Half the candidates can’t vote for themselves
(CNS): Only half of the 50 candidates that are running for office can be sure of at least one vote on Election Day. According to the Revised List of Electors, of all the candidates who were nominated this week to stand in the 2021 General Elections, a little under 50% of them are registered to vote in a constituency other than the one where they are now campaigning.
While most live in neighbouring constituencies, some candidates are running for seats that are some distance from where they are registered to vote.
In many cases where the would-be MPs appear to reside far from their constituents, they still have strong family ties or other connections to those communities, having grown up in those areas. Nevertheless, it is a potential weapon for candidates who live in their own districts to use against their opponents.
On Nomination Day, Alden McLaughlin
Alden McLaughlin (PPM): Red Bay MP, Premier, Minister of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs (MITIAMA). Biography: McLaughlin has been a member of the... More took aim at his challenger, Sammy Jackson, who is originally from West Bay and is currently registered to vote in George Town North, saying it was an example of the strength of Cayman’s democracy when “a West Bayer with absolutely no ties to Red Bay and hitherto no interest in Red Bay” could turn up and be nominated, joking that the reason must be that they are both ‘bays’.
Since Jackson is unable to vote for himself, he will likely cast a vote for his campaign running mate, Johann Moxam
Johann Moxam: Independent candidate for George Town North - Managing Partner of Lainston International Management Ltd. Background and education: Moxam studied at the University of... More. But while McLaughlin is a resident in the neighbouring constituency of Prospect and has strong ties to George Town, he can’t vote for himself either, or even for a member of the party he leads, as there is no PPM candidate in Prospect.
However, Austin Harris, the independent incumbent for Prospect, is running as part of the PPM coalition and is probably expecting to get McLaughlin’s vote, having been part of his government. However, there are no guarantees that Harris will still support the coalition even if he retains that seat once the vote is counted on 15 April.
Three candidates who are registered to vote in Red Bay but competing elsewhere are also unlikely to vote for McLaughlin, given their vocal criticisms of the current administration. If they vote at all, Sabrina Turner, Frank McField and Michael Myles, who also cannot vote for themselves, might well tick the box for Jackson or even spoil their ballots in protest.
Most of the candidates running in George Town live in and around the capital, but not in the constituency they have been nominated for.
Roy McTaggart
Roy McTaggart (PPM): George Town East MP, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Political Career: • Successfully ran in the 2013 as a Coalition for... More, who may well be Cayman’s next premier, is running in George Town East but voting in George Town North, where one expects he will vote for his party colleague, Joey Hew
Joey Hew (PPM): George Town North MLA, Minister of Commerce, Planning, Infrastructure. Biography: Hew has been a member of the Legislative Assembly since 2013, when... More, unless Johann MoxamJohann Moxam: Independent candidate for George Town North - Managing Partner of Lainston International Management Ltd. Background and education: Moxam studied at the University of... More can convince him to vote outside the party. After all, Moxam is registered in GTE and the two candidates may see the benefit in offering each other a gentlemanly swap of votes.
While several candidates will not be able to vote for themselves or an allied candidate, there are a small number of candidates who live such significant distances from the seats they hope to secure that it could seriously impact their campaigns.
However, in most cases it was the stroke of the boundary commissioners’ pens more than ten years ago that established the current district divisions and put candidates outside the neighborhoods they know best.
With the introduction of ‘one man, one vote’, the 19 constituencies were drawn up with boundaries based on the number of voters, mixed demographics and logical geographical lines. So although some of the 50 candidates live ‘on the wrong side of the street’ on paper, most are still immersed in those broader communities.
Nevertheless, by remaining outside the official boundaries, they lose the only vote on which they can truly depend.
Category: Analysis, Polls, Viewpoints & Analysis
The fact that these votes are so spread out among few people is astounding.
You should be able to vote across the board.
Let the entire island vote for the entire list in each district.
An what the He!! was one man one vote meant to accomplish. NOBODY even understand it!
I absolutely agree ‘national vote’ is the way to go.
More than half of them aren’t worth one vote.
Isn’t there a basic solvency test? How can someone openly sell their garden produce to raise the $1000 nomination fee, be confirmed as a candidate? How do MPs listing no assets on their register of interests stand for duty? Does any agency review any of this, or bother to care?
the guy that sold his garden produce to raise $1,000 for his nomination fee also owns apartments, houses and owns a liquor store.
And a farm! Although police did seize his crop.
Half of them can barely read.
Why are you all needing a representative for 1 square mile? Vote in 1 premier and they choose the cabinet.