Candidates must declare interests by Nomination Day
(CNS): All candidates running for office on 30 April must fill in the Register of Interests form declaring all of their assets and potential conflicts before Nomination Day on 3 March. The register enables the public to make informed decisions on polling day about whether or not their candidates have interests that could undermine their ability to be honest and fair representatives.
The declarations are required under the Standards in Public Life Act. Candidates who fail to make that declaration or fail to make a full disclosure can be disqualified.
Appearing on Radio Cayman on Wednesday, Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell and his deputy, Sheena Glasgow, also reminded candidates that although it is not a requirement that they live in the constituency where they plan to run, their nominators must be registered voters there.
While many candidates do live in the constituencies where they are running, some are running in seats that are close to their homes or where they grew up and still have close family ties.
“Nomination Day is just around the corner. If you are considering running for office, now is the time to get ready. Familiarise yourself with all relevant legal provisions before agreeing to be nominated,” Howell said.
He reminded the candidates about the documents they must bring. They will also need to pay their deposits and provide the details of their agents, who must also be from the constituency in which the candidates are running. Each candidate is allowed two agents per polling station to represent their interests, as well as two agents per counting station who are allowed to observe the opening of the ballot boxes and the full count.
Candidates must pay a $1,000 deposit each, which must be paid in cash or bank draft. No cheques or cards will be accepted. They will not get that money back unless they get at least 10% of the vote in their respective constituencies.
Howell urged candidates to read all of the relevant laws and ensure that they conform to procedures. “Candidates… are seeking to become lawmakers, so I encourage them to read the laws: the Elections Law, the Constitution and the Standards in Public Life Law,” he added.
He and Glasgow urged all registered voters to come out and vote in both the election and the referendum questions on cruise tourism, decriminalising ganja and the introduction of a national lottery.
The Elections Office has also produced a handbook for candidates that spells out clearly the entire process, qualifications and requirements. See all other information for candidates, voters and the election process on the website here.
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.
Category: Election News
Change writes: Every constituency has the same issue when their MP becomes a minister. It is not that they stop caring about their area, but Cabinet members have no choice but to tackle issues at national level, and that takes budget, meetings, reports, travel, conference calls, sitting with lawyers to streamline bills and laws — all […]
Might help for André (because he’s the only one who really gets it) to thoroughly train both current and prospective ministers on what conflict actually means and why before they make their declarations and I’d love to know who vets these declarations and how.
Do family owned vape shops count?!!
Just as do party supplies shops, moonlighting as an event promoter, and a popup contracting business run by proxy school buddies for NDHC and whatever government construction project that comes down the pipeline? Oh, almost forgot about the clandestine escort service for VIP’s that been going on more than a decade now?
Someone else out there must know what I’m talking about?
Please do tell. Don’t keep us in the dark.
I thought we all knew that they are only interested in one thing.
The Declarations of Interests should be published online, and updated in real time, along with SIPL conflicts disclosures. All registered voters should have a login where they can answer informal district and territorial straw polls, access these disclosures, and flag irregularities for SIPLC/ACC followup.
What happens if they develop a conflict of interest AFTER Nomination Day and before Election?