 March – 4:30pm to 7:30pm
Foster’s – Countryside
- Thursday, 9 March – 4pm to 7pm
- Saturday, 11 March – 9am to 2pm
- Thursday, 23 March – 4pm to 7pm
- Thursday, 30 March – 4pm to 7pm
Foster’s – Airport
- Thursday, 9 March – 4pm to 7pm
- Saturday, 11 March – 10am to 1pm
- Thursday, 23 March – 4pm to 7pm
- Thursday, 30 March – 4pm to 7pm
Foster’s – Camana Bay
- Saturday, 25 Feb. – 10am to 2pm
- Wednesday, 1 March – 4pm to 7pm
- Wednesday, 15 March – 4pm to 7pm
- Wednesday, 29 March – 4pm to 7pm
Foster’s – Republix
- Saturday, 4 March – 9:30am to 1pm
- Wednesday, 15 March – 4:30pm to 7:30pm
- Saturday, 25 March – 9:30am to 1pm
The Elections Office will be open on:
- Saturday, 11, 18 and 25 March – 10am to 4pm
- Saturday, 1 April – 10am to 4pm
Individuals wishing to register to vote can contact their registering officer or visit the Elections Office at 68 Baytown Office Suites, West Bay Road, George Town, visit www.elections.ky or call 949-8047.
District registering officers:
- Bethany Powery – [email protected] – 516-4402 (West Bay North, West Bay South, West Bay West, West Bay Central)
- Kathryn Myles [email protected] – 516-2117 (George Town North, George Central, George Town West, George Town East, George Town South, Red Bay, Prospect)
- Kerry Nixon [email protected] – 516-4478 (Savannah, Newlands, Bodden Town West, Bodden Town East)
- Leisa Welcome [email protected] – 516-4647 (East End)
- Patricia Ebanks [email protected] – 516-4349 (North Side)
- Ellen Lazzari [email protected] – 516-5307 (Cayman Brac East, Cayman Brac West)
Related Videos
