NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (May 29, 2020) — The following is an address by Mr. Elvin Bailey, Supervisor of Election in St. Kitts and Nevis delivered on May 29, 2020, regarding the General Election on June 05, 2020.

Fellow Citizens and residents,

The candidates for the election of June 5th were nominated on Wednesday 27th May. They are:

Constituency 1:

Dr. Geoffrey Hanley of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Ian Liburd of the People’s Action Movement symbol the Hat

Constituency 2:

Marcella Liburd of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Jonel Powell of the People’s Action Movement, symbol the Hat

Constituency 3:

Akilah Byron-Nisbett of the People’s Labour Party, symbol the Saw

Konris Maynard of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Constituency 4:

Lindsay Grant of the People’s Action Movement symbol the Hat

Jason Thomas, an independent candidate, symbol the Clock

Steve Wrensford of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Constituency 5:

Kenneth Douglas of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Shawn Richards of the People’s Action Movement, symbol the Hat

Constituency 6:

Dr. Denzil Douglas of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Kevin Williams of the People’s Labour Party, symbol the Saw

Constituency 7:

Dr. Timothy Harris of the People’s Labour Party, symbol the Saw

Leon Natta-Nelson of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Constituency 8:

Dr. Terrance Drew of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, symbol the Hand

Eugene Hamilton of the People’s Action Movement, symbol the Hat

Constituency 9:

Mark Brantley of the Concerned Citizens Movement, symbol the Hammer

Dr. Kelvin Daly of the Nevis Reformation Party, symbol the Bottle

Constituency 10:

Eric Evelyn of the Concerned Citizens Movement, symbol the Hammer

Bjorn Hanley of the Nevis Reformation Party, symbol the Bottle

Constituency 11:

Alexis Jeffers of the Concerned Citizens Movement, symbol the Hammer

Patrice Nisbett of the Nevis Reformation Party, symbol the Bottle

The candidates all have a three-day waiting period as of Nomination Day before their candidacy is finalised. Please note that the candidates are presented to you per constituency in alphabetical order of their surname. This is how their names will appear on the ballot.

We congratulate all candidates on offering themselves in the service of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The voters list for the election is drawn up of persons whose names were on the Annual Register published at the end of January 2020 PLUS those who were in the monthly revised lists thereafter up to the March list. Thus, there is a total of 48,036 persons who will have the opportunity to vote; 35,860 in St. Kitts and 12,176 in Nevis.

This is 5,852 or 14 percent more persons than the 42,184 voters of 2015. As such, we have had to create an additional eight polling stations for a total of 129 polling sites. In summary, on voting day, Friday June 5th voting will take place thus:-

For the 5, 962 voters in Constituency 1, they will vote at 15 voting sites

For the 5,421 voters in Constituency 2, they will vote at 14 voting sites

The 4,078 voters in Constituency 3, they will vote at 10 voting sites.

The 3,400 voters in Constituency 4 will vote at 10 voting sites

In Constituency 5, there are 3,124 voters assigned to 10 voting sites

In Constituency 6, there are 3,205 voters assigned to 9 voting sites

Constituency 7 has 3,722 voters assigned to 9 voting sites

Constituency 8 has 6,948 voters assigned to 18 voting sites

In Constituency 9, there are 6,397 voters assigned to 18 voting sites

Constituency 10 has 1,774 voters who will vote in 6 voting sites, and

For Constituency 11, there are 4,005 voters assigned to 10 voting sites

The actual sites and the number of voters assigned to each voting or polling site will be published in the gazette and in newspapers.

We must ask that all, and especially the new voters to pay special attention to the instruction of the Presiding Officers in charge of the voting stations. Those instructions will include a reminder of the names of the candidates, the party they each represent as well as their party symbols and an instruction on how and where to make the mark for your choice, that is, an “X” with the pencil provided. They will also direct you to where to go to make your mark. You must return your vote, folded so that your vote is not revealed, and present it to the Presiding Officer for further instruction, including a compulsory dipping of your finger in the indelible ink provided.  If you refuse to dip your finger in the ink your vote will be deemed a spoilt one, not counted in the final result.

I remind you that candidates are only allowed access to polling stations within the constituency that he/she is contesting. However, they, by law, can only remain within the voting station together with their agent for five minutes maximum, and then one of them will be required to leave.

Voters are also not allowed to loiter in the polling station. You must leave immediately after casting your vote.

There will be further instructions about how to protect yourself and the persons who are there to serve you from COVID-19. Such protocols, discussed and accepted by the COVID-19 Task Force include sanitization, distancing measures, and the wearing of masks. Voters will be required to briefly unmask so that their identity can be checked. Also, a cleansing solution will be provided for voters prior to the immersion in the indelible ink. We are urging voters to comply so that the voting process can flow smoothly and expeditiously.

While voting, if you feel that your ballot is not properly marked or is spoilt, please return it to the Presiding Officer and request another. The legislation allows for this.

Voters who require assistance can request such assistance.  That voter can have another voter of the same polling station make the mark for them behind the booth or, can request that the Presiding Officer, in the full view of the party agents and poll clerk, make the mark on behalf of the voter.  An oath of incapacity must be taken by the incapacitated voter, and a voter may only assist one such voter, and none other.

Voters will be asked not to take their cell phones/cameras into the voting area. In fact, a container will be provided in which the voter will be asked to deposit their phones.

Please bring picture identification with you, particularly your National Identification Card.  However, if you do not have your valid card for whatever reason, you can still vote upon presentation of either a valid local passport, valid local social security card or valid local driver’s license. If none of these are available, the elector will be required to take an oath of identity in order to vote. I need to emphasise that voting is not complete until the appropriate finger is dipped in the ink to the satisfaction of the Presiding Officer.

The polls will be available for voting continuously from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Any and all persons who are in line at 6:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote, but no one will be allowed to join the line after 6:00 p.m.

Also, no one is allowed within 100 hundred yards of the polling site other than electoral officials, candidates and their credentialed agents, commission members and observers. The police will be asked to strictly enforce these rules. Also, note that it is an offence to display political paraphernalia on voting day.

At the end of voting, ballot boxes will be transported under armed guard to the counting site, one per constituency where the votes will be counted, starting at about 8:00 p.m. or later.  Results will be periodically shared with the public as they become available.

I wish to encourage all voters to exercise their franchise and to vote for the candidate of their choice, and to do so in an orderly and respectful manner.

I thank all of you for your prayers. I thank all churches and organisations for allowing the use of their buildings for this national service, and I thank you for your acceptance of these arrangements.

Like you, I wish for good weather on polling day, and pray that God will continue to bless us all.