Every Jamaican, once registered to vote, is issued with a voter ID card which allows them to vote. However, there are other means by which an elector can exercise their franchise which does not involve the production of the Voter ID card.
According to the EOJ, if the elector does not have a Voter ID card present, they will still be allowed to vote once their name can be found on the Voters’ List, and their identity can be confirmed. The elector may confirm their identity using another government issued ID such as a driver’s license or passport. This, however, will take some additional time.
If a polling station is using EVIS, that is the Electronic Voter Identification System, the elector will be asked to place a specific finger on a fingerprint scanner. Once the elector’s identity has been verified, a ballot will be issued by the presiding officer.
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Voter ID Card not essential for voting
Every Jamaican, once registered to vote, is issued with a voter ID card which allows them to vote. However, there are other means by which an elector can exercise their franchise which does not involve the production of the Voter ID card.
According to the EOJ, if the elector does not have a Voter ID card present, they will still be allowed to vote once their name can be found on the Voters’ List, and their identity can be confirmed. The elector may confirm their identity using another government issued ID such as a driver’s license or passport. This, however, will take some additional time.
If a polling station is using EVIS, that is the Electronic Voter Identification System, the elector will be asked to place a specific finger on a fingerprint scanner. Once the elector’s identity has been verified, a ballot will be issued by the presiding officer.
Every Jamaican citizen over the age of 18 years and who is resident in Jamaica is entitled to register to vote. This was changed from 21 years to 18 years in 1972 under the Registration of Electors (Prescribed Age) Special Act.
Also, a commonwealth citizen who is 18 or older and who is resident in Jamaica at the date of registration as a well having been resident in the previous 12 months before registration is entitled to vote. However, persons registered to vote must not be subject to legal incapacity which would prevent the exercise of the franchise such as being of unsound mind, convicted or under a suspended sentence.
The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) which publishes two voters’ list each year on May 31 and the other six months later on November 30, says if an elector has just turned 18, they may be asked to show proof of age, so they should take their birth certificate.
After filling out the application, Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) representatives and scrutineers (political party representatives) will visit the residence at a later date to verify the address given. The registration process is not complete until the residence has been verified.
The law requires that registration verifies the place where an elector is ‘normally resident’. This means the place where you call home, and it can be proven that you live there. If the elector has more than one residence, there will be a need to indicate the one in the constituency the elector prefers to vote. Once the address has been verified, the application is processed.
When the registration process is complete, the elector’s name is added to the voters’ list and an ID card will be issued, but only after the voters list has been published.
For persons who have lost the Voter ID card, a request can be made to the Constituency Office for a replacement, and this will take 4–6 weeks. If you have urgent business, you may request a letter of identity from the EOJ which is good for one use. Your name must appear on the voters list in order to receive a letter of identity. Note however that this does not replace the voter identification card.
The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) is a public government agency established in 1943 to administer the conduct of parliamentary and local government elections.
