Central Voting Bureau member Anastacio Baker conducting some measurements during one of the polling station inspections on Wednesday.
PHILIPSBURG--All is set for today’s parliamentary elections to elect the eleventh parliament for St. Maarten since 10-10-10.
Chairperson of the Central Voting Bureau Nathalie Tackling and her team along with the Civil Registry Department, VROMI and Police inspected all 20 polling stations on Wednesday and reported that all is well.
“We have completed all necessary inspections to guarantee a smooth election process,” Tackling told The Daily Herald on Wednesday evening. “This year, we are of course dealing with the removal of the curtains and as such we have been focussed on ensuring the room is set up to accommodate the new changes in the law."
She encouraged every eligible voter to participate in shaping St. Maarten’s future by casting their vote.
She reminded also, that the Civil Registry Department will be open today, Thursday from 8:30am to 6:00pm for anyone still needing a voting card.
The Bureau on Wednesday also provided party representatives with important information and guidelines concerning the presence of party representatives at polling stations, in accordance with Articles 71 and 82, paragraph 4 of the Electoral Ordinance.
The letter stated that on Election Day, it is essential to maintain order and transparency at each polling station to ensure the democratic process is upheld with the utmost integrity.
“To this end, during each polling station’s vote count, each political party is allowed to have one representative present at each polling station for observational purposes. If a polling station is of significant size and can accommodate additional persons without hindering the vote count process, the chairperson of that particular polling station holds the discretion to permit a maximum of two representatives from each party. This decision will be made based on the spatial and logistical capacities and will be communicated by the chairperson of the polling station to party representatives,” the letter read.
The letter further stated that party representatives must be eligible voters and should be duly prepared to provide proper identification for verification purposes. During the counting of votes during the evening at each polling station, it is imperative that all party representatives present respect the perimeter marked around the polling station members. The presence of each party’s representatives should not interfere with the duties of the polling station workers.
“We request that each party ensures its representatives are informed of these guidelines and are fully prepared to adhere to them. The Central Voting Bureau appreciates your cooperation in this matter and your commitment to a fair and transparent electoral process. Should you have any questions or require further clarification regarding these guidelines, please feel free to contact,” it was stated in the letter.
