~ Reporters were barred from entering some polling stations~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Elections on Monday seemed more orderly as political party supporters could not linger close to the polling stations. Police Officers that were manning the polling stations and the Dutch officers that were assisting ensured that supporters and candidates that postulated for the February 26th snap elections stayed as far as 200 meters from the polling stations. Police Officers such as the one that MPC even prevented reporters from entering that polling station stating that he was given those orders from the management team of KPSM. However, Governor Eugene Holiday along with Chief of Police Carl John visited that polling station reporters were allowed to enter at that moment. Other polling stations that barred reporters are those in Cape Bay and the Cole Bay area.
While the snap elections were conducted in an orderly manner some voters did express their outrage when they visited some of the polling stations to cast their votes and was told that errors were made on the voting cards. A number of voters that are registered to vote at Hope Estate showed up in Belvedere because their voting card indicated that they are to cast their vote in that district. Upon reaching Belvedere Community Center they are told that they voted already because the number on their card bore the name of another voter in that district. After lengthy discussions, those voters are told that they should to the polling station that they normally vote since the voting cards have a number of errors.
Another observation on Monday is that voters heeded the call of the politicians went out and cast their votes. By 7 pm some 57% of voters cast their votes. Registered voters are 22,559. One hour before the polling stations closed some 12,807 voters voted.
http://www.smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/28535-tighter-security-to-prevent-election-fraud-party-supporters-had-to-stay-200m-from-polling-station.html
