The Elections Office has said there will be “heightened vigilance” in verifying voter registration and change-of-circumstances forms following claims of attempts by some people to fraudulently vote in districts where they do not reside.
The office, in a statement on Tuesday morning, said it has received complaints and concerns about electors “intentionally or inadvertently” seeking to fraudulently vote in electoral districts where they do not reside either through false change-of-circumstances applications or false residential information on registrations forms.
Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell, in an emailed comment to the Cayman Compass, said his officers noticed “some questionable forms” and had received concerns directly, prompting the issuance of a warning against committing voter fraud.
“Currently, the Registering Officers are reviewing and processing voter registration and change of information applications; they are following up with applicants whose forms appear to be in question. If they still have concerns after contacting the applicant, they will raise the objections with the Revising Officer during the period for claims and objections. If fraud is suspected, the matter will be reported to the Police,” Howell explained.
The elections supervisor pointed out that an example of a questionable form is when a voter submits multiple change-of-address forms within a short period.
“While some persons are legitimately transient or relocating after a brief stay, some may be illegitimate; as such these applications are scrutinised closely,” he said.
Howell added that where the Elections Office suspects fraud, “such as a person fraudulent signing forms as a voter when they are not that person, then those cases will be referred to the Police. We have not detected any of these forms to date”.
‘Handful of reports’
He said that they have received a handful of reports.
“However, it is difficult to determine if the same concern is being raised multiple times by different parties or if there are numerous instances. I strongly encourage anyone with concerns to provide the details directly to the Elections Office by emailing [email protected], calling 949-8047 or visiting our office in person,” he said.
The Elections Office, in a statement on the matter, also reminded the public that such acts are “serious” offences under the law, and “all citizens are urged to adhere strictly to the laws governing voter registration”.
“There are severe penalties for violating Section 11 (3) of the Elections Act, which pertains to knowingly making false statements. Offenders are liable to a fine of $500 and up to three months’ imprisonment upon conviction,” the statement said.
Claims of people registering to vote in constituencies in which they do not reside was brought to the attention of the Cayman Compass and a query was sent Monday to the elections supervisor flagging the issue.
The 1 Jan. official voters list has increased to 23,829, about 300 more than the 1 Oct list.
With the influx of registrations, the electoral roll is expected to surpass a record 24,000 voters when the 1 April list is made official ahead of the 2025 general election.
The Elections Office recently extended the 1 Jan. 2025 voter registration deadline by two weeks, giving eligible, unregistered individuals more time to get on the electoral roll for the 30 April general election.
Howell said the revised List of Electors will be published on 29 Jan.
“I encourage all persons to check the List to ensure that their information is correct. Once the revised List is published, anyone who believes they should be on the List (but are not) or whose details are incorrect may lodge a claim to be added or to have their information corrected. Similarly, anyone who believes a name on the Revised List should not be there (for example, the person is registered at an address they do not live in) may lodge an objection against that entry,” Howell said.
After the window for filing claims and objections closes, Howell said, the registering officers will compile all claims and objections and forward them to the revising officer.
“Notice of hearings will be issued, and the Revising Officer will hear the matters, examine the evidence, and decide to uphold or dismiss the claim or objection,” he explained.
‘Fair and transparent electoral process’
Howell, in the statement on the matter, stressed that the Elections Office “remains committed to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process”.
“We urge all Caymanians to act responsibly and in accordance with the law when submitting voter registration forms or other related documents,” he said.
The Elections Office, in its Tuesday statement, emphasised that submitting false information “not only undermines the integrity of the electoral process but also erodes public confidence in our democratic system”.
The statement strongly encouraged those signing voter-registration and change-of-address forms “supplied or completed by prospective candidates and other persons conducting canvassing” to read the information carefully and only sign if the contents are true.
“If you suspect any instances of fraudulent activity, please report them to the Elections Office immediately by emailing [email protected] or calling 949-8047,” the statement said.
The final voter registration deadline is Wednesday, 15 Jan.
Operating hours at the Elections Office have also been extended to 7pm daily to allow for voter registration.
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