Over 9,000 new names added to voters’ list

Over 9,000 persons who have never voted before have been added to the voters’ list.

According to the 2010 Elections Report, 101,067 persons were registered to vote in that poll, but as at April 28, 2015, the total number of eligible voters is 106, 922.{{more}}

Of this number, 9,379 individuals have been added in all constituencies since the December 2010 poll, with 4,937 being male and 4,442 being female.

Sylvia Findlay, supervisor of elections, told SEARCHLIGHT that these numbers signify new registrants who have never voted in any general elections before.

The New Democratic Party (NDP), however, is questioning the validity of the names added to the voters’ list in the various constituencies in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Leader of the opposition Arnhim Eustace, speaking on the New Times radio programme on Monday, noted the number of additional persons that have registered in some constituencies.

“We suspect something may not be too right in some of these figures,” he said.

“I know there are a number of constituencies that are over 600 who have been added to the list. I want to say that I took particular note with the fact that in South Leeward, those added to the list exceed 800 persons being added to the list in that constituency. So, we’re looking at these numbers and trying to find these people.”

The Electoral Office provided SEARCHLIGHT with a report of the numbers of new registrants by constituency. According to the report, South Leeward has the largest number of new registrants, with 801. East St George follows with 759, West St George, 737, Central Kingstown, 728 and Central Leeward, 704.

South Windward, North Windward, Marriaqua, West Kingstown and East Kingstown all fall below 700 new registrants with 694, 661, 675, 641 and 609 respectively.

Meanwhile, North Leeward recorded 591 new registrants and is followed by South Central Windward with 587. North Central Windward follows close behind with 583, while the Northern Grenadines has recorded 369 new registrants. The Southern Grenadines has fewest new registrants, with 240 persons.

These persons registered between January 2011 and April 2015.(BK)