ECJ renews call for chairpersons of three municipal corporations to take necessary steps to fill existing vacancies for councillors

August 4, 2026

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) has renewed its call for the Chairpersons of three Municipal Corporations to take the necessary steps to fill existing vacancies for councillors as required under the law.

The Corporations are Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas and Westmoreland.

The ECJ, in a statement, said in correspondence sent to the Mayors of Kingston, Morant Bay and Savanna-la-Mar, it underscored the statutory responsibility of the Municipal Corporations, reminding them that by-elections to address the vacancies are overdue.

The ECJ also reiterated that it stands ready to conduct the required by-elections once the relevant authorities notify the Commission of their intention to proceed.

The Commission is concerned that the Corporations may be in breach of the law, which states that a by-election is to be held within approximately three months of the vacancy in an electoral division being recorded.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the electoral process is administered in a timely and efficient manner and awaits the decision of the local authorities.