Final Result of General Election Should Be Known By March 2

Director of Elections, Orrette Fisher, says the final result of the February 25 General Election should be known by Wednesday, March 2.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), on Red Hills Road, in Kingston, on Monday, February 29, Mr. Fisher informed that as at 8:30 a.m. today, the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EoJ) had concluded the final count of votes in 62 of the 63 constituencies.

He said the results show the two main political parties – the People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) – each winning 31 constituencies, with Western St. Thomas being the outstanding seat where counting is still being done.

Mr. Fisher told journalists that final counting for that constituency is currently underway at the EoJ’s Duke Street offices in downtown Kingston, “the decision having being taken to relocate that count to a (place) outside of the parish (of St. Thomas).”

He advised that of the 156 boxes at the start of the count on Monday morning, “55 were examined and counted.”

“The Electoral Office is hoping to be able to advise the Governor-General of the (final overall election) results by Wednesday, March 2, 2016. It must be noted, however, that if there is a magisterial recount for any constituency, the final results can only be declared at the completion of (this process),” Mr. Fisher stated.

Meanwhile, ECJ Chairperson, Dorothy Pine-McLarty, who described the close result as “unprecedented,” gave the assurance that “the integrity of the (electoral) system is intact.”

“In furtherance of our democratic process, there is a recount, otherwise called the final count, which goes through the ballots in great detail in the presence of representatives of all parties, their agents, lawyers if necessary, and senior representatives of the EoJ. That commences the next day and goes on until completed,” Mrs. Pine-McLarty explained.