VOTING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

How much do you know about the voting process? What are your rights as a voter? What do you need to know in other to successfully vote for your candidate of choice come Election Day? Hopefully, the STAR will highlight some of these.

REMINDERS

1.              It is important for employers to know that their employees are allowed at least 2 hours from work with pay to go over to their respective polling stations to vote. Employers who refuse to permit an employee to vote or deduct from their salary will be charged and fined $500.00 or face up to 6 months imprisonment.

2.              There is no law stating that a voter cannot wear any color of their choice, however, voters are not allowed to wear any outfit with party symbols or asking other people to vote for a particular party.

3.              If you do not have a National ID card, you can vote with a photo ID such as a passport, driver’s license or any other means which will allow you to be identified by the presiding officer.

4.              Polling stations open at 6:30am and close at 6:00pm.

5.              Read all safety tips posted on the walls of the polling station.

6.              Remember, NO cellphones are allowed in the voting booth.

HOW TO VOTE

1.              Present your ID to the presiding officer who will check your name against the voters list.

2.              The presiding officer will examine your right index finger for electoral ink.

3.              If there is no ink, you will be asked to dip your right index finger into the electoral ink.

4.              At this point, your name and occupation will be entered into the pole book.

5.              After this you will be given a ballot and instructed on the correct way to mark and fold the ballot.

6.              A valid ballot should have the name of the presiding officer on the top right hand corner.

7.              The presiding officer will then direct you to the voting booth where you will mark your ballot.

8.              You are to use the pencil in the voting booth to mark your ballot.

9.              If you believe you have incorrectly made your mark, tell the presiding officer who will in your presence cancel your ballot by writing the word “SPOILT” across the ballot and will issue you with a new one.

10.     Once you have correctly marked and folded your ballot, you are to leave the voting booth and proceed to the ballot box where the presiding officer will verify his/her initials on the ballot before you can place the ballot into the ballot box.

11.     REMEMBER: Your ballot should be folded properly so that your mark will not be seen but only the initial of the presiding officer is seen.

12.     After you have done so, you are to leave the area and make your way outside.

Happy Voting!