Public Urged to Register So That Complete Register of Voters Can be Published
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Electoral Office on Central Street, Basseterre, St. Kitts (Photo by
Erasmus Williams) |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JANUARY 10TH 2008 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister responsible for national elections, Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, is urging the general public to be sure to register at the newly-opened Electoral Office, immediately east of the Development Bank on Church Street, in Basseterre, St. Kitts and at the Electoral Office on Chapel Street, Nevis.
Prime Minister Douglas is also reminding already-registers voters that they, too, must confirm their registration at the Electoral Office. All eligible voters registering, and confirming their registration, will permit the creation of a new electoral list, and will ensure that each voter receives his or her National Identification Card.
“It is very important that all eligible voters register during the registration period established by law,” Electoral Officer Oliver Knight
explains. “This period ends on September 30, 2008. All eligible voters registering – and confirming their registration - between now and then, will ensure that when the register of voters is published, it will, indeed, be a complete list of voters.”
~~Adz:Right~~ Section 107 of the Electoral Law gives the minister responsible for national elections the authority to declare the period when voters will register and confirm their registration. Section 107 also allows that the voters list will be published only after the voter registration process has been completed. Under normal circumstances, the register of voters would be published by January 31 each year, [Section 43E]. However, Section 107 reflects the fact that the list cannot be published while registration is still going on, and states that the publication of the list by January 31 is not required while registration is still underway.
“I cannot therefore, stress enough the importance of everyone registering and reconfirming prior to September 30,” Mr. Knight explains, “because once the registration and confirmation period is ended we will be publishing the complete list of voters, based on everyone who stepped forward as requested.”
