JAMAICA-Private sector group wants voters’ list updated.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) on Friday called for a comprehensive and timely update of the voters’ list, urging Jamaicans to be actively involved in the democratic process.

Preliminary figures from Wednesday’s general election, which was held by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Showed that 39.5 per cent of the more than two million eligible voters had cast ballots.

In a statement, the JCC expressed concern that the current voters’ list remains substantially inflated with names that should have been removed long ago.

“The JCC encourages all Jamaicans to remain actively involved in civic life, recognising that participation is the cornerstone of a thriving democracy.

“The JCC will continue to hold all elected officials accountable, engaging with both government and opposition to ensure that policies and actions reflect the best interests of Jamaica’s economy, business community, and citizens,” it added.

In its full preliminary report on the elections, the Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) of the Organization of American States (OAS) has recommended that Jamaica conduct a thorough assessment of the voters’ list to determine the need for a new enumeration process.

The EOM stated that between 2011 and this year, the Voters’ List expanded by 26.08%, increasing from 1,648,036 to 2,077,799 electors.

It also noted that the voters’ list is updated twice annually, on May 31 and November 30. According to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), this process allows for the verification of addresses and the removal of ineligible voters, including deceased persons.

“However, the Mission was informed that challenges remain in ensuring the accuracy of the register. The ECJ collects information on deceased voters from various sources, including newspapers, though no centralized system exists for this purpose,” the report noted.

It stated that electoral authorities also highlighted that declining turnout may be partly linked to the size and accuracy of the Voters’ List. In this regard, officials identified a possible solution in the form of a new voter enumeration exercise, which would allow for a comprehensive update of the Voters’ List.

The EOM said that while such an initiative would be costly, ECJ representatives indicated that it could be completed in less than one year.

Meanwhile, former Director of Elections Orette Fisher told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper that he believes Jamaica’s reported voter turnout is misleading, as the current voters’ list is significantly overinflated with names that should have been removed long ago.

Fisher said the actual number of eligible voters is likely closer to 1.5 million, not the over two million currently on the list.

“The list should be updated regularly to remove people who have died or have migrated, but, instead, new registrations are added to the existing list,” he said, explaining that, although electoral law mandates the removal of deceased or migrated persons, in practice, many of these names remain on the roll for years.