Symister tells St. Mary’s South electors that their voter ID cards should be kept at hand

The constituents of St. Mary’s South are being urged to ensure their
voter identification cards are at hand, as there are just over two
weeks to the by-election in that constituency.
 
Last weekend, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the date
as October 24.
 
Leon Chaku Symister, the United Progressive Party (UPP)
spokesperson on legal matters, says that voters should know where
their cards are at all times.
 
He is reminding them that, even though a person’s name appears on
the voter’s list, if he is unable to present his identification card going
into the voting booth, then he will be unable to vote.
 
However, he acknowledges, the law does provide for an individual to
obtain a temporary voter’s card the same day.
 
Symister says, though, that persons should not want to risk this at
all; so the most important thing at this time is to know exactly where
their card is.  
 
Meanwhile, another important aspect of this by-election is the
Register for Elections, Symister says.
 
Based on the law, the Register must be published no later than 14
days after the Writ for Elections is issued.

Since the Writ was issued on October 3, it therefore means the
Register should be published no later than October 17. This is to
allow the electorate to access the published list on which voting is to
be conducted.
 
After publication of the Register, the election is to follow in seven
days, Symister says.

This will give the St. Mary’s South UPP team a short space of time in
which to thoroughly vet the list, ensuring there are no discrepancies
and that those names that should appear on it are, in fact, there, he
says.