Public Information Bulletin

August 20, 2024

Voter Registration and objections procedure to names on the Voters List

  1.  The Central Electoral Office was established by the authority of the Elections Act, 2019, as amended. Part 2, Sections 3-15 outline the administration and functions of the Central Electoral Office.

  2. A key function of the Central Electoral Office is the registration of voters and the maintenance of the Voters List.

  3. The Elections Act, 2019, as amended, Part 4, Sections 17-33 and the Elections Regulations, 2020 Sections 19-26 outline the process of continuous voter registration and the procedure for handling of objections to names on the Voters List.

  4. The right to register as a voter is prescribed by Section 43 of the Anguilla Constitution, 1982. Section 43 (c) stipulates that an elector “is at the qualifying date resident in the electoral district in which he claims to be registered.” The qualifying date is the last day of each quarter.

  5. The Central Electoral Office requires the potential voter to appear in person and present documentary proof of RESIDENCE. The Central Electoral Office considers that residence implies that a person is living in the territory, sleeping, eating, working and commuting in that place. To this end, residence excludes tourists and visitors and persons born in Anguilla but settled elsewhere.

    Also, the Central Electoral Office is guided by the decision of the High Court entered on 12th June, 2020 which states:

    (5) in so far as Section 43(1) (c) utilizes the term “residence”, this must mean that the person 
    registered in that district must have a permanent and settled presence in that electoral district. 
    The meaning to be ascribed to the term residence used in the statute means exactly what it says, 
    the person must be physically resident in that district as opposed to having some transient 
    purpose there.

  6. Since June 2020 only 160 new voters were registered using the qualifying criteria and definition of residence. The current Voters List with a total of 11,883 registered Voters is largely a historical record of registration prior to June 2020.

  7. Voters Lists for each Electoral District are updated four times a year or quarterly. New voters who meet the qualifying criteria and proof of residence are added and deceased persons are removed after confirmation from the Registrar’s Office.

  8.  A Quarterly List is prepared and published on the 42nd day of every quarter. This list contains new registered voters. Section 21 (a) of the Elections Regulation, 2020 gives the right to any duly registered voter to object to the registration of any person whose name appears on the Quarterly List. 
    Notice of objection must be delivered to the Central Electoral Office no later than the 52nd day of each quarter, using Form 8.

  9. A Preliminary List of Voters is prepared and published no later than the 72nd day of each quarter. This list contains new and existing voters for each Electoral District. Section 21 (b) of the Elections Regulations, 2020, also gives the right to any duly registered voter in an Electoral District to object to the registration of a person whose name is included on that same list. The objection must be delivered to the Central Electoral Office no later than eight (8) days after the first day of posting of the preliminary list. The next Preliminary List is due on the 11th of June, 2024. Objections should be delivered before the 18th of June, 2024, using Form 8.

  10. Section 24 of the Elections Regulations, 2020, outlines the procedure for the consideration of objections. This includes a hearing conducted by the Supervisor of Elections. Sections 24 (3), (4) and (5) stipulate:

    (3) The Supervisor of Election shall permit the objector and the person in respect of whose registration the notice of objection has been given or other person interested, as the case may be, to give or adduce oral or documentary evidence in support of or in opposition to the claim or the objection.

    (4) The Supervisor of Elections may require that evidence tendered by any person be given upon oath or affirmation as commonly administered in a court and may administer an oath or affirmation for that purpose and may take affidavits. 

    (5) The Supervisor of Elections may require any person appearing before him to furnish him with such additional information as he considers necessary for a proper determination of the application and for the prevention of fraudulent registration and may of his own initiative make further inquiries for those purposes.

  11. Copies of the Elections Act, 2019, as amended and the Elections Regulations, 2020 are published on the Central Electoral Office website at https://electoraloffice.gov.ai/document.

  12. The Quarterly Voters List and the Preliminary Lists are also published on the Central Electoral Office website at https://www.gov.ai/electoraloffice/. In addition, hard copies can be inspected at the Central Electoral Office and at some public buildings in each Electoral District. 

 

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