Voter register leaps to over 25,000 ahead of elections

(CNS): The Cayman Islands revised election register now stands at 25,687 voters after 1858 new people registered to vote between the beginning of October and 15 January. The 7.8% increase from 23,829 on 1 January is one of the largest leaps in the election roll for many years, which Governor Jane Owen described as a clear sign “of Caymanians’ commitment to the democratic process”.

But the new register has to be verified, and there have been concerns in recent months of registration fraud, with people signing up in constituencies where they don’t actually live.

Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell said the complaints received and investigated by the registering officers have not warranted a police investigation for fraud or elections offences. However, now that the revised list is out, the public has the opportunity to scrutinise it. “I encourage individuals to review the list and report any errors or suspected fraudulent entries,” Howell told CNS.

Given the traditionally high voter turnout in the Cayman Islands, if the roll still stands, there could be the highest number of people electing their representatives in the country’s history. Voter drives among young people, in particular, appear to have been very successful.

People will again be casting their votes in constituencies with significant discrepancies in size. For the first time since the Cayman Islands moved to single-member constituencies,

West Bay South now has 1,772 registered voters, the most of any constituency, just seven voters more than Bodden Town East, which up till now has always had the largest number of voters. These two jumbo constituencies contrast significantly with the two seats on the Sister Islands, which have the fewest voters.

Cayman Brac West & Little Cayman now has 608 voters, while the premier’s seat of Cayman Brac East has just 523. CBWLC also saw one of the lowest rates of voter growth since the last election at just 5.4%.

On Grand Cayman, the voter lists for North Side and East End both grew but still have significantly fewer voters than the neighbouring constituency of BTE. East End now has 901 registered voters, while North Side, for the second register in a row, has grown significantly to 1,009 voters.

While WBS saw the most new voters register, with 187 names added to the list since October, the biggest percentage growth overall is in North Side, which is up by 20.7% since the 2021 election when there were 836 voters. However, there has not been a corresponding increase in population size over the last four years. According to the ESO, the total population of North Side was 1,951 at the end of 2021 and 2,057 by the middle of 2023.

The smallest increase in voters over the past four years on Grand Cayman has been in the capital. The list for George Town West has grown by only 1.9% and for George Town North by 4.3%, even though the population of the capital has increased far more since 2021. By mid-2023, there were 44,228 people living in George Town, up from 34,789 at the end of 2020, likely due to a surge of work permit holders.

During the registration period, the Elections Office received 3,125 forms, comprising 1,998 new voter applications and 1,127 change of details or address forms, officials said. A number of the voter application forms were duplicates, and some individuals who submitted forms did not meet the eligibility requirements to be a voter.

As polling day approaches, the Elections Office strongly encourages all members of the public to check the official Register of Electors to ensure that their names and addresses appear correctly. The list is available for review on the Elections Office website.

If corrections are needed to any information that is missing or inaccurate, individuals are encouraged to submit a claim or objection by 19 February 2025. Form 9 should be used for objections, and Form 7 should be used for claims. These forms can be downloaded from the Elections Office website and submitted in person or via email to office@elections.ky.

For those unable to vote in person, applications for mobile or postal voting are available on the Elections Office website. Voters who qualify for these options are encouraged to apply early.

The Elections Office is urging all eligible voters to educate themselves about the candidates and issues by attending community meetings and engaging in discussions. These forums provide valuable insights and help voters make informed decisions at the polls.

The office expressed appreciation for its registering officers, office staff and support team, who worked tirelessly, often during evenings and weekends, to collect and process applications ahead of the deadline. Officials said their dedication and commitment were instrumental in ensuring the successful completion of the revised list.

Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell reaffirmed the importance of voter participation. “Voting is a civil duty and a fundamental part of democracy. Every vote matters. All voters should freely and independently decide which candidate to support, then exercise their right to vote, without coercion and responsibly. Selling votes is illegal and undermines the integrity of the electoral process.”

“The Elections Office looks forward to seeing strong participation in the General Election on 30 April 2025. Together, we uphold the strength and integrity of our democracy,” officials added.

For more information or assistance, visit the Elections Office website
or call 244-5400 or 949-8047.

See the Revised List of Electors on the Elections Office website.

Check out the CNS Election Section interactive map to see who is running in each constituency.

See the list of candidates and their party affiliations here.

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Tags: Elections Office, Featured, voter registration, Wesley Howell

Category: Election News