EDITORIAL: Prospective voters need to register to vote now

With the prospect of a Peoples’ Initiated Referendum on whether there should be a cruise berthing facility built currently now in the pipeline for the new year, Caymanians not already registered are being reminded that they need to register with the Elections Office by 1st October this year if they want to be able to vote from 1st January 2020.

These new voters will then join the 21,217 people already on the Official Register of Electors, or registered voters, which has seen an additional 116 people join the list and 65 removed (either because they have died, have been imprisoned or are mentally unfit to vote) since July.The increase of 116 voters is more than double the 51 additional voters who were added to the list in July 2019.

If people are interested in voting in the referendum next year, but have not as yet registered, they can do so so long as they are Caymanian, are aged 18 or over, are a resident of the Cayman Islands and have resided in the Cayman islands for no less than 24 months in the last four years.

Those looking to register will find that it is a straightforward process, by simply downloading an application form from the Elections Office website and submitting it to the Elections Office on Smith Road or to the Registering Officer for the individual’s district, along with (Caymanian Status holders) their birth certificate, Caymanian Status Certificate or letter, photo ID (either passport or driver’s licence) and for those who are Caymanian born and have Caymanian parent/s or grandparents: birth certificate of applicant, if born on the Islands, birth certificate of one of their parents or grandparents who were born on the Islands and a photo ID (either passport or driver’s licence).

Individuals who are unsure if they are currently registered to vote are able to check their details on the Elections Office website.

For more information visit www.elections.ky.