THE EDITOR, Sir:
I volunteered to work in the General Election which was conducted on October 16, 2002 and was selected as a Presiding Officer in the St. Andrew South East constituency.
I made several observations during the training sessions and the actual elections which I believe can enhance the electoral process and future elections.
1). The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) should inform every registered elector of their polling station number and location on election day. The political parties are not needed to do this because it is prohibitive to the independent and minority parties due to the cost. Additionally, it prejudices the elector in the eyes of those observing the cards by presupposing their political affiliation.
2). The electorate should know the voting procedure including what to expect, who is in charge, and what their rights are. Television simulations, newspaper drawings, radio skits, booklets, displays in post offices, government buildings, public libraries, public buses etc. are all good avenues to explore in educating the electorate. Demonstrations in high and junior high schools are other avenues for the next generation.
I digress to relate my experience when I went to cast my ballot. On approaching the Presiding Officer who I know personally, an indoor agent asked for my ID. I asked her if she was the Presiding Officer (knowing full well that she was not) to which she responded with a hiss of the teeth and a cut-eye for good measure. She mumbled about the behaviour of persons who wanted to cast bogus votes, so I asked her if she had the habit of abusing electors and subsequently got the expletive. After that I told her that I came to vote for her candidate and a holy hush filled the room.
The indoor agent is acting on behalf of the political party and should NEVER interact with the elector. Any issue concerning the elector is to be related to the Presiding Officer or EOJ Supervisor who is in charge and who makes the final decision. If the parties cannot provide this assurance they should lose their right to indoor agents who can easily be replaced by independent agents.
3). The use of outdoor agents does not enhance the political process and I believe that they do not reflect the wishes of the majority of the electorate. Instead they create an atmosphere of tension in marginal constituencies and insobriety elsewhere. We would be better served if the EOJ would provide information officers to tell the uncertain elector which polling station to go to vote. A computer with an electronic copy of the voters list could also be used to inform electors on the day.
4). Non-essential supplies should be delivered to the Presiding Officer overnight. The Ballot Box, Ballots, Black Book and Final Electors List may be retained by the EOJ and delivered on the morning of the election. This may enhance a prompt opening of the polls.
5). EOJ supervisors should keep less essential supplies at each Polling Division/Station, rather than at the electoral offices. Traffic congestion alone demands this.
6). The training of the Election Day workers should be reflected on the day. The use of the integrity lamp, the fingerprinting equipment, the Poll Book (to a lesser extent) should seem like second nature to the elector. Most importantly, however, the Presiding Officer and the EOJ supervisor must be in charge.
I am etc.,
MARLON COOPER
marlon_cooper@cwjamaica.com
Via Go-Jamaica
