There should be a fixed election date
Published:Monday | August 31, 2020 | 12:16 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
A bill for a fixed election date was brought to Parliament in 2010 by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, but to date, no legislative action has been taken.
A fixed date for elections will allow all government agencies, the Opposition, and the electorate to have a definite time frame to plan and organise elections.
An arbitrary date negatively impacts voter turnout, which is an indication of lack of interest in deciding who forms the next Government.
With the increase in COVID-19 cases, people are scared to go out to vote – there is a fair chance that the voter turnout will be even lower than the last election.
A fixed election date should be a staple on the calendar and should also be declared a holiday to enable people to go and vote.
High voter turnout is an indication of people’s heightened interest in the democratic process. Having a fixed date for the election will give the Electoral Office of Jamaica adequate time to prepare and execute.
The next Government should look into this seriously.
CARLOS PIPHER