POND ISLAND--The Voters Registry will close on Monday, November 23, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs announced on Wednesday. His announcement comes as the Cabinet continues preparation for the February 9, 2016, snap elections.
Gumbs said the Registry should have closed on November 22, based on the procedural timeline. However, that day being a Sunday, the Registry will be closed on the next working day.
The Civil Registry is already in election mode and is preparing to hire needed polling station and other staff for the elections.
A definite budget for the elections is set at NAf. 229,763, a decrease from the cost of the 2014 regular Parliamentary Elections, which stood at NAf. 289,518. The funds for the elections come from the budget of the Ministry of General Affairs and adjustments are being made to create a budget post for the elections funds.
After the closure of the Voters’ Registry, any voter who has been left off the list has the right to petition the Court of First Instance to have his or her name added to the list.
Political parties that have been duly registered with the Electoral Council have to submit their slates of candidates to the Central Voting Bureau on Tuesday, December 22. The endorsement of slates, which is required by law, will take place on Wednesday, December 23.
Following the snap elections, the new Parliament will have its first session on March 14, 2016, on which day the current Second Parliament of the country will be dissolved as per the National Decree of October 28.
Voters Registry to close Nov. 23
