KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC -The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (EOJ) says it has completed the final counting of ballots from the September 3 general election and that the results indicate that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has received the majority of votes in 35 constituencies.
In a brief statement, the EOJ said that the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has received the majority of votes in 28 constituencies.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness created history when he led his JLP to a third consecutive victory. At the same time, the PNP improved its position in Parliament, having entered the contest after being defeated by 49 votes to 14 in the 2020 general election.
The EOJ had earlier said that it was “aware of a post currently circulating on social media claiming to show the number of electors who voted in St. Andrew West Central, and the number of spoiled ballots.
“This information is false. The EOJ is not the source of this data, and we strongly caution the public against sharing or relying on such misinformation. We remind all Jamaicans to depend solely on official EOJ communication channels for accurate and timely election updates,” it added.
The EOJ had also dismissed claims on social media of illegal acts in relation to the transportation of ballot boxes and the counting of ballots, adding that these posts “include unfounded claims of missing and uncounted ballot boxes as well as a grossly inaccurate number of spoiled votes in one constituency.
“The EOJ would like to remind the public that the preliminary counting of ballots took place in the presence of indoor agents representing at least two candidates/political parties, and in some cases in the presence of election observers. Ballot boxes were accompanied by the indoor agents and escorted by the police to the counting centres,” the EOJ said in a statement.
It said that “all 7,294 general election ballot boxes and all 109 local government by-election ballot boxes have been accounted for, and ballots were/are being counted at the final count at the counting centres in the presence of candidates and/or their representatives”.
The EOJ stated that candidates who wish to lodge complaints or objections are advised to use the available legal channels of recourse.
“Erroneous information on social media and in other spaces only serves to undermine democracy, and the EOJ is urging members of the public to desist from posting and sharing this false information. The public is being reminded to be cautious of their sources of information and is strongly cautioned against sharing or relying on such misinformation,” the EOJ said.
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