Election Day: Responsibility of Electors to Vote

Tomorrow is elections day in the Commonwealth of Dominica and the Electoral Reform Effort Group is asking all eligible electors to peacefully go to their designated polling stations and vote in accordance with a good conscience, conscious of the issues at hand.

As stated in its 11^th November 2019 Press Statement, “The Group urges citizens to engage in this franchise of voting with well-formed consciences, avoiding being victims to bribery and other illicit practices that would corrupt the electoral process, and to pay attention to and comply with the electoral laws. The Group endorses the Dominica Christian Council’s (DCC’s) code of conduct. Further, the Group urges all voters to carry passports, drivers’ licences and social security cards with which they are to identify themselves properly before voting. In addition, the Group urges the political parties to encourage their supporters to do so, [to present means to identify themselves as the registered voters they say they are]. The Group further urges those without ID’s to take along one or two persons with ID’s to identify them. Voters have the power to institute some reforms.”

Nonetheless, we must pause to reflect, with much regret and shame, that we as a country not only did not achieve the bare minimum that any modern democratic country ought to showcase as attributes of a functional and credible electoral process but has been embroiled in civil unrest and disturbances on account of this failure, the first in our history and likely the English speaking Caribbean.

It is recalled that the Group’s effort towards electoral reform was driven by the Group’s concern that, given the unfinished business of necessary electoral reform, should the general election be held with significant public perception that its outcome would not reflect the desire of the majority of the resident eligible voters, there is the chance that civil unrest and disturbances may ensue in the country.   It is noted with much sadness that the outpouring of protest dovetailing into civil unrest and disturbances has sadly occurred in advance of the election day itself.

The Group wishes that the result of the polls will be adequately acceptable to the resident population to allow citizens to move to work at repairing and rebuilding our damaged image as a peaceful people, and to continue the process of building the economy and country.  We need to find tangible ways to peace.

Once again, the Group urges, that going forward, the full scope of electoral reform, inclusive of campaign financing, access to State media, minimizing the advantage of the incumbency, and constituency boundary redistribution, should be undertaken well within the first year after the general election.

These reforms ought also to set boundaries on the calling of general elections being cognisant of the time stipulated for corrections of primary electors lists and the submission of claims and objections before the final lists are presented. These reforms ought to include the Constitutional provisions respecting the composition, financing, independence and powers of the Electoral Commission.

It is hoped that the new parliamentarians will be more considerate to their constituents and avoid occasion that will result in situations that we have been experiencing in recent times.

We urge the security forces to act in ways which ensure that there is a harvest of peace, and not despair, frustration and hardened positions.

The Group prays that our children, our country, the region and the international community, will be able to forgive us for failing in this effort and that we will strive to avoid a repeat of this regrettable journey.

We pray that God continues to bless the Commonwealth of Dominica.