The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ABOUT 3,000 people are expected to vote in the advanced poll in Grand Bahama today.

Those persons are senior citizens, disabled residents, police officers, and government workers. Poll workers and the 33 nominated candidates also will be voting.

The polls will open at 8am and close at 6pm.

Five schools have been identified and designated on Grand Bahama for the advanced poll.

The advanced poll for Central and East Grand Bahama is at St George’s High School gymnasium; Marco City is at Jack Hayward Senior High School; Pineridge is at Jack Hayward Junior High School, and West Grand Bahama is at Eight Mile Rock High School.

Over 800 people are expected to vote early in the East Grand Bahama constituency and about 1,500 in West Grand Bahama.

Police officials will be out at the various polling stations to ensure order and that COVID-19 protocols are being upheld.

Those eligible to vote early include people with disabilities or someone aged 65 or older. Also, a registered voter who is likely to be a patient in any hospital on Election Day; a person who is ill, pregnant, or recently gave birth is also eligible as well as people who live overseas.

Students studying overseas as well as staff at diplomatic missions also qualify.

Canard Bethel, former deputy parliamentary commissioner at the Parliamentary Registration Department, urged people to queue before 6pm when the polls close.

Speaking on a ZNS radio show yesterday, he noted if there is some unforeseen event, such as a rainstorm that might prevent persons from coming to vote in time, then the presiding officer will bring it to the attention of the parliamentary commissioner, who once satisfied can authorise the poll to continue the same day or the next day.

Mr Bethel explained that between 5pm and 6pm the presiding officer will instruct staff to check the line. “If it is long, they will make a mark of the line and see if anyone is approaching. And if someone is approaching, they put them on the line,” he said.

Mr King stated that there are constituencies that have 1,000 people who will vote.

He believes the pandemic will slow down voting at the polls.

“We cannot forget the pandemic is here and there is social distancing. And we ought to obey rules and regulation as it applies to social distancing and that will slow down the taking of the poll and it is quite possible that there will be persons there on the line at 6pm,” he said.

He said presiding officers must act in accordance with the rule to establish the last person on the line and put a police officer there to ensure no voter is disenfranchised.