One Million Eligible to Vote for Local Government Elections in Trinidad

MORE than one million people are eligible to vote in Trinidad on Monday for Local Government Elections.

There are 1,079,969 eligible voters with 2,107 polling stations in 1,530 polling divisions across the country.

The Elec­tions and Bound­aries Com­mis­sion (EBC) is warn­ing po­lit­i­cal par­ties, can­di­dates, elec­tors and all oth­er de­mo­c­ra­t­ic stake­hold­ers to obey the law or face the con­se­quences.

In its web­site, the EBC itemised the elec­tion of­fences one could run afoul of to­day dur­ing the Lo­cal Gov­ern­ment Elec­tion.

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It stated that ignorance of the law was not an ex­cuse and noted that on election day there should not be can­vass­ing, loud mu­sic, no con­gre­ga­tion and sale of al­co­hol.

These were of­fences for which per­sons could be ar­rest­ed for to­day and once found guilty could face a fine or im­pris­on­ment.

During the last Lo­cal Gov­ern­ment Elec­tion in 2016, on­ly 362,254 elec­tors had vot­ed, which ac­count­ed for 34.34 per­cent of the elec­torate pop­u­la­tion.

A total of 339 candidates are vying for 139 positions in 14 regional corporations.

Only the Peo­ple’s Na­tion­al Move­ment and the Unit­ed Na­tion­al Con­gress have put for­ward a full slate of can­di­dates.

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Sev­en polling day of­fences un­der the Rep­re­sen­ta­tion of the Peo­ple Act, Chap 2:01:

1) Any­one who plays mu­sic or holds a pro­ces­sion with­in a polling sta­tion be­fore two hours af­ter the clos­ing poll clos­es is li­able on sum­ma­ry con­vic­tion to a $7,500 fine or six months im­pris­on­ment.

2) No per­son shall fur­nish or sup­ply any pub­lic ad­dress ap­pa­ra­tus, loud­speak­er, bunting, en­sign, ban­ner, stan­dards or set of colours or any flag to any per­son, nor shall those things be used or worn by any­one or put on any mo­tor ve­hi­cle to be used as po­lit­i­cal pro­pa­gan­da. This of­fence car­ries on sum­ma­ry con­vic­tion on sum­ma­ry con­vic­tion to a $7,500 fine or six months im­pris­on­ment.

3) Oth­er than elec­tors wait­ing to vote no per­sons shall as­sem­ble or con­gre­gate at a polling sta­tion or with­in 100 yards there­of. This of­fence car­ries on sum­ma­ry con­vic­tion on sum­ma­ry con­vic­tion to a $7,500 fine or six months im­pris­on­ment.

4) Any­one who seeks to in­flu­ence any elec­tor to vote or re­frain from vot­ing for any po­lit­i­cal par­ty or as­cer­tain for whom any elec­tor is sup­port­ing with­in the polling sta­tion or a pub­lic place or road with­in 100 yards of a polling sta­tion is li­able to a fine of $7,500 or three months im­pris­on­ment.

5) No al­co­hol shall be sold or of­fered or ex­posed for sale be­tween the open­ing and the clos­ing of the poll.

6) A per­son who votes know­ing that he is not en­ti­tled to vote; or votes more than once has com­mit­ted an il­le­gal prac­tice and is li­able to a fine of $15,000 or six months in prison.

7) A per­son who is guilty of im­per­son­ation if he votes as some oth­er per­son or aids and abets in the com­mis­sion of this of­fence. Up­on con­vic­tion on in­dict­ment for this of­fence, a per­son is li­able to a fine of $30,000 and to five years im­pris­on­ment.

See Notice of Election offences below:

Notice of Election Offences