Electoral Office warns Dominican voters to observe registration requirements

Chief Elections Officer Ian Michael Anthony

The Electoral Office of Dominica is advising the general public that a critical component of any claim for registration is the residency requirement.

A statement from the Electoral Office states that the Registration of Electors Act (Chap. 2:03) requires that any citizen of Dominica who submits a claim for registration, must have been living in the polling district in which they intend to register for at least three (3) months prior to the date of registration.

“For Commonwealth member state citizens, the requirement is that they be resident in Dominica for at least twelve (12) months and in the particular polling district in which they want to register for at least three (3) months prior to registration,” the statement adds.

It goes on to say, “These conditions must be met when registering along with the age, required by the act as 18 or over, and citizenship. Electors must be citizens of either Dominica or any other Commonwealth Member State. We also want to make it clear that Electors can only be registered in one polling district at a time.”

The Electoral Office says it is encouraged by the recent influx of claims for registration as an elector, which it says is an important part democracy and the electoral process in Dominica.

The Electoral Office is also urging people to desist from making any false claims.

“We admonish those persons who knowingly make false statements for the purpose of being registered as an elector.  The public is reminded that any person who does this is by law guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $1500.00 or to imprisonment for three months,” it warns in its statement.

“The Electoral Office and Registering Officers have increased their vigilance to guard against any such instances and the office will work with Law Enforcement authorities to give effect to the provisions of the law,” the statement declares.

The Electoral Office is urging the public to be guided accordingly and is commending its officers at the Electoral Office and around Dominica “who have been diligent in carrying out their function.”

Electoral Office on Turkey Lane

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7 Comments

  1. LANGSAL
    April 30, 2019

    ANOTHER WELL PLACED RARE ADMIRAL

  2. LaPlaine Observer
    April 30, 2019

    Don’t just focus on the registration guidelines. Address the voting irregularities that has plagued Dominica for the past 19 years.

  3. Me
    April 29, 2019

    What a joke when they don’t want to comply to what they should be doing themselves.

  4. So What about voter ID card?

  5. Annon
    April 29, 2019

    Get registered people. Don’t assume that you can just go down and vote. And then stand guard over the voting box.

  6. carlty
    April 29, 2019

    This is exactly the thing that I needed someone to say. There are laws and guidelines that have existed for decades which are still very present governing the electoral process and protect the rights of all involved (the parties, the voters, polling officers, the electoral office, etc.). These laws have worked perfectly for years. This is why I keep asking, WHAT exactly is the electoral reform we are asking for? Are we asking for a new set of rules, redesigning these rules? I think we first need to start making people aware of these laws because if you look at it, these laws place the “freeness” and “fairness” of the election solely in the hands of the people. Yes, I agree for the presentation of IDs but voters ID? Where have we seen this? We have national IDs for this. Plus, I firmly believe, that nonresidential citizens should be allowed to vote given that they do contribute to the wellbeing of people who reside here.

  7. Jonathan Y St Jean
    April 29, 2019

    What took so long to get the electoral office to appear to enforce the electoral law requirements? I guess Pope Francis and the Bishop finally got through to you guys. Now let’s see your office enforce those requirements

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