Director of Elections Glasspole Brown has taken a decision to transfer the final counting of ballots for the electoral divisions in St Andrew East Rural for the Local Government Election to the Electoral Office of Jamaica’s (EOJ) head office in Kingston.
The divisions that fall within that constituency are Gordon Town, Mavis Bank, Dallas, Harbour View, and Kintyre.
The EOJ did not disclose the reason for the decision, beyond sharing in its release that under the Representation of the People Act, the director of elections may change the place selected for the final counting of ballots.
The release added that, Section 45(2A) states that:
The chief electoral officer, whenever he is satisfied that it is expedient to change the place designated for the final count, may direct the returning officer –
(a) to carry out the final count of votes at such place as the chief electoral office may specify and to notify each candidate, within 24 hours, of the issue of such a direction; and
(b) to postpone for a period not exceeding 48 hours in any one instance, the carrying out of the final count of votes, and to forthwith communicate notice of any such postponement to each candidate.
The final count for the divisions in St Andrew East Rural will, therefore, now take place at the EOJ offices at 43 Duke Street, commencing on Wednesday, February 28 at 10am.
The final counting of ballots is under way at designated counting centres in the other constituencies.
