Security Forces Vote

The first round of voting in the 2011 General Election gets under way this morning, at polling stations in all 63 constituencies.

Polling will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for 25,396 Election Day workers, 8,211 police and 2,098 soldiers, who are eligible to vote.

Under the Representation of the People Act (ROPA), special provisions are made for the military and police personnel to vote before Election Day, so as to ensure that they are available for duty on Election Day to see to the maintenance of law and order.

Parliament recently gave its approval to a Bill amending the ROPA to provide that the military, police, Electoral Office of Jamaica employees and civil voting lists be distributed to candidates within seven days after Nomination Day.

About 32,000 persons were scheduled to vote in 2007, one week ahead of the General Election. The breakdown included 6,000 police, 1,800 soldiers and 24,200 Election Day workers and polling station security assistants at 240 polling stations.

 The rest of the country will vote next Thursday, December 29.

By Balford Henry, JIS Reporter