56 per cent turnout for special services voting

The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) says there was a 56 per cent turnout among special services electors on Monday.

Members of the police, military and election day workers cast their ballots across 377 polling stations yesterday, three days ahead of the September 3 polls.

Of the 46,777 special services personnel, 26,276 voted.

The EOJ says the turnout was less than the 63 per cent recorded during the 2016 general election.

Police

Number eligible – 11,512
Votes cast - 4,849
Turnout - 42%

Military 

Number eligible – 4,181
Votes cast - 982
Turnout - 23%

Election workers

Number eligible – 31,084
Votes cast -  20,445
Turnout - 66%

Director of Elections Glasspole Brown says reports from across the island indicate a fairly quiet day.

“All polling stations opened as scheduled at 8 a.m. and we did not receive any reports of any major incidences. Overall, the day went quite smoothly,” he said.

The EOJ explains that special service voters’ ballots are placed in specially marked individual envelopes which are then sorted the night after the election and will be counted on election day along with the ballots cast by civilian non-election day workers.

While the electoral office has determined how many ballots have been received, there is no indication of how the electors have voted as the envelopes remain sealed and vaulted until the counting on election day.

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